Bell's Brewery House Strain now available via Imperial Yeast

[homebrewfinds]

They are also offering 25% off when you purchase a kit...

https://www.homebrewfinds.com/2019/...a62-save-25-w-kit-purchase-stacking-sale.html

 

[couchsending]

Been out for a while now... awesome
Yeast however. I’d use this before any variant of Chico any day. Great top cropper and really flocculent with the same profile that really lets hops and malt shine.

 

[kingmatt]

This may be my favorite new yeast. I top cropped and used it in 3 successive batches (including a Two Hearted and Oberon clone) and they all turned out great.

Here's a side by side of my Two Hearted clone and the real thing...it was dead on (and won a gold in the clone category of a local competition):

 

[LokiM4]

Picked this up yesterday-I think I’m going to make some Oberon with mine-look at the date too-only 1 week old!

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Just for the record, recent genome sequencing has studied the relationships between BRY-96 and its descendants in the Chico family. The Bell's yeast looks like a BRY-96 that's been allowed to evolve a bit, independently of the two main Chico groups. Like eg Imperial A30 Corporate it lacks the mutations that distinguish the WLP001 and 1056/US-05 subgroups, but like them it has lost a copy of chromosome V compared to the original BRY-96.

So probably best to think of it as a cousin of the Chico family rather than a true Chico. A30 Corporate would be a good alternative, although that's a seasonal.

 

[rtstrider]

Just for the record, recent genome sequencing has studied the relationships between BRY-96 and its descendants in the Chico family. The Bell's yeast looks like a BRY-96 that's been allowed to evolve a bit, independently of the two main Chico groups. Like eg Imperial A30 Corporate it lacks the mutations that distinguish the WLP001 and 1056/US-05 subgroups, but like them it has lost a copy of chromosome V compared to the original BRY-96.

So probably best to think of it as a cousin of the Chico family rather than a true Chico. A30 Corporate would be a good alternative, although that's a seasonal.

Actually I just stepped up the real Chico from Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and brewed a cascade/2 row smash fermented at 67F. That yeast reminds me a TON of the bells house yeast. It doesn’t remind me of wlp001 or us-05 so much so as it’s not even in the same ballpark. So that got me to thinking if the bells yeast isn’t some type of derivative from Chico?

 

[VikeMan]

So that got me to thinking if the bells yeast isn’t some type of derivative from Chico?

Take a look at the link in the message you were replying to. As @Northern_Brewer said, it suggests that the Bell's strain may have diverged from a common ancestor before the original "chico" yeast started to diverge into its current variants.

ETA: Of course, that wouldn't necessarily mean that the Bell's and Sierra Nevada strains couldn't be very similar to each other (more than they are to WLP001 or US-05) in terms of performance/taste.

 

[Brooothru]

Take a look at the link in the message you were replying to. As @Northern_Brewer said, it suggests that the Bell's strain may have diverged from a common ancestor before the original "chico" yeast started to diverge into its current variants.

ETA: Of course, that wouldn't necessarily mean that the Bell's and Sierra Nevada strains couldn't be very similar to each other (more than they are to WLP001 or US-05) in terms of performance/taste.

So, what would be the closest readily available yeast to A62 "Bell's"? I see from their website that it's available now, but the temperature here on the East Coast is upper 90s F. I'm not sure even if shipped with multiple cold packs via 2-Day FedEx ($50 shipping + yeast + cold packs) that it wouldn't be cooked when it got here from Michigan.

I'm a big fan of 2 Hearted and have brewed it several times using 1056. I even have 2 bottles of the original from the brewery in the beer fridge downstairs. Haven't brewed in 4 weeks and looking for something to fill two kegs that are getting ready to kick. The grist and hops are easy enough to get locally, but the yeast remains elusive.

Brooo Brother

 

[VikeMan]

So, what would be the closest readily available yeast to A62 "Bell's"?

Going by the chart, it doesn't look like there's anything particularly close (genetically) that's available.

Maybe Imperial A30, if you can get that locally?

 

[Brooothru]

I'll have to check around local HBS to see if any have it stocked. Can't remember if it's a current release since it's seasonal. I hoped maybe a combo of common strains might mimick the profile of A62, but it looks like I'll have to order it from Bell's Store when the weather breaks (i.e., Hell freezes over).

Brooo Brother

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

So, what would be the closest readily available yeast to A62 "Bell's"?

Maybe this from the Bell's "blog"?
https://www.bellsbeer.com/news/how-culture-bell-s-house-yeast-bottle-bell-s-beer

Note that the article appears to have been written before Bell's starting their house yeast available.

 

[Brooothru]

https://www.bellsbeer.com/news/how-culture-bell-s-house-yeast-bottle-bell-s-beer

I'll give that a try, but will have to "sacrifice" my last two bottles of 2H (they're about 6 months old, so it will take several steps to hopefully get a large enough pitchable culture).

Brooo Brother

 

[rtstrider]

I'll give that a try, but will have to "sacrifice" my last two bottles of 2H (they're about 6 months old, so it will take several steps to hopefully get a large enough pitchable culture).

Brooo Brother

I would actually recommend getting the slurry from the bottles and modifying the bells build up a bit.

1st step is 250ml 1.020 wort
2nd step 750ml 1.020 wort
3rd step is 1L 1.040 wort on the stir plate

Then from there treat it like a week old snack pack as far as pitch rates go. I tried the bells instructions verbatim and have had issues. The above works all the time and every time for me at least

 

[rtstrider]

Oh I forgot to mention. When you ferment your main batch with the bells yeast shoot for a ferment temp of 68F. It’ll put off those signature Bells esters

 

[Brooothru]

I would actually recommend getting the slurry from the bottles and modifying the bells build up a bit.

1st step is 250ml 1.020 wort
2nd step 750ml 1.020 wort
3rd step is 1L 1.040 wort on the stir plate

Then from there treat it like a week old snack pack as far as pitch rates go. I tried the bells instructions verbatim and have had issues. The above works all the time and every time for me at least

Yeah, I actually found THREE bottles of 2H in the fridge, so I guess I have my work cut out for this evening ("Work, work, work. Oh. Hello, boys".) I figured at least 3 multiple step ups from slurry. Should be enough viable cells in 3 bottles. Did you perform all the 'sanitize & flame' process or just dump the dregs into some 1.020 wort and let 'er rip?

Brooo Brother

 

[rtstrider]

Yeah, I actually found THREE bottles of 2H in the fridge, so I guess I have my work cut out for this evening ("Work, work, work. Oh. Hello, boys".) I figured at least 3 multiple step ups from slurry. Should be enough viable cells in 3 bottles. Did you perform all the 'sanitize & flame' process or just dump the dregs into some 1.020 wort and let 'er rip?

Brooo Brother

I did spray sanitizer then flamed the lip, poured all but 1 oz to a half oz into a pint glass, covered with sanitized foil. When all cans/bottles were empty I sprayed the lip with starsan again then flamed the lip, poured into 250ml 1.020 wort and let her rip! Actually added some to my freezer bank. Also have some slurry from that bank on the stir plate. It's getting used for the Morebeer Soulless Hop Pale Ale. It's a 3 Floyds Zombie Dust clone. Figured since they're from the midwest why not use a midwestern yeast? Going to ferment this around 64f-65f

 

[taulpondolo]

I know this is a dead thread, but i have some old bottles of expedition in my garage (25th anniversary and original). Anywho, would anyone know if they use the same yeast in the stouts as they do two hearted?

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Maybe this from the Bell's "blog"?
https://www.bellsbeer.com/news/how-culture-bell-s-house-yeast-bottle-bell-s-beer

Note that the article appears to have been written before Bell's starting their house yeast available.

It looks like the article/video is still available in the internet archives (link).

 

[taulpondolo]

It looks like the article/video is still available in the internet archives (link).

Thanks. The original link came up as an error and I just figure they may use a different strain for their stouts. Basically just looking for a reason to drink some Expedition

 

[VikeMan]

I know this is a dead thread, but i have some old bottles of expedition in my garage (25th anniversary and original). Anywho, would anyone know if they use the same yeast in the stouts as they do two hearted?

Yes, both beers (Expedition Stout and Two Hearted) are fermented with their house strain.