Using more than one yeast - good/bad idea?

[Meatymc]

Been using scavenged Proper Job Yeast for a while but, as it's now around the 6th generation from the original, thought I'd start afresh. Dregs from 3 bottles into DME as usual and 3 days later - barely a bubble. Never had this before - usually quietening down by end of day 3. Going away the following morning so needed to pitch by then. Chucked into the flask the only other yeast I had available - a scavenged S-05, and merrily bubbling away 3 hours later. Bunged everything into the fermenter the following morning

Checked it this morning (day 4 after pitching) and it's gone mental - way beyond either a PJ or S-05. It actually looks more like one of Ditch's stout creations!!

This could be interesting!

[Silver_Is_Money]

I plan to 50/50 dual pitch Windsor and S-04 in a milk stout. The intent is to gain the esters of Windsor and the lower gravity finish of S-04. Should I pitch both of them at the beginning of the fermentation, or introduce the S-04 somewhat downstream of the initial fermentation?

[HTH1975]

I plan to 50/50 dual pitch Windsor and S-04 in a milk stout. The intent is to gain the esters of Windsor and the lower gravity finish of S-04. Should I pitch both of them at the beginning of the fermentation, or introduce the S-04 somewhat downstream of the initial fermentation?

I’d split the batch between two FVs so you can ferment each one with the different yeast.

[Kev888]

Blending yeast isn't new or bad, but it can be unpredictable. Until you've tried a combo its hard to call how it will work out - which one will dominate in which characteristic and so on.

Keeping the two separate (and later blending) can overcome that to a degree, and may give different results with no interaction/competition between them (though unless the ideal mix turns out to be 50:50 you can also end up with strange volumes). In some cases though, activity can also resume after blending, so still changing the beer from that intended.

Which isn't (at all) to say it shouldn't be tried, just to do it in a spirit of adventure.

On those rare occasions where I've felt the need to add more than one type, it has been sequentially (and not always by design). One type to give the character wanted, then a second to increase attenuation or handle the increasing alcohol better. Though its fairly unusual these days that a single type cannot be found with the characteristics wanted.

[RobP]

Done it once, made a Belgian Strong ale and only ordered one packet of yeast - MJ 47 (Belgian Abbey) so I ordered a second off eBay. Either I made an error ordering or the supplier got it wrong but I got a packet of MJ 41 (Belgian Ale yeast). I used them anyway, it kind of made sense, one more phenolic; the other more attenuative. Sadly, I can't report back on the results because the wort got scorched on the kettle element, imparting a horrible acrid burnt taste that I hoped would go away but hasn't.