Useing 2 different strains of yeastie beasties.

I just want to check my thinking on this....


Lets say you want to use 2 different yeasts, 1 for flavor, and the other for getting your gravity down. In what order would you use them? My instinct tells me use the one for flavor first and use the higher attenuating yeast for finishing.

So what do you guys and gals think?

I'd say use a really healthy starter on the second to make sure they aren't out compeated for food by the first on. Or if you don't use a starter on the second, they could see the alcohol that's already been produced, assume all the work is done, and immediately go dormant.

I'm also not sure your results will be significantly different than pitching them together.

I'd say pitch them together and see what results you get. See if you can pick out what each strain contributed.

By the way, what two strains are you thinking about?

I havent really figured out what Im going to try it on but, I was thinking that WLP099 super high gravity would be the finisher.

WLP099 Super High Gravity Ale Yeast
Can ferment up to 25% alcohol. From England. Produces ester character that increases with increasing gravity. Malt character dominates at lower gravities.
Attenuation: >80%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Fermentation Temperature: 65-69°F
Alcohol Tolerance: Very High

I was think of maybe use it in conjunction with like a weizen or hefe strain. Just in order to add a sort of dryer crisper finish.

I guess my thought is let the first strain go and do its job and when its starting to slow way down add the WLP099 to clean it up and drop it a couple points lower for a more dry finish. I would think that the esters wouldnt be produced becuase the gravity would be low already. So I was wondering if it would have much flavor efect at all.

I've wondered the same thing, but making a 1.100 Blonde ale and let that ferment with some high-gravity yeast, but then after a few weeks, drop in some champaign yeast to finish under 1.000.

Could you get a nice crisp Blonde ale that is around 15% ABV?

I've been wanting to try it just for the hell of it and see what turns up.

Now thats an idea I didnt even think about the parameters of champaign yeast.

I would think that the high gravity yeast would "eat up" all the flavors/esters that the weizen yeast would give you. I guess you'll just have to try it and see to know for sure!

Most of the flavors that yeast produce during fermentation are a result of their growth phase - early on in fermentation. So you're right that you would want to pitch the "normal" yeast first and then the high gravity one, and as usual make an appropriate starter for both.

I would not recommend pitching at the same time if one of them will be the distiller's yeast.

Listen to The BN's show on Dogfish 120, it's a really interesting experiment and will probably give you some ideas:
http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/574

I wanna check that link but I cant get anything from the web page to work. I also tryed hunting it down on i tunes and none of the shows light up for play.

I pitched Wyeast 1187 concurrent with S05 on a recent big DIPA and it fermented huge to yield an ABV of 11.2 and it tastes phenomenal. I did not gelatin so I have more yeast waste than normal in my bottles but I'm not too upset since the beer tastes so good.

Thank you sir nice to know.

Any one else have any success trying something like this?

Start with the yeast that you want to get the most flavor profile from. If it cannot attenuate, use a second strain. Champagne yeast works well. That high gravity strain will work well too, but you'll need a biiiiiig starter so they don't die. Pitching concurrent strains can work, but most of the time, one takes off first and eats all the food.

I made an Imperial Alt. OG was 1.110. I started with WLP 036, which got stuck at ~1.035. I then pitched WLP 099 and over the next 2 month the gravity kept dropping. I can't remember the final OG, but I do know the beer is 13% ABV. What I really like about this beer is that it still tastes like an Alt, albeit a very strong one. This beer has been in the keg for 10 months now and is just about ready to go on tap. I've just pulled a few sample so far.

What are you guys using for a "big" starter on the WLP099? I plan to start with Nottingham on an Imperial Stout. Once that starts to slow I'm going to pitch the 099 with some brewvint yeast nutrients and some more fermentables.