Nottingham Yeast

[jspence1]

All I have to report is bad batches with other lots of nottingham yeast. I feel like I just paid my stupid tax for the year

 

[The Pol]

Nothing new here either... no replacements and after hearing of poeple having issues with other lots. Well... Nottingham isnt a special yeast, and is easily replaced, this is not a good thing for Danstar.

 

[SteveM]

Agree - and they do not seem to be living up to their promises.

 

[jbambuti]

I bailed on Notty after one bad batch, plus all the stories of others' problems with it. I loved it and it may be a problem that gets fixed, but I'm not willing to gamble the money and hours spent making a batch for $1.50 worth of yeast and company loyalty. I've got 5 packs of Notty that will not live to eat wort, but that's $7.50 I'm willing to part with. RIP 5 gallons of IPA.

 

[passedpawn]

I bailed on Notty after one bad batch, plus all the stories of others' problems with it. I loved it and it may be a problem that gets fixed, but I'm not willing to gamble the money and hours spent making a batch for $1.50 worth of yeast and company loyalty. I've got 5 packs of Notty that will not live to eat wort, but that's $7.50 I'm willing to part with. RIP 5 gallons of IPA.

I recorded my troubles with Notty here (or in a very simlar thread). I just bottled that IPA and it was cloudy, and had a bit of green apple in the background. The apple will probably clear, but this was a real disappointment. It was the first time in many years I used dry yeast.

 

[jbambuti]

I use dry yeast almost exclusively, and have used Notty several times in the past with great results. The only negative result I've had was with a lot # of Notty very close to the recalled batch. All of my other processes are very consistent. It's the only variable that I was left with. Don't give up on the dry yeast, as it doesn't require a starter, stores longer, and is usually very consistent. Liquid yeast gives you more flexibiltiy, but dry yeast gives great convenience and stabilty, plus it's cheaper.

 

[SourHopHead]

I tossed in some Notty to my IPA after my 001 did not take off and it took off in a couple hours. I haven't used dry in a long time, so we'll see how it turns out. Looks ok so far.

 

[Smoodude]

I brewed a batch of Centennial Blonde on Saturday. It's been over 72 hours and no sign of fermentation. When I bought it, I asked the LHBS if they got rid of all of the bad Nottingham yeast that was recalled and they said yes. I was supposed to be good. Oh well... now I have to wait until the weekend to get some more. Very disappointed.

 

[smizak]

I brewed a batch of Centennial Blonde on Saturday. It's been over 72 hours and no sign of fermentation. When I bought it, I asked the LHBS if they got rid of all of the bad Nottingham yeast that was recalled and they said yes. I was supposed to be good. Oh well... now I have to wait until the weekend to get some more. Very disappointed.

I've got a package in the fridge for a N. English brown, don't think I'm using it now. That's a shame. It's a good lot supposedly, but the expiration stamp has dinged up the package very deeply, which is what they claim was the issue in the first place. Not gonna trust it.



Smoodude, your avatar is making me nervous. I hope that's a Better Bottle. I personally know three people who have been wounded by carboys exploding in their arms. I won't even touch mine without gloves on and a Brewhauler/milk crate. My PSA for today.

 

[Martin2D]

While those packs that were recalled did take a while to start, I have to report all of my beers were fine and the new packs are working well as well.

 

[SteveM]

I use dry yeast almost exclusively, and have used Notty several times in the past with great results. The only negative result I've had was with a lot # of Notty very close to the recalled batch. All of my other processes are very consistent. It's the only variable that I was left with. Don't give up on the dry yeast, as it doesn't require a starter, stores longer, and is usually very consistent. Liquid yeast gives you more flexibiltiy, but dry yeast gives great convenience and stabilty, plus it's cheaper.

I would not stop using dry yeast regardless, for the reasons you state ( added the bold face). I'm a big fan, but there are other brands.

I will not be using Nottingham for while because I do not believe that they have been completely forthcoming about their issues. As you noted, there have been problems reported with batches other than the one that they owned up to. This has been clear for weeks, as anyone who has been tracking this thread could tell you.

Luckily for me, I had nothing worse than a couple of late starting ferment. A friend had an infected batch (that we were able to save). So in no case did we have the time and money involved go down the drain (literally and figuratively).

But that doesn't excuse their response to what has happened and it will be a long time before I forget it. Anyone can have a problem, that's human. But it's how you respond to it that makes your reputation. They could have come out of this better than ever (read about J&J and Tylenol for the definitive case study on this kind of thing).

 

[DBbrewing]

I sent my packets back in September and have heard nothing so far.

 

[Daddymem]

Got mine packaged up to send out. 5 packets total. *fingers crossed*

 

[agroff383]

Just got 7 packets from Danstar today in the mail, I sent in 4 packets about 4 weeks ago, I am happy with their service, just going to make a small starter with them or double pitch packets to make sure it is a good ferment and since other lots have been having problems on here as well. But I am impressed with their service and fairly quick response.

 

[The Pol]

Got 5 packets today here too....

 

[bob1852]

four for me today (sent two in for replacement)....

probably try some low risk brews first - Graff, simple APA, etc....

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Sent one...got two yesterday.

 

[nutty_gnome]

I received a package from Danstar/Lallemand today in the mail. 3 returned for 1 sent. So at least thats good.

The packages still have suspiciously deep impressions from the printer. I don't know what I'll do with them.

 

[humann_brewing]

Does anyone know the alchohol tolerance of nottingham? The website just says "relatively high alcohol tolerance".

I used WLP007 to try and attack a 1.120 beer, it was down to 1.046 last night which is about the 10% that WLP007 says it will do. I dumped in a pack of nottingham this morning hoping to get to about 1.027

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

...just going to make a small starter with them

Don't make a starter with dry yeast...it's actually detrimental to do so. Just pitch more if you need more yeast.

 

[kappclark]

Sent none in, but complained in an email...just got 5 back

Doing EdWort's HPA this weekend, so I will take a walk on the wild side, and try 15G of "fresh" Notty

 

[shek]

Sent none in, but complained in an email...just got 5 back

Doing EdWort's HPA this weekend, so I will take a walk on the wild side, and try 15G of "fresh" Notty

Maybe I should try that. I had at least two bad batches with the bad lot#, but I tossed the package. Wonder what my odds are...

 

[Daddymem]

Got 10 packets for my 5 sent in. Still stamping their packets and some look deep still. All mine are 1087117102 Exp 6-2011. Anyone got good results from this batch?

 

[Sounds]

Got 10 packets for my 5 sent in. Still stamping their packets and some look deep still. All mine are 1087117102 Exp 6-2011. Anyone got good results from this batch?

I'll know soon enough just finished brewing my Scottish Export 80/- using this yeast about 1-2 hours ago.

 

[Donner]

i brewed my english IPA using a new batch a few weeks ago. Other than having what looked like dried yeast (well, what the dry yeast looks like) floating on top of the beer after fermentation, it seemed to work just fine. Though I never really payed enough attention for comparison before now.

 

[passedpawn]

I recorded my troubles with Notty here (or in a very simlar thread). I just bottled that IPA and it was cloudy, and had a bit of green apple in the background. The apple will probably clear, but this was a real disappointment. It was the first time in many years I used dry yeast.

From the Closing the Loop dept:

IPA turned out perfect. The Notty that I used took 4 days to start to ferment (actually, I added a second packet at day 3). At bottling time the stuff smelled gross. But I drank 2 tonight and it's good.

Still, I am done with Nottingham.

 

[Sounds]

Yep we're good, I've got a decent layer of Krausen already!

 

[machinehead131]

I just pitched a pack with exp 08-2010 and havent had activity for 18 hours now.

 

[jspence1]

Has anyone actually received their replacement yeast yet?

 

[KopyKat]

Yes, some have posted above and I received 20 packets for the 12 packets I sent in. I got them a couple of weeks ago.