# Weston's Old Rosie Scrumpy Yeast



## Fat Bastard (8/3/12)

I bought a 2 litre of this stuff and used the yeast to do a couple of 1.5 litre test batches, then again to do a 23 litre batch before splitting the yeast cake into 4 and storing it for a few weeks in the fridge.

Last weekend, I made a starter with one of the vials and dumped it into another 22 l batch. The stuff took off like a rocket and last night it had a massive krausen and evidence that a little bit had escaped from the gladwrap.

None of the previous batches had any krausen at all and seemed to take a while to kick off.

Does anyone have any experience with using this yeast? Could making a starter have made the difference to the way it's kicked off? I just gave it a good swirl everythime I walked past, and it was only about 8 hours old when I pitched it, and had no obvious signs of life. The only addition to this recipe was 3 steeped teabags in about 300ml of water. Could the tannins be causing the big krausen? Everything tastes normal and similar to the other batches I've made at this stage.

Any advice would be very much appreciated,

FB


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## machalel (8/3/12)

Wow, interesting timing... I just bought 2L of the stuff the yesterday - partially to have it to drink, partially to reuse the mini-demijohn style bottle 

I'm interested to know how it goes, but can't help you with your question sorry


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## MetalDan (12/9/13)

Although an old thread, has anyone else had any success cultivating Weston's Old Rosie Scrumpy Yeast in Aus? I bought a 2x500ml bottles of the stuff, and tried following this recipe.

The first 500ml starter seemed to be working (based on taste), however once I dumped it into a 5L starter it died in the ass. Learning from my mistakes, when attempting round 2 with the other bottle I've been taking gravity readings as I increase the starters, but doesn't look like my second bottle is working either..

Maybe I'll try the 2L bottle as it might have some more yeast+MLF, and as Michalel mentions atleast I'll have a 2L mini-demijohn (plus 2L of good cider to drink!)


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## RelaxedBrewer (12/9/13)

I would be making smaller starters and then stepping them up. Also are you adding yeast nutrient? It is really important in cider.

Personally I would do something like this. Start with a 200ml starter. Then bump it up to 500ml and then 2L.


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## MetalDan (13/9/13)

Yer as per the recipe I posted, I started off with a 500ml starter, then another 500ml, and then went up to 5L, each with yeast nutrient in. The one I'm currently trying to cultivate is at the second 500ml starter stage, I'll try downgrading with the next one and add it to a 2L starter next and see how she goes.


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