Conan x WLP644 hybrid

[suregork]

Just thought I'd share some results from a small project I worked on last fall on here as well. In an attempt to create the ultimate yeast strain for a fruity IPA (it would of course be suitable for any beer style calling for a fruity ester profile without any phenolics), I've crossed an isolate of Conan with WLP644. What I hoped to accomplish, was combining and increasing the ester profile from both parent strains, while also increasing the fermentation performance and attenuation. I've done some small-scale fermentations (35 ml) with a range of hybrids so far, and tried a couple of more promising ones in homebrew-scale fermentations.

For anyone interested in more information on how the hybrids were created and data from the small-scale fermentations, you can check out this blog post:

http://beer.suregork.com/?p=3747

I recently cultivated up and shared the strains with members from the 'Milk The Funk' Facebook group, and I now have some yeast slurry left over in case anyone here would be interested in trying them out. I ship the yeasts as a slurries in 2 ml microcentrifuge tubes (i.e. http://goo.gl/vRnLpf). This means that you would have to culture up the yeast to pitchable amounts yourself. I want to share these for free, so all you have to pay for is international priority shipping (2.8€) and the materials (3.2€). So in total this makes 6€. If you are interested send me an e-mail (my HBT username @ gmail)! I have yeast for approximately 10 people still, so be quick if you are interested!

 

[m00ps]

It sounds like you blended the two yeasts together, not made a genetic hybrid. To my knowledge, the only yeast hybrid Ive seen is from Omega Yeast labs and its Dupont and Thirez

Yeast blending is a really neat tool a lot of brewers overlook. You can use it to get certain flavor profiles, mouthfeel, and attenuation. Mostly Ive just done straight 50/50 blends, but Id say I use blends more often than single strain fermentations

 

[juan_bernado]

Hey Kristoffer,

Thanks for bringing this up again! Just send you an email.

Cheers Jan

 

[BGBC]

It sounds like you blended the two yeasts together, not made a genetic hybrid. To my knowledge, the only yeast hybrid Ive seen is from Omega Yeast labs and its Dupont and Thirez

Yeast blending is a really neat tool a lot of brewers overlook. You can use it to get certain flavor profiles, mouthfeel, and attenuation. Mostly Ive just done straight 50/50 blends, but Id say I use blends more often than single strain fermentations

Based on the DNA analysis provided in the blog linked in the OP, it seems like a hybrid of the two, no?

@suregork - I'd be interested in playing around with the yeast, but doubt international shipping would be worth it.

 

[m00ps]

I cant get to the site from work, but I'll take your word for it.

Im wondering if the WLP644 is "brett-like" enough to act like a mixed fermentation

 

[AK7007]

@suregork - I'd be interested in playing around with the yeast, but doubt international shipping would be worth it.

This makes two of us. I just looked, and FedEx wants like $100 US to ship from Helsinki.

I regularly do mixed fermentations with popular IPA strains, including these two, so the project seems to be pretty cool. The thing that most interests me about this is that your F1/H1 finishing pH was particularly high, which could come in handy for "Northeast" style IPAs.

 

[suregork]

It sounds like you blended the two yeasts together, not made a genetic hybrid. To my knowledge, the only yeast hybrid Ive seen is from Omega Yeast labs and its Dupont and Thirez

Yeast blending is a really neat tool a lot of brewers overlook. You can use it to get certain flavor profiles, mouthfeel, and attenuation. Mostly Ive just done straight 50/50 blends, but Id say I use blends more often than single strain fermentations

Based on the DNA analysis provided in the blog linked in the OP, it seems like a hybrid of the two, no?

@suregork - I'd be interested in playing around with the yeast, but doubt international shipping would be worth it.

This makes two of us. I just looked, and FedEx wants like $100 US to ship from Helsinki.

I regularly do mixed fermentations with popular IPA strains, including these two, so the project seems to be pretty cool. The thing that most interests me about this is that your F1/H1 finishing pH was particularly high, which could come in handy for "Northeast" style IPAs.

This is actually a genetic hybrid, not a yeast blend. I created the hybrid by rare mating a uracil auxotroph of Conan with a lysine auxotroph of WLP644. Hybrids were isolated by their ability to grow on media lacking uracil and lysine (which the parent auxotrophs can't grow on), and their hybrid status was further confirmed with interdelta-PCR.

International shipping is not a problem! Since I'm shipping only small volumes (2 ml of slurry in a microtube), worldwide shipping is 2.80€. I don't have the possibility to offer larger volumes of slurry since a) there has been a lot of interest, and b) shipping gets really expensive.

The strains that I'm offer to send is H1 (the original hybrid) and H1/C4 (the fastest fermenting meiotic segregant of H1, which also finished with quite a high pH)

 

[drgonzo2k2]

Just sent you an email, hope to hear back!

 

[suregork]

Anyone had time to brew with any of the hybrids yet? I'm planning to start cultivating up another batch of yeast soon, so please let me know if you are interested in trying out the yeast (see info in first post)! I'm aiming to start the cultivations in the middle of June so will probably have the yeast ready to ship out towards the end of June!

 

[jmrybak]

I am planning a split side by side batch with WLP644, Conan, and both the hybrids you sent along! I just have had 4 work trips and a move that have been getting in the way. I will be sure to let you know what happens! Thank you again for the samples!

Anyone had time to brew with any of the hybrids yet? I'm planning to start cultivating up another batch of yeast soon, so please let me know if you are interested in trying out the yeast (see info in first post)! I'm aiming to start the cultivations in the middle of June so will probably have the yeast ready to ship out towards the end of June!

 

[m00ps]

@suregork

I completely forgot about this project. I'd gladly pay for some yeast that is genetically tailored for IPAs. Im making them all the time so I could report back within a month of receiving it

I'll shoot out an email

 

[suregork]

I thought I'd post some tasting notes I've received from people I've sent the yeast to in case anyone here is interested in hearing

From Doug / @drgonzo2k2 :

Got some results on my first beers using the Conan/WLP644 hybrids provided by [suregork]. I stepped them up from the small vials he sent going 50ml > 100ml > 250ml >1L. From there I harvested 2 - 500ml jars of each of the F1 and F1C4 variants.

In order to test them out I wanted to do something pretty basic at first, so I went with a Golden Promise & Galaxy SMaSH. I started by doing a 6 gallon single batch, 1.05 OG with 45 IBU split between 60 mins and 30 mins, with 40g at flame out. From there I split the wort into 2 separate 3 gallon fermenters trying my best to get equal amounts of kettle trub and what not into each.

I pitched a 1L starter into each fermenter, oxygenated for 60 seconds, and then ramped from 66>68>70>72 over 4 days (following my normal Conan fermentation schedule). I left them at 72 for day 5, ramped to 75 on days 6 and 7 before dropping down to 65 for my dry hop.

For the dry hop I did 40g of Galaxy in each fermenter for 5 days. I then cold crashed at 32 for 2 days, fining with Gelatin after it dropped below 50. I then kegged each in 3 gallon kegs, force carbed at 40 degrees and 45 PSI for 12 hours, before dropping down to 11 PSI (2.4 volumes) for serving.

Sorry for the not so excellent picture, but that is F1 on the left and F1C4 on the right.

As far as fermentation goes, I noticed the same thing when fermenting the beers as I did when stepping up the samples and making my starters for this batch - the F1C4 variant seemed to lag about 12-16 hours or so behind the F1 variant in terms of showing signs of fermentation, but then it caught up pretty quickly, produced a larger krausen, and finished quickly and slightly lower than the F1 variant. For this split batch the F1 finished at 1.012 and the F1C4 finished at 1.010.

Taste wise I think these came out quite different. The F1 is an absolute peach bomb to the point when I gave my wife a glass and didn't tell her what it is, she asked me if it had peaches in it. Super juicy, like an over the top Conan. The F1C4 is equally good, just in a different way. I get pineapple up front with a slight funk in the finish.

I thought the F1 produced a slightly more clear beer, but they're both more or less what I would expect from having used Conan several times before.

Both are very nice yeasts, and I'm glad I go to try them. I'm already planning to do my normal Conan IPA as well as my recent BOS fermenter soured golden using the F1 variant, as I preferred that taste profile.

From Alex:

My first bottle from my first batch using [suregork]'s hybrid yeast combining Conan + WLP644, which is documented here: http://beer.suregork.com/?p=3747

Let's start with the recipe...

6.6% ABV
70 IBUs
OG 1.070
FG 1.014

Mashed for 60 min @ 151F:
11 lbs Maris Otter
1.5 lbs white wheat
0.75 lbs Caramel 10L
4 oz acid malt to adjust mash pH
(Mash pH tested @ 5.3)

Boiled 1 oz Warrior for 60 mins (50 IBUs)

Whirlpooled @ 170F for 30 min (adding 20 IBUs):
1 oz Amarillo
1 oz Centennial
1 oz Mosaic
1 oz Cascade

Dry hopped for 9 days:
1 oz Amarillo
1 oz Centennial
1 oz Mosaic
1 oz Cascade

Pitched stepped-up yeast starter and ramped from 68F to 72F within 24 hours, and held it at 72F until complete.

During fermentation the smell reminded me of british strains -- I expected to get the same stonefruit character of an ESB. The taste is not British at all, surely in part from all the hops. I get cherry, peach, tropical mango, oranges, a floral bouquet, and then a touch of dank and pine resin backbone. I am surprised by how much cherry flavor I perceive. It's delicious!!! Like trying to identify my way through a fruit garden with a blindfold on.

WLP644 is known to flocculate poorly, and this picture is after 36 hours of cold crashing @ 40F -- I'd say about 50% of the original opacity. I bottled it there because I didn't want too much of the hop character to drop out from cold crashing. The resulting beer has the thickness/cloudiness of an 'east coast IPA,' balanced by the snappy character of the white wheat malt.

Thank you [suregork] for sharing this beautiful yeast experiment. It is now going to be my house staple IPA strain, and I'm eager to try it out in different contexts. I'm thinking the cherry flavor might go well in a dark sour with cherries & boysenberries, with Brett added... and in a barrel of course!

Link:

Though not funk related, I thought some of you would be interested in an update on [suregork]'s Conan/WLP644 hybrid yeast.

As you can probably tell from the pic, I went with a NE IPA style recipe:

62% Pale Malt
16% White Wheat Malt
16% Flaked Wheat
3% Honey Malt
3% Caramel 60
Whirlpool for 45 mins with 8oz Citra
Double dry hopped with 8 oz Citra

101ppm sulfate / 204 ppm chloride

Mashed @ 152
Fermented @ 65f, ramped to 68 after 5 days - grain to glass in 15 days

OG 1.058
FG 1.012

Lots of tropical fruit and lime in the nose, a hint of mint - the smell reminds me of a mojito.

Flavor is huge grapefruit and apricot. Light floral sweetness, a touch of dank. There's a bit of a tropical, guava-like character in the background as it warms. Wheaty finish with moderate bitterness.

The mouthfeel is soft and pillowy as I would expect from a beer like this.

Having brewed similar beers in the past with both Conan and WLP644, I feel like this yeast leans more towards the Conan side and is very close to that strain. I was expecting higher attenuation with the WLP644 influence but I'm happy with where this beer ended up.

I'll definitely be using this strain again and will probably do a split batch with Conan for comparison. I would also like to play with the fermentation temps a bit to see if I can bring out more of the Sacch Trois side.

Kenny:

First glass of my New England style DIPA 'Chasing the Sun' after transfer to keg. It was fermented with the F1 hybride. Unfortunately I didn't split the batch so I have nothing to compare it with. But it's tasting great.
67% Floormalted pilsener malt
10% 2 row Pale Ale malt
7% Torrified Wheat
6% Malted Oats
4% C60
4% Honey malt
2.5% Turbinado sugar

Single infusion mash at 66.6C (151.88F)
Galaxy, Azacca, Amarillo and Citra both in late boil and as dry hop
Hard for me to really say something about how much the yeast contributes to the flavor since I didn't split the batch and also choose to use a new recipe. Bad decision in hind sight. But the starter was smelling incredibly fruity, like Conan on steriods, when I poured it into the wort.

I again have a couple of extra vials of the hybrid, so if anyone else is interested in trying them out, send me an e-mail (see previous posts for info)!

 

[m00ps]

I got my vials 2 days ago and have them going in small low-OG starters now. They are just now starting to show signs of life so fingers crossed. Its been close to 100 here for the past few weeks so im sure the yeast needed some TLC

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

wow those look amazing, and the hybridized yeast thing is super exciting, bumping this for coolness even though I'm sad I missed out on this.

 

[drgonzo2k2]

I would say both of these are amazing! I'm very glad/lucky to have them at my disposal now.

I've already got IPAs, pale ales, and sours planned using both variants.

@m00ps - I think you're gonna love this stuff!

 

[chrilr]

Just sent you an email

 

[BaylessBrewer]

If someone has some of this yeast they would be willing to part ways with shoot me a PM with some info. I'll gladly pay shipping and in return I'll ship you a beer or 3 from the batch I make. I have a freezer full of Citra, Mosaic, Galaxy, Centennial & Azacca screaming at me to make a killer NE IPA!
Cheers!

 

[drgonzo2k2]

If someone has some of this yeast they would be willing to part ways with shoot me a PM with some info. I'll gladly pay shipping and in return I'll ship you a beer or 3 from the batch I make. I have a freezer full of Citra, Mosaic, Galaxy, Centennial & Azacca screaming at me to make a killer NE IPA!
Cheers!

Drop the OP an email. His last post said he had extras, and he's a very nice guy!

If that doesn't work out ping me, and I'll see what I can do. I don't have enough propped up currently but could make some extra next time I do a starter.

Of course I've never shipped yeast before, so if you wind up with just a box of broken glass, I apologize in advance. :smack:

 

[m00ps]

Hey I got a question for @suregork or any of you guys that have used this yeast:

So since this is a hybrid between Conan and the (former) brett wlp644, how have you guys been making starters? I normally use foam stopper for sacch and airlocks for brett since ive read and experienced that too much oxygen creates acetic acid with brett. I know WLP644 isnt technically brett now, but it displays brett characteristics like creating pellicles which, to my knowledge, no other sacch strain does.

 

[BaylessBrewer]

Drop the OP an email. His last post said he had extras, and he's a very nice guy!



If that doesn't work out ping me, and I'll see what I can do. I don't have enough propped up currently but could make some extra next time I do a starter.



Of course I've never shipped yeast before, so if you wind up with just a box of broken glass, I apologize in advance. :smack:

I'll drop him a line. Thank you!
I appreciate your offer as well. If he is out I will for sure contact you. I'm not in a big hurry at the moment to brew another beer. Kegs are full and I just brewed a Pliny clone on Saturday so I have some drinking to do!! Lol
Bubble wrap is your friend when shipping glass. [emoji2]

 

[TravelingLight]

Glad I stumbled onto this thread! Emailed @suregork last night and he responded within hours! Paypal'd him some euros last night and he's mailing yeast when he gets back from vacay. Excited to try this. In fact, my current IPA in my keg right now was done with Conan. So I'm thinking about saving a bottle and doing the same beer with this hybrid yeast and doing a side by side. I like comparing.

 

[TravelingLight]

How much are y'all stepping up the 2ml slurry? Well, I guess it depends on the beer, but just curious what most have been doing with this.

 

[drgonzo2k2]

How much are y'all stepping up the 2ml slurry? Well, I guess it depends on the beer, but just curious what most have been doing with this.

I would not go straight from 2ml > your pitching size. See the last page where Kristoffer quoted what I did. Start small and build it up a few times.

 

[TravelingLight]

I would not go straight from 2ml > your pitching size. See the last page where Kristoffer quoted what I did. Start small and build it up a few times.

Thanks for the heads up! Just went back and saw your step up amounts. Sounds like a plan to me.

 

[m00ps]

How much are y'all stepping up the 2ml slurry? Well, I guess it depends on the beer, but just curious what most have been doing with this.

I just started with 200ml of low OG wort in one of those 32oz growlers I mentioned to you. It took 2 days until I saw activity in both the variants he gave me. From there, I went into my normal strength wort in a 2L container and theyve been going along fine. Its really the first step thats critical. Less is probably better depending on how healthy you think the yeast is

Hope you opted for the ice pack. By the time mine got through customs, the pack was melted and a bit warm. Damn southern summers I knew there still had to be some viable cells in those vials though.

 

[TravelingLight]

I just started with 200ml of low OG wort in one of those 32oz growlers I mentioned to you. It took 2 days until I saw activity in both the variants he gave me. From there, I went into my normal strength wort in a 2L container and theyve been going along fine. Its really the first step thats critical. Less is probably better depending on how healthy you think the yeast is

Hope you opted for the ice pack. By the time mine got through customs, the pack was melted and a bit warm. Damn southern summers I knew there still had to be some viable cells in those vials though.

Sheet, I didn't even think about an ice pack. He didn't mention that in the email! I'm gonna email him back now and throw some more euros if need be to get the ice pack. I'm in South Carolina (dead ass middle, not the coast) and we've had over 8 straight days of 100+ degrees. It's insufferable down here.

 

[BaylessBrewer]

Sheet, I didn't even think about an ice pack. He didn't mention that in the email! I'm gonna email him back now and throw some more euros if need be to get the ice pack. I'm in South Carolina (dead ass middle, not the coast) and we've had over 8 straight days of 100+ degrees. It's insufferable down here.

Double sheet!! I just talked with him yesterday too and it didn't occur to me either and it's not all that cool here in St.Louis!

 

[drgonzo2k2]

Conversely, when mine showed up I texted my wife, "Hey, I just got some yeast, can you stick the package in the fridge." Unfortunately what she read was, "Hey, I just got some hops, can you throw them in the freezer?"

12 hours later, and they were frozen solid when I found them

Despite that, after letting them thaw out in the fridge overnight they sprang right to life in my initial step up to 50ml of 1.04 OG starter wort, and both showed signs of activity within 24 hours.

 

[TravelingLight]

Conversely, when mine showed up I texted my wife, "Hey, I just got some yeast, can you stick the package in the fridge." Unfortunately what she read was, "Hey, I just got some hops, can you throw them in the freezer?"

12 hours later, and they were frozen solid when I found them

Despite that, after letting them thaw out in the fridge overnight they sprang right to life in my initial step up to 50ml of 1.04 OG starter wort, and both showed signs of activity within 24 hours.

Damn, crisis averted!

Also, after just finding https://www.homebrewtalk.com/yeast-harvesting-novel-approach.html I'm planning on harvesting more of this yeast for future use once I step this up to one liter.

Even though I'm still relatively new to homebrewing, I'm really trying to dial in my process and be more efficient and of course save money. I've always used first generation yeasts for all my beers and never harvested, rinsed, washed, or otherwise. Now after reading this article, I will be doing this for virtually all my yeasts. Although...eventually SWMBO may get upset at all her fridge space I'm occupying. Oh well, she likes beer and likes my beer so all good!

 

[TravelingLight]

I would not go straight from 2ml > your pitching size. See the last page where Kristoffer quoted what I did. Start small and build it up a few times.

I just started with 200ml of low OG wort in one of those 32oz growlers I mentioned to you. It took 2 days until I saw activity in both the variants he gave me. From there, I went into my normal strength wort in a 2L container and theyve been going along fine. Its really the first step thats critical. Less is probably better depending on how healthy you think the yeast is

Hope you opted for the ice pack. By the time mine got through customs, the pack was melted and a bit warm. Damn southern summers I knew there still had to be some viable cells in those vials though.

I was worried about going from the 2ml slurry up to 50ml like gonzo did, as far as stress on the yeast, etc. But it looks like even going straight to 200ml isn't having any negative consequences. Excellent to know.

 

[drgonzo2k2]

Damn, crisis averted!

Also, after just finding https://www.homebrewtalk.com/yeast-harvesting-novel-approach.html I'm planning on harvesting more of this yeast for future use once I step this up to one liter.

Even though I'm still relatively new to homebrewing, I'm really trying to dial in my process and be more efficient and of course save money. I've always used first generation yeasts for all my beers and never harvested, rinsed, washed, or otherwise. Now after reading this article, I will be doing this for virtually all my yeasts. Although...eventually SWMBO may get upset at all her fridge space I'm occupying. Oh well, she likes beer and likes my beer so all good!

That's more or less the process I follow to harvest and re-use yeast. It's as simple as making a starter, and you end up with very clean un-stressed yeast.

I generally make 3L starters, pitch 2L into my beer, and harvest 2-500ml jars for future use.

The next time I use that particular yeast I just use one of the 500ml jars to make a 2L starter. Then the next time I use it I use that last 500ml jar to make a 3L starter again.

I'm up to generation 10 or so on things I use often like WLP001.

 

[TravelingLight]

That's more or less the process I follow to harvest and re-use yeast. It's as simple as making a starter, and you end up with very clean un-stressed yeast.

I generally make 3L starters, pitch 2L into my beer, and harvest 2-500ml jars for future use.

The next time I use that particular yeast I just use one of the 500ml jars to make a 2L starter. Then the next time I use it I use that last 500ml jar to make a 3L starter again.

I'm up to generation 10 or so on things I use often like WLP001.

Side bar: Are you using a 3L erlenmeyer flask for your starters? I can't find one on Amazon but, admittedly, I have not checked the homebrew websites. I'd like to find a 3L flask to do bigger starters for this method.

 

[drgonzo2k2]

Side bar: Are you using a 3L erlenmeyer flask for your starters? I can't find one on Amazon but, admittedly, I have not checked the homebrew websites. I'd like to find a 3L flask to do bigger starters for this method.

I use a 2L "generic" erlenmeyer flask for my 2L starters and a 5L for everything else.

This is one of the places that I've found the generic ones to be better than the Pyrex ones (unless you plan to actually heat your starter wort in the flask) as the Pyrex ones seem to hold almost exactly 2L, while the generics have enough room to hold 2L and not overflow.

This is the 2L flask I use for my 2L starters.

 

[TravelingLight]

I use a 2L "generic" erlenmeyer flask for my 2L starters and a 5L for everything else.

This is one of the places that I've found the generic ones to be better than the Pyrex ones (unless you plan to actually heat your starter wort in the flask) as the Pyrex ones seem to hold almost exactly 2L, while the generics have enough room to hold 2L and not overflow.

This is the 2L flask I use for my 2L starters.

Awesome man, thanks for the link. I will be ordering that one!

Also, Kris got back to me re: ice packs. Glad I got in touch with him in time! I sent him some more euros to cover ice packs and priority shipping. He's super responsive, great guy and easy to work with. Can't wait to try this yeast! My brewing partner is going to use some too so we can get some great tasting notes from it.

 

[m00ps]

So, Kris has been sending out 2 different isolates. I have no idea what the fukc im talking about here with the terminiology and genetics so bare with me.

I stepped up both, and will be making an IPA this weekend with the first one. I plan to try out the F1in an actual brew in another few weeks. I tasted the starter wort from both yesterday in my step-up starters to harvest from

F1 - this is the main hybrid of the two. I do get more apricot/peach flavors from this, but I also got a lot of what tasted like pineapple to me. It floccs a bit less than the second.

F1/C4 - this is one that he spliced or something to attenuate a bit faster but mentioned it was a bit less fruity. To me, this actually smelled fruitier, but had less flavor than the other. Didnt have the pineapple, but had the peachy flavors like conan. I cant comment as to how fast it attenuated compared to the pure one, since I had to do this one in a brown growler and could not see much

from the other descriptions, Im wondering if he or I got the 2 switched up somehow. But either way, I will pick out a favorite and probably continually use that

 

[suregork]

So, Kris has been sending out 2 different isolates. I have no idea what the fukc im talking about here with the terminiology and genetics so bare with me.

I stepped up both, and will be making an IPA this weekend with the first one. I plan to try out the F1in an actual brew in another few weeks. I tasted the starter wort from both yesterday in my step-up starters to harvest from

F1 - this is the main hybrid of the two. I do get more apricot/peach flavors from this, but I also got a lot of what tasted like pineapple to me. It floccs a bit less than the second.

F1/C4 - this is one that he spliced or something to attenuate a bit faster but mentioned it was a bit less fruity. To me, this actually smelled fruitier, but had less flavor than the other. Didnt have the pineapple, but had the peachy flavors like conan. I cant comment as to how fast it attenuated compared to the pure one, since I had to do this one in a brown growler and could not see much

from the other descriptions, Im wondering if he or I got the 2 switched up somehow. But either way, I will pick out a favorite and probably continually use that

Cool! I'm quite certain that no mix-up has happened at my end, but of course there is always a small possibility Both strains should be quite similar in aroma profile, so it would probably quite difficult to ID them just by the aroma. The F1 hybrid tends to be a quicker starter, but it doesn't dry out the beer as much as F1/C4. F1/C4 is a bit slower to start but then ferments much faster that F1 and reaches a lower FG. F1/C4 also seems to flocculate slightly better than F1. So based on your descriptions I don't think you have the strains mixed up. Good luck with your brewing! I'd love to hear some tasting notes once your beer is done!

Unfortunately I'm now out of vials, but I will probably be cultivating up another batch of the yeast in the near future if there are more people that want to try it out!

 

[BaylessBrewer]

What method is everyone using to extract the slurry from the centrifuge tubes? Since they are only 2ml I would like to safely (without risk of contamination) get as much out and into my starter as possible when my slurry arrives.

 

[TravelingLight]

For those of you not stepping this up as soon as you get it, i.e., not immediately brewing a beer for it, are you just keeping the 2ml tubes in the fridge until you're ready to step up? Or are y'all stepping up then storing?

 

[m00ps]

For those of you not stepping this up as soon as you get it, i.e., not immediately brewing a beer for it, are you just keeping the 2ml tubes in the fridge until you're ready to step up? Or are y'all stepping up then storing?

I'd definitely start propagating it either for a beer or storage. I was worried it might be so tuckered out after the hot weather and customs that the stress may change its properties if I waited too long.

I got mine 2 weeks before I wanted to brew with it so I started it up, then separated it into a big starter to use and a small one to just harvest. I've been decanting and pitching new wort on the brew one a few times to try and build it up more.

 

[m00ps]

What method is everyone using to extract the slurry from the centrifuge tubes? Since they are only 2ml I would like to safely (without risk of contamination) get as much out and into my starter as possible when my slurry arrives.

I dumped mine into my starter, then sprayed a few spritzes of starsan into it and shook it up to get any remaining