2017 Bell's Oberon - Who's harvesting the yeast?

[Oldskewl]

Picked up a 6 pk today. Last year's attempts did not go well for my 2 Hearted clone. Planning to give it more time this year and use fresher yeast.

 

[treacheroustexan]

Could you post the 2 hearted recipe you used? I thought about this today when I saw Oberon at the store.

 

[Oldskewl]

I used eschatz recipe but with 1 oz in the dry hop. I tried harvesting yeast but my bottles were 4-6 months old(Cant remember without looking at my notes.) and I don't think I gave the first stage enough time. I ended up pitching some 1318 I had in the fridge and it turned out fine. I am going to harvest soon and do the first stage very soon and save for brew day in April or May in which I will build up again. At least that is the plan.

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04)
Yeast Starter: none
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.5
Original Gravity: 1.055
Final Gravity: 1.014
IBU: 52.6
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 5.6
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): at least 4 weeks at 65 F
Tasting Notes: Extremely drinkable. This clone is as perfect as I can tell.



The actual gravity for this beer is 1.064
The FG is 1.010
Yeast is taken from a bottle of Bells Amber (their Pale Ale also works)

10 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 76.92 %
2 lbs Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 15.38 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 3.85 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 3.85 %

*mash at 150 F

1.00 oz Centennial [9.50 %] (60 min) Hops 30.3 IBU
1.00 oz Centennial [9.50 %] (15 min) Hops 15.0 IBU
1.00 oz Centennial [9.50 %] (5 min) Hops 6.0 IBU
1.00 oz Centennial [9.50 %] (1 min) Hops 1.3 IBU
1.00 oz Centennial [9.50 %] (Dry Hop 5 days) Hops

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=91488

 

[crapgame]

I harvested some yeast last night from two bottles of this year's Oberon. It's already showing activity. I've had good luck the past two years harvesting their house yeast from fresh Oberon. I'm going to use this harvest to make a mango habanero beer later this week.

 

[permo]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1493260601.970711.jpg

From four 16 oz bottles. Showed activity within hours and has been stepped up three times already. Clearly this is some healthy yeast.

Will be making 15 gallons of oberon clone. Then using that yeast for a beer inspired by hopslam. Hey why not?!

 

[bobeer]

Damn. These beers sound great with that yeast. I might have to do this.

 

[Oldskewl]

I ended up stepping my harvest up from a 0.25L to a 1.75L. Had a good ferment. I saved 0.5L for my next batch and used the 1.25L for a recent NE IPA. It turned out great.

But I am noticing some weird behavior in my mason jar in the fridge. I can't decide if it is infected or not. It keeps developing bubbles on top of the wort. I have to keep burping the jar as it seems to be fermenting. Last week-end the layer of bubbles was in question. Here are a few pics. Another member here said they had similar activity but everything was fine.

 

[permo]

I ended up stepping my harvest up from a 0.25L to a 1.75L. Had a good ferment. I saved 0.5L for my next batch and used the 1.25L for a recent NE IPA. It turned out great.

But I am noticing some weird behavior in my mason jar in the fridge. I can't decide if it is infected or not. It keeps developing bubbles on top of the wort. I have to keep burping the jar as it seems to be fermenting. Last week-end the layer of bubbles was in question. Here are a few pics. Another member here said they had similar activity but everything was fine.

I raised mine up from .25 liter, to 1 liter, to 2 liters...then I cold crashed and decanted to step up to 4 liters. I taste and smell the wort at every step. If it tastes watery, maybe slightly tart and fruity you are good to go. If you smell our taste something nasty its game over.

 

[Homercidal]

Got 2L starter finished up a few days ago. Just need time to brew something with it. I might step it up again and then chill it since I don't see a brewday in my near future. After a few days lag the starter really took off.

 

[jmcquesten]

I started with about a 1 cup starter and the bottom of 4 bottles of Oberon. No real signs of activity, but still stepped it up from there to a 1 liter starter after a couple days. That one definitely showed signs of active fermentation. Stepped that up to 5 liters which again was pretty active, but noticed that the krausen didn't want to drop. I pitched half of it into a wheat beer and saved the rest to continue to use for future starters.

 

[StewMakesBrew]

While I didn't harvest and brew with Bell's yeast, I made an Oberon clone in March that is now on tap in the keg and it is pretty well indistiguishable from the real thing - in fact my friends say it's better than the Oberon! Here's recipe:

6 lbs Pale 2 row USA
5 lbs Wheat malt Germany
8 oz 20L Caramel malt
1 oz Hallertau (60 min)
1 oz Saaz (15 min)
1 oz Saaz (5 min)
1t Irish Moss
½ t yeast nutrient
WPL001 yeast

Single infusion mash at 152 for 60 mins, boil for 60 making additions where noted. Cool to 70 degrees and pitch. Primary for 3 weeks, then keg. "cellared" for two weeks in the garage during a cold snap (30s and 40s), then force carbed for 10 mins at 25 PSI and 38 degrees, then into kegerator to "slow carb" rest of the way at 12 psi. Fantastic results - poured side by side with Oberon - color is dead on, flavor is dead on.

 

[Oldskewl]

^Looks good! Pic?