JonesSoda6
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2012
- Messages
- 85
- Reaction score
- 11
One of the many reasons I try and stick with the LHBS is the perks you can get by being there at the right time. My local one this past week had a box of expired white labs yeast tubes and packs tucked in the back of their yeast fridge biding it’s time. Some of them were from 2015, so a slow, multi-step starter would be in order; but most had ‘expired’ their use by date by only a few months. Some were last month.
See, I love these boxes of treasure and mystery. I have found some rare, vault strains of yonderyear and brewed some totally unique brews. I also freeze and bank yeasts. Few things are more pleasing then creating a recipe and digging through the chest freezer to see what spin our single celled friends can assist with. My yearly ‘Franken-Brew, consists of whatever is left over, half used packs of hops I have in the freezer, speciality grains on hand (looking at you Midnight Wheat) and yeast I grab with my eyes closed. Brew club specials I like to say as we try to categorize it, usually landing on Speciality Brew but sometimes a style invented on the spot.
Back to this weekend. Digging through this box I am finding a few sour strains I have had my eye on for a while and some run-of-the-mill varieties we all know and love. Seeing my small pile of hops on the counter already and knowing I’ll often shoot the breeze when my wife is not waiting, our LHBC owner yells over for me to take whatever I want... and as many as I want from the ‘expired’ box.
Usually happy with paying half price or buying a bag of DME I was floored.
‘As many as I want?!’
‘Yup’
And then it was on.
16 varieties selected, all ones I’ve never worked with as I have a house sour I love (Wyeast De Bom) and been reusing for a few years now. Driving back to the house I was excitedly telling my wife about the score as she her interest was piqued due to her blossoming love of all things sour.
I have 13 1-gallon jugs from my winter stovetop brewing days fron when we lived in Michigan. Frozen water spigots are no joke. Large batches while wearing Carharts hold a special place in my heart that I’ll leave up there as I live in the a south now.
So over the next few weeks I plan on slowly building these up and resurrecting the unloved outcasts from the cardboard box. This island of misfit yeast and bugs will find new love as I do a 13x1 gallon brew to see how each brings something different to the table and maybe even step in to the world of blending when it’s all said and done.
What I need though is help with a recipe. Fairly low IBUs due to possible lacto in the cultures. 1.040-ish to keep the true nature of the beauties up front.
Roster of yeasts selected - All White Labs WLP:
051 - Cali Ale Yeast V
351 - Bavarian Weizen
380 - Hefe IV
630 - Berliner Weisse Blend
648 - Brett Brux Trois
655 - Belgian Sour Mix 1
645 - Brett Claussenii
650 - Brett Brux
566 - Begian Saison II
568 - Belgian Style Saison
665 - Flemish Ale Blend
670 - American Farmhouse Blend
611 - Nordic Yeast
Thoughts?
See, I love these boxes of treasure and mystery. I have found some rare, vault strains of yonderyear and brewed some totally unique brews. I also freeze and bank yeasts. Few things are more pleasing then creating a recipe and digging through the chest freezer to see what spin our single celled friends can assist with. My yearly ‘Franken-Brew, consists of whatever is left over, half used packs of hops I have in the freezer, speciality grains on hand (looking at you Midnight Wheat) and yeast I grab with my eyes closed. Brew club specials I like to say as we try to categorize it, usually landing on Speciality Brew but sometimes a style invented on the spot.
Back to this weekend. Digging through this box I am finding a few sour strains I have had my eye on for a while and some run-of-the-mill varieties we all know and love. Seeing my small pile of hops on the counter already and knowing I’ll often shoot the breeze when my wife is not waiting, our LHBC owner yells over for me to take whatever I want... and as many as I want from the ‘expired’ box.
Usually happy with paying half price or buying a bag of DME I was floored.
‘As many as I want?!’
‘Yup’
And then it was on.
16 varieties selected, all ones I’ve never worked with as I have a house sour I love (Wyeast De Bom) and been reusing for a few years now. Driving back to the house I was excitedly telling my wife about the score as she her interest was piqued due to her blossoming love of all things sour.
I have 13 1-gallon jugs from my winter stovetop brewing days fron when we lived in Michigan. Frozen water spigots are no joke. Large batches while wearing Carharts hold a special place in my heart that I’ll leave up there as I live in the a south now.
So over the next few weeks I plan on slowly building these up and resurrecting the unloved outcasts from the cardboard box. This island of misfit yeast and bugs will find new love as I do a 13x1 gallon brew to see how each brings something different to the table and maybe even step in to the world of blending when it’s all said and done.
What I need though is help with a recipe. Fairly low IBUs due to possible lacto in the cultures. 1.040-ish to keep the true nature of the beauties up front.
Roster of yeasts selected - All White Labs WLP:
051 - Cali Ale Yeast V
351 - Bavarian Weizen
380 - Hefe IV
630 - Berliner Weisse Blend
648 - Brett Brux Trois
655 - Belgian Sour Mix 1
645 - Brett Claussenii
650 - Brett Brux
566 - Begian Saison II
568 - Belgian Style Saison
665 - Flemish Ale Blend
670 - American Farmhouse Blend
611 - Nordic Yeast
Thoughts?
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