Yeast Advice for Stout - 1056 or Harvested Bell's?

I'm going to brew a variation of this: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f68/founders-breakfast-stout-clone-139078/

I have either a 1056 (washed) or harvested Bell's available. Any advice on which one to use? I'll need to get my starter going right away if I want to brew on Sunday.

Or, should I go pick up some 04? Actually, the recipe I'm going to use is more like the one on this page: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f68/founders-breakfast-stout-clone-139078/index11.html and the poster used 1056.

I was just thinking that maybe the Bell's would be a better choice than 1056 but have heard a lot of people say they are basically the same.

All Ive heard is bells is the same as 1056 or WLP001 and yes, with a malt bill that complex I'd think that your bells that you have on hand will work great...no sense in buying more yeast when you already have some...thats the point of washing yeast in the first place!
anyways, my vote is for using the Bells and get that starter going.

iparks81 said:

All Ive heard is bells is the same as 1056 or WLP001 and yes, with a malt bill that complex I'd think that your bells that you have on hand will work great...no sense in buying more yeast when you already have some...thats the point of washing yeast in the first place!
anyways, my vote is for using the Bells and get that starter going.

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doin' it, thanks!

iparks81 said:

All Ive heard is bells is the same as 1056 or WLP001 and yes, with a malt bill that complex I'd think that your bells that you have on hand will work great...no sense in buying more yeast when you already have some...thats the point of washing yeast in the first place!
anyways, my vote is for using the Bells and get that starter going.

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I've heard it's a mutated strain of 1056. And I have a similar "problem"

Well it is more likely a mutated english strain rather than a chico variant, they have been using that same yeast since at least 85 and I doubt sierra nevada was being distributed near michigan at the time. It is not as clean as 1056 and is noticeably different, it has an apple type fruitiness/juiciness characteristic. It also emphasizes hop aroma well and tends to mute or smooth bitterness a little. A two hearted clone is definitely not the same with 1056/wlp001 but will work okay if you can't get bells yeast.

For the more authentic Founders flavor, I believe the 1056 is what Founders uses but both will make a tasty stout

Bell's yeast is definitely different from 1056/001. Not too different though, so in a pinch you could substitute either way, but I feel like you'd really only notice a stark difference in lighter color beers. I can't say from experience though, but I do love Bell's strain in my IPAs.

I tried to harvest the bells yeast out of a few pale ales, without success. Pitched into some 1.050 wort, maybe the starter gravity was too high? Let it sit for a few days on a stir plate and got nothing. Ill have to try again sometime.

Veedo said:

I tried to harvest the bells yeast out of a few pale ales, without success. Pitched into some 1.050 wort, maybe the starter gravity was too high? Let it sit for a few days on a stir plate and got nothing. Ill have to try again sometime.

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Try a 1.030 wort and pitch at least 3 bottles worth (You can do it!).

Let it go for a few days. You may not see any action to start with since the wort is so low gravity and the fermentation is masked by the stirbar action.

Pitch some more wort and I bet you'll start seeing more action when the cell count rises.

Veedo said:

I tried to harvest the bells yeast out of a few pale ales, without success. Pitched into some 1.050 wort, maybe the starter gravity was too high? Let it sit for a few days on a stir plate and got nothing. Ill have to try again sometime.

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I just harvested it out of a single bottle of pale ale. You want to start much lower when you're first rousing them. I went 25mL>250mL>1L all at 1.020 or so.