Mixing yeast strains

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Brew-Jay

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I was wondering if anyone here has dabbled with mixing two or more different types of yeast. Is there any reason why that should not done?
 
Depends on what you want to mix and how you plan to mix them. IMO, I wouldn't do it for a brew unless you had a damned great reason. It's better to select a single yeast that will get you what you want, or be close enough to not matter, then try to Frankenstein a couple of strains thinking you know what you'll get.
 
It is done. In fact both Wyeast and White Labs both sell blends.

I did it once, but that was because I hadn't made a starter.
 
It is done. In fact both Wyeast and White Labs both sell blends.

Wyeast offers a handful of blends, with it split between yeast/yeast and yeast/bacteria combinations. IMO, IF you're going to do a blend, better off doing one that has been done with predictable results, not just go off and do it yourself. BTW, all but one from Wyeast are Belgian strains. The other is a lager (Octoberfest blend) pack.

I did it once, but that was because I hadn't made a starter.

Did it give you anything close to what you had expected/wanted?? Blending a pair of very similar yeasts is one thing, but trying to blend to dissimilar yeasts can be very unpredictable. Especially if they work in different temperature ranges, different alcohol tolerance levels, etc.

I still think selecting a single packet/vial of yeast to do the job is a far better idea. Even if that's a packaged blend. Unless you have a microbiology background/degree at least...
 
Lots of English breweries have duel strains. I can't imagine anything catastrophic would happen if you pitched two different strains.
 
I've always used a single strain/commercial blend, unless I'm adding something for a specific reasion- namely Brett/bugs.

There's an additional Wyeast blend other than the Belgian/Octoberfest strains. There's a "Bavarian Wheat Blend" that's apparently a phenolic weizen strain plus a cleaner strain. I used it by mistake in my Dunkelweizen. Wasn't what I wanted (too clean), but it's not bad.
 
I did it once, but that was because I hadn't made a starter.

Did it give you anything close to what you had expected/wanted?? Blending a pair of very similar yeasts is one thing, but trying to blend to dissimilar yeasts can be very unpredictable. Especially if they work in different temperature ranges, different alcohol tolerance levels, etc.

I'm not sure what I was actually looking for so I cannot say whether it was what I expected but it turned out very good.

It may be that one yeast took over.

I called it "Floored IPA"

5 lbs Warminster Floor-malted Maris Otter
4 lbs American 2 row Pale
6 oz American Crystal 60
4 oz Cara-Pils

1 oz Galena 50 min.
.5 oz US Tettnang 15 min
.5 Liberty 5 min.

I used harvested American Ale 1056 and Trappist High Gravity 3787.

These were from the only jars of washed yeast I had on hand at the time. There was not enough of either to pitch just one.

That one was well received and is long gone.

Unpredictable, not reproduce-able but great nonetheless.
 
I have finished a beer with ale yeast after cold lagering with lager yeast. The result is crisp and dry like a cream ale.
 
I did it with a tripel I brewed. I mixed 1214 and 3787. Brew came out great. You could taste the two yeasts, but the 3787 was a little more prominent. 1214 is slow to start so I would pitch the 1214, give it a few hours head start and then pitch the 3787 next time I do it.

Mixing two strains is very doable if the both have similar temp ranges. Have some fun and give it a try.
 
Wyeast 3724/3711 would be a winner. In fact, I think I heard Neva Parker from White labs say they do something very similar for one of their saison yeasts.

[edit] Jump forward to 22:50, Neva goes into some blending details. @ 23:50 she mentions the saison blend. Then go back to the beginning and watch the whole thing. She's great.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I've started experimenting with Bridgeport's method of bottle conditioning.
Ferment with ale yeast, filter and bottle with a lager yeast. Not really mixing.

I often dry out a RIS with simple sugar additions and a wine yeast. Not really mixing.

I guess I don't mix strains, why am I even responding? :D
 
Wyeast 3724/3711 would be a winner. In fact, I think I heard Neva Parker from White labs say they do something very similar for one of their saison yeasts.

[edit] Jump forward to 22:50, Neva goes into some blending details. @ 23:50 she mentions the saison blend. Then go back to the beginning and watch the whole thing. She's great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vELwUsBmWQ&feature=player_embedded

That would be a great combo. The flavor of 3724 with the finishing of 3711. 3711 is a beast and will always finish low. 3724 will finish low if you can keep ferment temps very high, but ,3711 will work at almost any temp.
 
That would be a great combo. The flavor of 3724 with the finishing of 3711. 3711 is a beast and will always finish low. 3724 will finish low if you can keep ferment temps very high, but ,3711 will work at almost any temp.

That's a really good idea. I've never used 3724 just cause of its reputation of being a PITA to get the right attenuation. As far as I understand, it's much more potently phenolic than the 3711, but 3711 is such a low maintenance strain.

Next saison I do I'm gonna give it a whirl.
 
That's a really good idea. I've never used 3724 just cause of its reputation of being a PITA to get the right attenuation. As far as I understand, it's much more potently phenolic than the 3711, but 3711 is such a low maintenance strain.

Next saison I do I'm gonna give it a whirl.

Don't mix them. Let the 3724 go for a week, then add the 3711.
 
I was thinking a couple day head start, but I could definitely do a week.

Couple of days might be OK. I've made a saison with only 3711 and it was unremarkable. The last one I made was the blend, spaced 1 week apart, and you'd swear there was apricots or something in there. 3724 throws some fruitiness. I fermented at 90, but I'd recommend keeping it below that.
 
I love this forum. Thanks for all the input. Not sure when yet, but I'm definitely trying one of the blend suggestions in this post.
 
I'm making starters of washed 1318 and 1056 separately. I'm going to cold crash them and decant the excess into a single glass to taste before I pitch them both into the stout I'm brewing tomorrow.
 
I did a high gravity "trippel" that was very close to Duvel... Started with a 50/50 malt wheat ratio, pitched wyeast 3638 for main ferment, then when I added the invert sugar and added wyeast 1007 and US-05 ,,,,and dropped temp on the carboy...might have to go crack the second to last one now....
 
When I do a psuedo-lager, like my Oktoberfest Ale I use a 50-50 mix of S-05 and W-34/70. I try and keep the ferment as close to 60 degrees as I can and the result is a very clear, crisp beer. YMMV
 

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