Have I been sold a pup?

Share your experiences of using brewing yeast.
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Meatymc
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Location: Northallerton, North Yorkshire

Re: Have I been sold a pup?

Post by Meatymc » Wed Jan 17, 2018 12:57 pm

I thought the old vials were glass as well - still have 1 kicking around and looks and feels like glass to me.

Everything into the fermenter on Monday night so it's just wait and see now.

MTW
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Location: Just outside Scarbados

Re: Have I been sold a pup?

Post by MTW » Wed Jan 17, 2018 3:25 pm

guypettigrew wrote:
Tue Jan 16, 2018 6:57 pm
For me, the new Whitelabs sachets are proving more reliable than the old glass vials. One or two of the old glass ones never got going and I lost some beer to infection. Not yet happened with the sachets.

Kev888 reckons the sachets are 'less pleasant to use'. I prefer them. I snip open the outer plastic packaging then take out the inner sachet with the yeast. A quick spray with Starsan then it's opened with scissors and either squeezed directly into the wort or into a starter flask depending on how new it is.

The outer packet can then be written on to show usage date and then subsequent harvesting and usage dates.

Guy
It only recently occurred to me that I would be better removing the inner 'sachet' with these new packs. Up to then, I had been cutting through the inner and outer, and pouring out with both together. The twin layers at the opening only served to make clean handling of the last few drips more of a faff. I'm seem to recall that, when the first new-style packs came out, they had a 'cut here' line, though I think I noticed it has disappeared; i don't have one in to check. So I just followed that, up to now.

The only problem I remember with the old packs was when I used the uber-flocculant WLP002, and despite trying to keep it moving and loose prior to pitching in the starter, it was like getting the last bit of ketchup out of a glass bottle for a moment! I suppose that being able to squeeze the yeast along the pack is good in that regard, but I'd still have the old vials back if I could.
McMullan wrote:
Mon Jan 15, 2018 9:48 am
If I buy a yeast from White Labs these days, I just use a tiny amount to inoculate a mini starter then step up. Fresher yeast that way :wink: The remainder goes in the bin. I've noticed no benefits to the new packs, as a home brewer. For some reason, I find Wyeast is superior. Maybe it's the little bag of yeast-specific nutrient media they add? I don't ever remember having any starter issues when using Wyeast yeast, even when not smacked.
It would be interesting if someone with the right skills and facilities could test how well WY vs WLP makes it across the pond, at least if it could be acquired early enough in the supply chain this end. ;)
Busy in the Summer House Brewery

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