Strange morphology in cider yeast colonies

[butterpants]

I just took a 10 month old vial of WL English Cider and streaked it for isolation with the thought of slanting it for future use (got the yeast for free cuz it was wicked old).

The media used was UBA and it incubated at 25C for 3 days. Control plate is clean.

If you look at the attached picture, there's an odd (at least to me) colony pattern. Lots of very small colonies with a few giant growth patches. This is very inconsistent with the growth patterns I normally see on just about everything, from Sacc to Brett to LAB.

It almost seems to me as if there is more than 1 strain. Seems like too frequent of an occurance to be filled with respiratory mutants or the converse giants....

Micro guys care to comment?

View attachment 1448961327047.jpg

 

[lshaner]

Looks like you might have three different things there. All of this would need to be confirmed with additional plating and microscopy, but I see large white colonies that are likely yeast, smaller white colonies which could be yeast or bacteria, and very tiny colonies that are probably bacteria. What did you use to take the sample from the tube?

 

[butterpants]

Inoculation loop.

Seeing that the tube was free, I'm just chucking it. I really could care less what's in there... it's not what I want. Doesn't appear to be pure culture .... I don't know if it's bacteria tho.

Was just wondering if WL did a weird blend for their English Cider product.

Anyone want me to send them a plate of semi-unknown strange ****?

 

[butterpants]

Big one catalyase +, little ones on lawn -

 

[lshaner]

Little ones are probably Lactobacillus then.

 

[butterpants]

Love a mystery but think I'm too lazy to scope them.

I really am throwing this plate out..... soon....

 

[ColoHox]

Aerobic or anaerobic incubation?

 

[butterpants]

Aerobic

 

[butterpants]

I really should chuck this before it becomes sentient and takes over the world

View attachment 1449894317776.jpg

 

[butterpants]

I've noticed this contamination in half of the older WL vials I've plated...various strains all with bacterial contamination.

Kind of worrysome. I have not found this in any of the Wyeast packs. I'll post pics/details later.