Re-cultured Sparkling Ale Yeast

[sah]

As Brauluver said it is the same yeast. I notice a lot of banana in Cooper's beer. It is particularly present when the beer is fresh and seems to disipate with time. I have never done a real objective evaluation though.

[post="122091"][/post]​

My only attempt at reusing Coopers pale ale yeast resulted in massive banana and clove esters. They were more dominant than in hefeweizens. The yeast took over 1 month of cold conditioning to flocculate. I fermented at 19C. I used a big dose of late Cascade hops in this beer and I couldn't even taste them.

Scott

 

[Kai]

Interesting, sah. I've never had the yeast perform even remotely like that in my experience. I have tried one that pumped out some serious banana esters though.

What was your pitching rate/starter method?

 

[Mr Bond]

Yeah sound like under pitching to me.

This yeast has always been a fast and hard floccer that gives a clear pour very early.

Was there any wheat in the grain bill,it may have been proteins etc....?

 

[MVZOOM]

This one's turning out a bit strangely. I put the brew down on the 21st, it's been bubbling away for about 6 days now, but the SG has only dropped to 1028, from an OG of 1058.

Temp has been a constant 18 deg. Its gone really slowly for the last two days - when should I rack it?

Also - alarmingly, there's a very distant wine / sour like smell - not something I've ever smelled in a brew before. My brain is screaming 'INFECTION', but the wort tastes fine, no sourness in taste and the smell seems to go away after a minute or so. It may be that I've not fermented a brew this heavy before (ie.. with such a high OG) and the yeast is a little special as well.

Questions then:

1) Should I be worried about the time it's taking to ferment?

2) Should I raise the brew temp by a degree or so to move it along?

3) Any thoughts about the aroma?

4) When should I rack it?

BTW, the kit was made up exactly as per the Heritage spec, ie..1kg LME, 500g Malt and 300g dextrose.

Cheers - Mike

 

[Stuster]

1. No.
2. No need.
3. As it tastes fine, no problem.
4. Don't.

 

[Mr Bond]

That is a high start grav.Me personally,I would give it a swirl ,let rise to 20c and give it another 3 days(say the1st) rack for 3/4 days and bottle.4/6 weeks conditioning and start drinkin.Don't worry about the aroma.

keep us posted.

 

[Stuster]

Sorry to be cryptic Mike. I wouldn't worry about the slow ferment personally. You can do as Brauluver says, but my last ferment took two weeks to get to FG. And did, finally giving me 85% attenuation and tasted great when bottling. Raising the temperature. Why not if it's easy, but don't sweat it. I've given up racking, but if you want to rack it, wait till it's closer to the terminal gravity before racking, as moving it off the yeast cake is probably not going to help the ferment finish. Let the hydrometer be your guide. If the gravity is still dropping, all is well.

 

[Mr Bond]

Good point Stuster.
Letting it sit on the yeast cake for a couple of weeks won't hurt it at all.
Give it a swirl and let it warm up a tad at least.

This yeast will flocc hard when its done so racking is an option you could omit if you want.
I plan to do a stout(Extract+ specialty) soon with this yeast and will not bother racking it, but the AG pale ale(to follow) will be racked for clarity/cleanliness.

Horses for courses really (damned cliches)

 

[MVZOOM]

Bugger - didn't see those last two posts till tonight.

I racked it this evening at 1018, after nine days in the primary. It was STILL bubbling away and obviously dropping slowly - I raised the temp to 20deg for the last few days too.

The yeast cake really looked funny, the creamy layer pocked with small dots - looks kind of like a piklet looks in the pan, before you turn them.

Had a taste, sure as hell tastes like Sparkling Ale, it's going to be a mother of a beer! I'll leave it in the secondry for a good while then and wait for it to clear up a touch.

It's been an interesting brew this one, thanks for the tips along the way, gents. :super:

Cheers - Mike

 

[Mr Bond]

The yeast cake really looked funny, the creamy layer pocked with small dots - looks kind of like a piklet looks in the pan, before you turn them.



Cheers - Mike

[post="123532"][/post]​

Thats totally normal Don't sweat it

 

[sah]

Kai & Brauluver,

I've only just read your follow-ups to my comments about the banana esters I got from Coopers Pale Ale yeast.

I pitched a 1L starter into 20L of ~1.050 wort. Fermented at 20C.

My timings for the starter were unusual. Not knowing any better at the time I probably left the starter long enough between step-ups that the yeast would have been starting to go dormant. The starter was probably on the go for close to two weeks.

These days I have the starter on a stir plate in the ferm. fridge and step it up to 1L or 2L over 3 or 4 days.

I think you've given me enough encouragement to give the pale ale yeast another crack some time.

Scott

 

[Mr Bond]

Had a taste, sure as hell tastes like Sparkling Ale, it's going to be a mother of a beer! I'll leave it in the secondry for a good while then and wait for it to clear up a touch.

It's been an interesting brew this one, thanks for the tips along the way, gents. :super:

Cheers - Mike

[post="123532"][/post]​

Sorry about the break in transmission,the boss wanted to check some E bay stuff.

Yeah give it a week in secondary( at 18/20c).I would expect around 1015 as a FG.

this yeast will produce some diacetyll for up to 3 weeks after bottling but will come good on week 4/6.

Put a few aside for a 12 week taste/treat and you will want to use this yeast again :chug: