Differences Between Kit Yeast And Recultivated Yeast

[Chill1]

I've previously done several Coopers Pale Ale kits using the supplied dry yeast in the packet, and thought I'd try recultivating the yeast from a commercial bottle of Coopers to see what difference it makes to the overall taste/quality. To recultivate the yeast ... I boiled approx 1/2 litre of water with dried malt extract, then when cooled to room temperature, added the dregs of 2 Coopers mid strength stubbies ... a couple of days later there was a well developed head on top and yeast cake at the bottom of the bottle, so took this as a sign to pitch into my wort. When using the dried packet yeast, a couple of days after pitching bubbles start and there is a very thick foam build up on top of the wort; however, now I'm using the recultivated yeast I don't seem to be getting the thick foam build up ... I started getting bubbles after approx 2 days; however, the foam is only a very mild film accross the top no more than a couple of mm's thick ... is this normal, should I be concerned?

Thanks for any help.

 

[ah_glenno]

all i know about using a starter is that you should be using a little more than you did (~1.5L) and to keep infection down by making sure the yeast source is fresh, ie dont use half empty bottles that have been sitting in the fridge for a week

 

[cdbrown]

How much dried malt extract did you use with 1/2L of water - hopefully 50g. You would have been better off steping it up again to 1L or more before pitching.

Chances are there a much more yeast cells in the dried pack than in your 1/2L starter. You may have shocked them by underpitching so it's going to take longer for the yeast to multiply and get going.

If you are making a CPA probably should have gone for the Pale Ale yeast instead of the Mild Ale (just in case they are different strains)

 

[clean brewer]

As stated above, you have probably under pitched and there prob isnt enough yeast built up for a full batch... From what I understand, you need to slowly build up your yeast count from your stubbies slowly... A 1.5 ltr starter is generally recommended..

I just started a starter from a Pale Ale Tallie, started off with 100ml of Wort and have slowly built it up and getting a good amount of yeast in my Flask ATM and I only have 900ml Wort in there at the moment...

 

[Bribie G]

I have used the sediment from two tallies of Coopers Sparkling in a one litre starter adjusted with light dried malt extract to about 1050. Cultured up nicely over three days but the fermentation was definitely slower to get going than using dried yeast, so obviously the yeast cell issue.
However pitching a good bit of the yeast cake in subsequent brews gives a much stronger fermentation.

 

[Gavo]

I recently used the yeast from a Coopers PA stubbie wit a 500ml starter. Here is what I found.
1. I would defiantly step up to a 1.5lt starter in the future. (won't help you as you have already pitched)
2. It can be a little slow to get started (particularly with the small starter)
3. I set it at 19 degrees C for the first 4 days and then stepped up to 20. The higher temp helped get it moving.
4. Every morning and everery afternoon I gave the fermenter a swirl (this is what really got it moving).
5. Don't panic, it will ferment out.
6. Smelled strange to me while in the fermenter but ended up with a great beer that I have to fight SWMBO for.

Give it a swirl and get the yeast into suspension, particularly while its slow. I was away for the last three days of the ferment but once it got started by swirling the fermenter and picking the temp up to 20 it finished with no problem.

Now all I have to do is get some more Coopers stubbies, the closest place that sells them is 220k from me. <_<

Cheers
Gavo.