30 Smack Pack Starter With Multiple Strains - All Expired

[TallDan]

sorry it's taken so long to update this, it's been a crazy holiday season. I finally racked it over to secondary, and I think I'm just going to cold crash it and keg it at this point. It finished at 1.013 and tastes pretty awesome. Tons of banana and funk, but in a good way.

For anyone in the Chicago area, we are doing a contest with this yeast starting in a week. Bring in 2 cans of food for the local food bank and I will give you a slant tube of the yeast to brew anything you want with, then bring the beer back to our St. Patrick's day party on 3/14 to enter it into the competition. It's not a BJCP sanctioned event, but we'll have judges on hand to evaluate the beers and we'll be giving out prizes to the winners. Thanks to everyone who suggested doing the contest, I think it is a great idea and everyone has been very responsive so far.

Just stumbled upon this thread. I live nearby and have been to your store, but it was a couple of years ago and I think it was different ownership/management then. I've been thinking of making something belgian soon, maybe I'll give it a shot.

Hmm...

 

[sudbuddy]

Just stumbled upon this thread. I live nearby and have been to your store, but it was a couple of years ago and I think it was different ownership/management then. I've been thinking of making something belgian soon, maybe I'll give it a shot.

Hmm...

Go for it! Beer for a cause, plus the yeast is free, what could be better?

:rockin::rockin::rockin:

 

[zeccahj]

I'm nowhere nearby but love the food bank<-->yeast exchange policy and as a lifelong "it'll be a good time or a good story" embracer I love where your head's at

 

[hanuswalrus]

I'll be in tomorrow with some canned foods.. also been wanting to brew something belgian. This is a great idea

 

[sudbuddy]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1421437309.969399.jpg

Our YEAST MODE contest is now underway! If you are in the Chicago area come in with 2 cans of food and grab a FREE vial of yeast. Then bring the beer back to our St. Patrick's day party and enter to win some awesome prizes!

 

[sudbuddy]

Just put together another 20 vials, lots of people have been picking up this yeast. For everyone subscribed, I will post an update after the competition in March. Cheers!

 

[sudbuddy]

Guys, I'm trying to come up with categories for prizes for this contest. Anyone have any ideas? BJCP styles and guidelines are kind of a no-go for this competition because of the nature of the beast. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[FourSeasonAngler]

I think 3 categories:

1. Strong Ale to cover Imperial anything, big Belgians and anything high ABV
2. Lagers, Pale Ales & Wheat Ales to cover IPAs, PAs, session beers, Heffes, wits, etc.
3. Fruit/Sour/Hybrid/Specialty to cover pretty much anything else.

You can get 3 first place finishers from that group and do a BOS & runner up BOS if you need to give away more prizes.

 

[sudbuddy]

I think 3 categories:

1. Strong Ale to cover Imperial anything, big Belgians and anything high ABV
2. Lagers, Pale Ales & Wheat Ales to cover IPAs, PAs, session beers, Heffes, wits, etc.
3. Fruit/Sour/Hybrid/Specialty to cover pretty much anything else.

You can get 3 first place finishers from that group and do a BOS & runner up BOS if you need to give away more prizes.

I like that idea a lot, thanks! The yeast is an ale yeast though so I don't expect any lagers or sours, but I did add Strong Ale and Session Ale categories based on your suggestion. Keep em coming please!

 

[sudbuddy]

sorry for the bump, I'm really looking for advice on this.

 

[Mike_kever_kombi]

Imperial
Session
Light body
Dark body
Farmhouse
Spice/fruit/vegetable

 

[sudbuddy]

Imperial
Session
Light body
Dark body
Farmhouse
Spice/fruit/vegetable

I like it, thanks! I will add those to my list.

 

[Beersnob16]

The goodness headed your way.

View attachment 1423879733273.jpg

 

[sudbuddy]

The goodness headed your way.

Awesome!! Thank you so much

 

[hanuswalrus]

Have you settled on what the categories will be for this contest yet?

 

[OldWorld]

One of our brew shops just discounts the yeast half off with no guarantee. I've never had a bad batch but only doing five gallons I presume the risk is low.

 

[sudbuddy]

One of our brew shops just discounts the yeast half off with no guarantee. I've never had a bad batch but only doing five gallons I presume the risk is low.

Yeah but this was way more fun! @hanuswalrus I'm still working on it, but hopefully you got my email today with more details

 

[hanuswalrus]

Yeah I just got that email. Thanks for the update. I'll be in tomorrow for some bottling stuff to get my brew bottled up for the competition

 

[sudbuddy]

Phew! It looked like it didn't send from my end, I'm glad it made it out.

 

[Auger]

Following along just to see how this turns out. This is an awesome idea, be sure to take lots of pics at the contest!

 

[tgmartin000]

Light
pale
amber
dark

All styles welcome, just break them out by color.

 

[kanzimonson]

Or what about generic category-descriptors like:

clean
german
abbey
saison

 

[madscientist451]

I've used expired liquid White Labs Yeast that my LHBS gave away for free. I always made a starter with them, and some were dead, but many started up and worked great, even ones that he took out of the cooler and left at room temp for months after they expired. I just got around to starting some that have been in my cool (not cold) basement for a year and they've been expired for 2+ years.

 

[ekjohns]

Or you could sell me them for a hefty discount. I slant yeast and all I need is a tinny bit to make a slant. Next time you have a big selection of expired yeast shoot me a email!

 

[sudbuddy]

Or you could sell me them for a hefty discount. I slant yeast and all I need is a tinny bit to make a slant. Next time you have a big selection of expired yeast shoot me a email!

You got it, anything in particular you're looking for?

 

[pmonti80]

This seems pretty fun, good luck from spain.

 

[ekjohns]

You got it, anything in particular you're looking for?

nothing in particular, mostly odd ball strains as opposed to the more common strains that everyone uses like cali and english ale.

 

[sudbuddy]

nothing in particular, mostly odd ball strains as opposed to the more common strains that everyone uses like cali and english ale.

Odd ball tends to be the name of the game with leftovers, shoot me a PM to remind me and I'll keep an eye out for you

 

[Egas1949]

Have you ever considered maintaining a yeast bank? You can get used -80 fridges at a hefty discount and all you would need as a stock is a few milliliters. I'm sure this wouldn't be legal for commercial yeasts but what if you kept had like a yeast credit union where customers could bank their yeast with you, provide a description, and anyone could come by and pick out a yeast from the bank. You could grow up a small small starter for them and they come a pick it up. Run it like a club and charge a maintenance fee.

 

[sudbuddy]

Have you ever considered maintaining a yeast bank? You can get used -80 fridges at a hefty discount and all you would need as a stock is a few milliliters. I'm sure this wouldn't be legal for commercial yeasts but what if you kept had like a yeast credit union where customers could bank their yeast with you, provide a description, and anyone could come by and pick out a yeast from the bank. You could grow up a small small starter for them and they come a pick it up. Run it like a club and charge a maintenance fee.

That is an awesome idea!! I have a bunch of customers with their own house yeast strains, I will float the idea by them. Thanks!