New Liquid Yeasts In Perth?

[hughman666]

Hi all,

I was at the Malthouse HBS yesterday grabbing a couple of airlocks and saw a number of different looking yeasts in the fridge. Apparently they are cultivated by a Microbioliogy fellow at Murdoch Uni. Usual suspects were available, WLP300, 001 etc. and they're only 10 bucks. Also they looked to have considerably more yeast in them when compared side by side with their White Labs counterparts.

I'm interested in these because they're obviously going to be quite fresh and are also quite good value. My only question is around the quality....

Has anybody tried these?

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Hi all,

I was at the Malthouse HBS yesterday grabbing a couple of airlocks and saw a number of different looking yeasts in the fridge. Apparently they are cultivated by a Microbioliogy fellow at Murdoch Uni. Usual suspects were available, WLP300, 001 etc. and they're only 10 bucks. Also they looked to have considerably more yeast in them when compared side by side with their White Labs counterparts.

I'm interested in these because they're obviously going to be quite fresh and are also quite good value. My only question is around the quality....

Has anybody tried these?

No but im interested, how are they packaged ? Any contact details etc
GB

 

[hughman666]

No but im interested, how are they packaged ? Any contact details etc
GB

i didnt get any contact details but as far as packaging, plastic vials a little larger than the White Labs. maybe i'll grab one, step it up and and bring it round?

 

[Duff]

I wonder what White Labs think about this. Are they being sold under the WLP300 Hefe name?

I know we all propagate yeast, but does selling it commercially cross any boundaries?

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

i didnt get any contact details but as far as packaging, plastic vials a little larger than the White Labs. maybe i'll grab one, step it up and and bring it round?

That would be nice, do they have a big range available ?
GB

 

[hughman666]

That would be nice, do they have a big range available ?
GB

not massive range but i was told that the guy can basically propagate a number of yeasts on demand with approx 2 weeks lead time. as for the white labs names, i dont know if they are selling under those codes, i was just using them as an example.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

not massive range but i was told that the guy can basically propagate a number of yeasts on demand with approx 2 weeks lead time. as for the white labs names, i dont know if they are selling under those codes, i was just using them as an example.

Would be good to have enough made to do 50 L batches.
GB

 

[roddersf]

I wonder what White Labs think about this. Are they being sold under the WLP300 Hefe name?

I know we all propagate yeast, but does selling it commercially cross any boundaries?

I think white labs can sell the yeast they cultivate from their "strain store" - especially due to the equiptment needed for such an operation.

I dont think white labs would "own" the yeast strains per-se, it would all depend on where the yeast was acquired? Even then - the argument could be that white labs acquired their yeast from another source in the first place anyway... Corporations will always try to squash competition though.

hughman - do you think you can ask them if there is anyone doing the same over in NSW - or the eastern end at least?

Cheers,

 

[~MikE]

I wonder what White Labs think about this. Are they being sold under the WLP300 Hefe name?

I know we all propagate yeast, but does selling it commercially cross any boundaries?

they don't own the yeast at all and there's nothing stopping anyone from selling it commercially (can only patent GM organisms and they're not used in brewing to my knowledge)

the only problem would be selling it with the "WLP" prefix, i'm also sure there's quality control regulations etc regarding commercially selling these. he's probably got frozen stocks of the white labs yeast and is growing up batches for a LHBS to retail.

 

[the_fuzz]

they don't own the yeast at all and there's nothing stopping anyone from selling it commercially (can only patent GM organisms and they're not used in brewing to my knowledge)

^^^^^
Exactly - whitelabs really own the name/packaging etc - you throw whitelabs WPL002 into a new vial and call it AHB002 and there is no problem hhhmmmm (ponders new yeast farming venture)

 

[hughman666]

ok so stopped by malthouse yesterday and saw these yeasts there again, fairly large range going by the name of Proculture Labs.

i picked up a san francisco lager yeast called pro-25 which appears to be along the lines of a wyeast 2112 and a californian ale yeast which looks to be good old wyeast 1056, wlp001, us05 etc...

there is approx 50ml of actual yeast in each tube which is a nice healthy amount but im still stepping them up...

not bad for $10.95! how about the other retailers getting on this bandwagon?

 

[clay]

So have you used these before? Did you notice any other varieties available?

 

[Bribie G]

BABBs in Brisbane have slants of 13 varieties of yeasts in their yeast library for sale $4 to members. I'm definitely going to get a Burton for next time I do a Marstons style.

 

[Edgewater]

I purchased on Thursday (19.3.09) a Proculture Labs Yeast vial from Malthouse. Pro-10 Caliafornian Ale Yeast, approximately 45ml of yeast. Informed the yeast was about a week old. I put down an AG batch the next day and trialled pitching directly into a 42lt batch without propagating it. It appears to have taken very well. Health high krausen the next morning and bubbling vigourously after about 8 hours overnight. It's Monday 23.3.09 and it is still active and bubbling. I would be intrested in hearing others results.
Edge

 

[Edgewater]

At $10.95 with no further information other than the vial labeling the yeast as "Proculture" it was a gamble to use. I would have liked more supporting information or point of reference regarding the manufacturer and the product.

In retrospect as a trial of the product I should have bred up the yeast to a larger volume for pitching. I made a 42 lt AG batch with an OG of 1.054, FG 1.009. The fermenter averaged 25 deg. cel. over the fermentation period. (Currently putting together my fermentation fridge). Sanitation standards were maintained during the process of making the beer as well as preparing the fermenter. I did not notice any unusual smells with the yeast when I pitched it. During the course of the fermentration I drew off samples and noted the smell was strong and not pleasant, it also left a tang towards the back of the mouth, the taste being sharp.

I observed that the yeast did not settle into a firm yeast cake at the bottom of the fermenter, the flocculation was poor with the yeast remaining quite fluid in suspension on the bottom of the fermenter. It appeared to be easilly disturbed. The smell I noted during fermentation had reduced somewhat when I came to bottling but the after taste tang remains. I can only hope that it mellows further with storing over the next month and with refrigeration. If it turn out to be palatable I will update.

Paying $10.95 for a product with no backing documentation or company credibility was a chance and expensive for a 'local'product. Would I do it again, no. Labour time, cost of ingredients, gas and water aside I may end up with two kegs of "beer" I have to throw out.

To the manufacturer, more information please, I would rather spend an extra $4 to get a product I know will work, Wyeast.

 

[np1962]

Not sure you can give a fair assesment of the yeast(any yeast) when your fermentation was far from ideal. Almost any ale yeast is going to throw some 'off' flavors when fermented at 25C.
Would like to hear again after a brew was fermented at a more ideal 18-20C. Would make a good comparison but unlikely you would be bothered to make the effort.

Nige

No Affiliation etc etc..

 

[Asher]

I'm hoping these guys are the goods & plan to support them until I can prove otherwise.

Their labelling is professional although the temperatures ranges are a little broad. For example the German Lager Yeast has a range from 13 to 20something (from memory) and in brackets (opt 9-12). So the info is there if you know what your looking for and how to treat it. I think its important to understand the broader market their aiming for in Perth is a little less advanced and may not have the means to ferment optimally yet. Anyway,, there's nothing like having freshly cultured yeast at your doorstep rather than having it flown 1/2 way round the world.

Currently I have Proculture's German Lager strain fermenting away at 11.5 deg in a 60 litre batch.
I have stepped it up once via a starter. The 4 litre starter took off within hours.
I did noticed when cracking the tube that there was some pressure build-up inside. This may not be a bad thing,,,,but gets you thinking

Will let you know how things go in the next few weeks
I also have a tube of their WLP300 copy to trial also

Cheers

Asher

 

[~MikE]

well if the general consensus on "aftermarket" yeast is people are willing and happy to use them and like the cheaper price, i might just have a good business plan for the Adelaide market

hmm, i wonder what would be needed for an above-the-table business like this in the area of regulations, quality control etc..

 

[Ronin]

It's quite easy to bank down strain of yeast, I've got every one I've bought stored at work (I work in an immunology lab).

I'd be quite interested to know what growth media is used to grow the yeast in. I'm happy growing yeast for my own use, I know what the ingredients of the media are. But there are some yeast media that I would not ever use for something that is going to be consumed, no matter how many times they are washed.

I would be concerned with quality control. What sort of lab is it grown in, is there a chance for cross contamination with something pathogenic? The short time I've been involved in research, I've become quite sceptical about trusting the work of others. Not saying don't use it, just be careful. Get more information about the lab.

 

[kook]

I would be concerned with quality control. What sort of lab is it grown in, is there a chance for cross contamination with something pathogenic? The short time I've been involved in research, I've become quite sceptical about trusting the work of others. Not saying don't use it, just be careful. Get more information about the lab.

Have to agree here guys - ask the questions. I'm not going to repeat the answers I've heard here as they're only hearsay. If the answers are true though, there are some who might have cause for concern as it's well published as to some of the other things cultured in the lab.

Don't get me wrong, I think it would be great for a (proper) local yeast manufacturer to become available. Who knows - this may even turn into that. But I'd ask the questions now, and make the decision as to whether you're comfortable with the origin.