The down fall of Wyeast?

[Dunerunner]

Niether of the two HBS in Eugene had the strain I wanted for my Belgian Lambic. Had to order online!!

 

[overflow]

I don't believe what that site says about the nutrient pack not being ruptured properly and the product leaking. I smack those suckers so hard it would knock someone out and I've never had one rupture. I use White Labs or Wyeast, depending on what the recipe calls for.

 

[mithion]

My LHBS caries both White Labs and Wyeast. I usually go for Wyeast because of the option to smack the pack which at least gives you some indication of the state of the pack (a swelled pack doesn't indicate good yeast, but one that doesn't swell is guarantied to be bad). I've hit a bad pack of 1968 yeast once but that could have been due to many factors like the LHBS not storing it properly, a delivery problem or just improper usage by my part. Overall, I'm very satisfied with Wyeast and by the way the LHBS is stocked, I'd say the owner agrees with me.

 

[Livendadream]

My LHBS only carries dry and Wyeast, so that is what I use. I never have had a problem with either yeasts. I love Wyeast but I do not discriminate against yeasts. I would use White Labs, if the shop had them.

 

[Schlenkerla]

We need some affirmative action here. For every five beers brewed one whitelabs yeast must be used.

 

[pdxal]

If you read the LHBS website you'll see that the guy sounds a little like a ******. Everyone else in the our area carries Wyeast and seems to do fine with them, why is only this LHBS having troubles?

 

[tenchu_11]

Think from now on I will go out of my way just to get Wyeast, nothing againts whitelabs but friday nights are my brew nights (usually make a starter Wednesday). I love beating the crap out of the smack pack while yelling my bosse's name.

 

[SPLASTiK]

I'd be wary of anyone who said Wyeast has viability issues... I think the issue would be a lot more widespread than one shop, especially one so close to their headquarters.

 

[Teromous]

Viva la WLP!

 

[Jewrican]

as stated many times in this thread, my lhbs carries both.

 

[GuldTuborg]

I don't believe what that site says about the nutrient pack not being ruptured properly and the product leaking. I smack those suckers so hard it would knock someone out and I've never had one rupture.

That's the damned truth. First time I used a smack pack I was worried about just this kind of thing. Then I realized you could pretty much run it over with your car to break the nutrient pack without worry about the outside rupturing. Well, maybe not quite that, but taping it onto a heavy bag and going a few rounds with it up there shouldn't cause any problems. Nothing like a little exercise on brew day!

 

[copper]

LHBS both sell White Labs. Had to order from AHB to get a Wyeast.

 

[avidhomebrewer]

Like most mentioned in this post, I also use Wyeast exclusively and have no issues over 10 years of brewing with their products. I bet it was just that site/store that had issues in the past and refuses to carry wyeast; their call on that one.

 

[wacko]

Personally I've only had one bad experience with mainbrew and it was mostly my fault since I was clueless at the time asking dumb questions on the phone when they were real busy. A big reason why I am a home winemaker and brewer now is because of all their help. They're very accommodating and knowledgeable people and I appreciate having them in my area.

 

[ericd]

I like White Lab's blends, but I love that you can see if the yeast is good or not in a few hours with Wyeast.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Like most mentioned in this post, I also use Wyeast exclusively and have no issues over 10 years of brewing with their products. I bet it was just that site/store that had issues in the past and refuses to carry wyeast; their call on that one.

Their loss too. Hopefully they don't turn off several brewers from using Wyeast.

Their dislike of Wyeast as compared to Whitelabs seems to be alot like PC vs MAC. Some people dislike it because its part of the main stream.

 

[MeatyPortion]

In before someone makes a Downfall youtube video of Hitler bitching about Wyeast.

 

[Paul_Aris]

Before I got my grain mill and started buying bulk I used Norther Brewer a lot along with their Wyeast. I always had good luck.

Now that I brew bigger batches and more often I use Dry yeast from fermentas when I can to save on the costs. No starter needed and I always have good luck with full fermentation. My LHBS handles White Labs and dry yeast.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

The only times I have ever had issues with Wyeast, the packs arrived WARM, very warm. Fedex must have shipped the box, with ice pack, in an oven.

 

[smokjunkee]

My last brew I decided to use Wyeast for the first time & I don't think
I popped it hard enough and/or the 3-day shipping in 98-100 degree
temps. didn't help either. Fortunately I had a dry wheat yeast & I just pitched
it along with the questionable Wyeast. Fermentation went well, will be bottleing
it tonight. This will not deter me from trying wyeast again though. I hear mostly good stuff.

 

[Jipper]

Probably though customers where asking for "Wayes"....not sure how its spelled but mexicans males call each other ways maning like idiot or something around that but they say it in every other word... way to get off subject

Guey. And it's a little stronger of a word than just idiot.


We only carry White Labs, but I recently used Wyeast in a batch for Can You Brew It, and that yeast was very good - fast starter, good fermenter.

 

[Denny]

FYI - According to wyeast or Northern Brewer, when you look at the mfg date on package incubate the yeast 1 day for each month of age. They are saying that you can maximize the yeast pitching rate, if you smack it and let it sit for so many days. (This assumes you are just using the smack-pack, no-starter)

FWIW, smacking the pack provides very little increase in cell count. It's really only a viability check. I just used a year and a half year old smackpack of 3522 with great success. Pitched it into a qt. starter, then decanted and stepped up to 2 qt.

 

[Denny]

Niether of the two HBS in Eugene had the strain I wanted for my Belgian Lambic. Had to order online!!

I don't know about Valley, but the Home Fermenter Center will order it for you when they place their regular order. I do that all the time.

 

[tenchu_11]

I think home brewer shops must read this forum. Three days ago when I posted that homebrewers out post has two options Dry yeast and liquid yeast on their beer kits. People told me to call and ask if they could send me Wyeast insteads, since they didn't specifiy what kind of liquid yeast they would send (although it was always White labs). Now the options on their site as of today are Dry yeast and "White Labs Liquid Yeast" way to let their alliegence known or maybe just coinsidences.