Harvesting Bell's Yeast

[BigTerp]

Cool. Thanks for the info!!

Yes, I like variety as well. I have a two tap kegerator and try to have 2 different styles going at any one time. Right now it's a Moose Drool clone and the Two Hearted Ale clone. Followed by an Electric APA which has been naturally carbing for 2-1/2 weeks, and a Caramel Amber which was brewed on 11/23. Both of those recipes are in the recipe section and the Caramel Amber is probably my favorite of any beer I brew. Definitely worth checking out if you like ambers. I typically brew 10 gallon batches every 2-3 weeks and that seems to work well for me. Doing 2 weeks primary and 2-3 weeks naturally carbing in the keg, I always seem to have a keg ready when one kicks.

I to like the ease of dry yeast, but I've recently been washing and saving yeast like S-05 and Notty, and other liquid yeast obviously. I started using http://www.yeastcalculator.com/ to dial in my pitching rates thinking/hoping it can help make me beer that much better. For the Bell's yeast I saved it will require a 3 step starter to get to a 2L starter of which I'll save 500ml and have the recommended cell density in the remaining 1.5L for my 11 gallon batch.

 

[InspectorJon]

We don't get Bell's around here. My daughter brought me a 12 pack of Two Hearted when she game to visit for New Years. I want to try harvesting the yeast. So I have a question regarding the idea that yeast from higher ABV beer is not the best option. If one is making a starter/culture with a small amount of yeast then the vast majority of the yeast grown up are new. Assuming good a culturing process, why would they be any different that those originating from a lower ABV beer?

 

[MplsUgly]

Don't bother. It's just 1056. They say its something else but I did a split batch with harvested Bells yeast and 1056 and it was exactly the same. I also pulled the yeast out of two hearted dregs and it worked fine. I could have used amber but I don't like amber and I do like two hearted and I drank it to get to the dregs.

There's probably a difference in the yeast stress to some degree but fresh two hearted vs old amber or who knows what. it's all slight changes.

If you want to give it a shot just use what ya got. I feel like the only reason to do this is to have an excuse to pound three or four beers in a sitting because you aren't drinking you're "harvesting yeast".

 

[Oldskewl]

I harvested mine from Oberon. It is definitely a different yeast than 1056. Supposedly it is a derivative of 1272.

 

[dx250]

I agree there is a difference. I made a Two Hearted Ale clone with wlp001 (1056 equivalent)then harvested Bell's with noticable differences in the yeast character. Tropical fruit is much more prominent in the Bell's.

 

[rtstrider]

It's not anywhere close to 1056. Try fermenting 1056 and the Bells yeast in the 68f-72f range and see how they compare. Coming from a brewer that brews 80% of their batches with Chico I can vouch this is definitely not a derivative of Chico. It's pretty estery not clean at all at those temps. The yeast is really what drives the flavor in the two hearted ale. As a matter of fact I brought the two hearted ale clone, built up from Bells yeast, to a brewery (let both head brewers try it), and a LHBS (owned by a BJCP judge) owner/employees give it a taste. I did not tell them what this was brewed with or what it was. They pointed out the Centennial right away and then all three (two head brewers and LHBS owner) stated this was definitely Bells yeast. Chico is clean...Bells is not. In order to get the 2 hearted esters you have to ferment on the warmer side of things. As far as how it compares to 1272 I can't really answer that. I used that in my second ever brew and had no clue about temp control, starters, esters, phenols, etc so I can't give an honest answer there. I've actually heard rumors that Bells yeast is the Eccentric Ale yeast

https://inlandislandyeast.com/yeast-library/inis-006-Eccentric-Ale-yeast/

Never used that either so not sure. Safest bet is to build it up from the bottles