Yes yes.. I can feel a double dropping session coming on :icon_cheers:
RdeV I'll have to get my bum into gear and get slanting and return the favours - I have all the gear except for the pressure cooker, there are heaps of them at the charity shops but I'm looking for a true flat bottomed one I can use on my Kambrook ring.
Actually Bribie, I have to fess up- I don't use a pressure cooker for slanting, I just use my 19L stockpot as a steamer- put a circular rack in, a few inches of water, load it all in (slants, 500 ml Schotts with stater wort, skewer etc) and run the steam for at least an hour, then leave everything in place to cool overnight, except the slants of course, unless they're set on the right angle in there already then they have to come out and placed for setting. It sure is one mighty versatile bit of kit that 19L stockpot! :beerbang:
A generous steaming seems to be adequate, occasionally one slant goes manky before or after inoculation. I try to proof the blank slants for several days first, then inoculate, grow them out for a fortnight somewhere warm, while anything that looks remotely suspicious goes in the bin- usually infection is quite obvious. Generally I harvest 16 or more usable slants from a rack of 21 inoculated, always get a few untidy ones from condensation* but I don't really care what they look like so long as they're pure. Only very rarely do I lose one to infection though.
*Moisture condensation inside the tube through cooling and during the growth phase has been a PITA with slanting, yeast get entrained in it and end up all down the side and base of the agar block, there it ferments and the gas by-product pops the slant back up the tube. :angry: Anyone got any ideas about that? I wonder if it is worthwhile growing them out upside down so that it runs down to the cap for easy removal.
Have 1882 (Thames Valley II) as well from their previous release if Wyeast happen to renege, but it looks like they're
ready to roll though. Nice yeast that with interesting slightly floral esters but it didn't seem to throw the loads of diacetyl which was probably a good thing in that particular case.
I recommend folks slant these PC strains if they're up for it, or store some in glycerine, any hard to get strains would be prime candidates to capture for re- use when they're not available from the usual suppliers. I have had no trouble with slants over a year old, about then though I'll re- slant the strain from the old media to be sure it lives on.
