What about a Jims Beer Kit yeast Bank

[iowalad]

I'm a disciple of Jim when it comes to yeast splitting!

MB wrote:

Also regarding the small PET bottle in the fridge for storage technique, how long can you yeast be used for after the bottling date?

I am brewing in a little over a week with some Wyeast 1275 that I used orginally in Feb. It is probably on the 3rd generation?

From the original batch in Feb I brewed a batch successfully in August. Took longer to get the starter to ferment and had to step it up to get the volume I needed.

To my knowledge I haven't had any problems.

Will probably not try and use the same yeast all year in 2008 just so I can sample a wider variety.

[Madbrewer]

I don't actually have a library yet im just thinking its about time I set one up

The other thing preventing the desire to get better with yeast ... is the ready access I have to the Hook Norton yeast via the Hogs Back brewery near by to where I live. One bag of that stuff does my two fermenting bins quite happily & roars into life! It falls out of the brew right where you want it to and despite not being alway exactly true to style, it's virtually risk free and behaves very well.

Am wondering if, in my case long term storage the best option is to bottle condition a beer keeping it back for re-incubating later on - if i do get a speciality yeast I am happy with.

[delboy]

I don't actually have a library yet im just thinking its about time I set one up

The other thing preventing the desire to get better with yeast ... is the ready access I have to the Hook Norton yeast via the Hogs Back brewery near by to where I live. One bag of that stuff does my two fermenting bins quite happily & roars into life! It falls out of the brew right where you want it to and despite not being alway exactly true to style, it's virtually risk free and behaves very well.

Am wondering if, in my case long term storage the best option is to bottle condition a beer keeping it back for re-incubating later on - if i do get a speciality yeast I am happy with.

You jammy sod having a brewery on your doorstep ready to dish out genuine yeast

Keeping a bottle over is supposed to be a good way to store yeast and you get to drink it

[Madbrewer]

You jammy sod having a brewery on your doorstep ready to dish out genuine yeast

Aye .. and I have to say your 'Hookey Street' looks like a tempting brew to see how it munches through that lot of fermentables. Might give it a go

[Madbrewer]

.... From the original batch in Feb I brewed a batch successfully in August. Took longer to get the starter to ferment and had to step it up to get the volume I needed.

To my knowledge I haven't had any problems.

So in Feb, you stored up a few bottles and refridgerated them? And Six Months later you were still using the Feb batch & it was a good yeast?

[iowalad]

Yes I used Jim's method in Feb - made up a starter then divided it amongst some small bottles.
In August I used a bottle as the basis of another starter and then used another to build up my yeast bank again.

I have not had any trouble with the yeast. The longer it sits dormant the longer it takes to get going in your starter. You will have to build your starter up to a decent pitching level.

So basically I have been using the same smack pack for yeast all year (with a couple of exceptions).

It has worked well for me (even though I seem to struggle explaining it!).