What happens if...

[mattd017]

I mix 2 yeast strains together?

Details: I was supposed to have a brew day this Sunday and have my 1L starter spinning. I planned on chilling today for a few hours, and start the 2L overnight through tomorrow. BUT! my weekend got all messed up and now the only time I can brew is tomorrow. The 1L will be ready, 2L will be mostly still wort soup, so no point in doing the 2L. The beer I'll be brewing is a Belgian Strong (1.085 est OG). I have a starter of WLP500 (Belgian Monastery, supposedly the Chimay strain) going. Ok, so, I have 3 options, and am asking for advice/warnings on each.

1.) I pitch the 1L of starter, knowing, according to brewersfriend, I'll have around 205bil cells of the 300 recommended.

2.) I continue my starter to be ready by Sunday night, cool the wort, toss it in the carboy on Saturday afternoon, and pitch on Sunday.

3.) I supplement the 1L starter with a yeast vial from a beer I couldn't brew 2 weeks ago (dog found the package of grain, tore it open, and decorated my garage while I was doing some work on my truck). That vial is WLP004, Irish Ale.

Any advice would be helpful. I'm assuming 3 isn't ideal, BUT what would I potentially get? I assume not a belgian characteristic that I want. Or would I? What would be the prevalent yeast profile?

 

[Devin]

I vote for option 4:

Put off your brew day another week. When your 2L starter is finished, throw it in the fridge and pull it out when you are ready to brew.

If you can't find any other time to brew and Sunday is the only day you can, then I would go for option 2. Option 1 can result in some strange stuff, especially with a such a high OG. Option 3 will end up getting you some unexpected results, also (although, who knows - maybe the combo will make a fantastic beer).

 

[mattd017]

I should've said, can't do next week. I'll be traveling for over a week starting Friday, and I won't be able to reschedule my brew day for at least 3 weeks. That's why this would be perfect to let it sit at 70F and do it's thing for a month.

 

[jodell]

There is nothing wrong with blending 2 yeast just know that there will be a blend of the 2 yeast characteristics.

The book yeast by Chris white and Jamil Zainasheff have a stout recipe that blends like 50 different strains. And they reported it as being good

EDIT...excuse me it's 96 yeast strains

http://www.pacificsandiego.com/food-drink/do-me-a-flavor-4/

 

[Konadog]

Based one what you have given us, sounds like your only option is #2. I don't see a problem with it!

 

[jodell]

Do option 3 just to be different

 

[Rhaop]

Option 2 pitch on Sunday, if your sanitation is on point no reason to worry about wort sitting a day and by Sunday you’ll have a great pitch of yeast it will take off quickly

 

[GaBrewZoo]

I would vote 2 also. I've had plenty that I couldn't get down to pitching temp and let them sit and pitch the next day. Never had a problem.