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Author Topic: Yeast Blending  (Read 1729 times)

Offline HopDen

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Yeast Blending
« on: July 04, 2023, 09:33:34 am »
This may be a harebrained idea but here goes!

I was wondering about blending an ale yeast strain with a lager yeast strain to see what kind of influence I can achieve. Not sure which strains to blend but my thought is to ferment on the warmer side to coax the fruitiness from the lager strain whereby the ale strain will perform "normal".

Am I nuts wasting time and resources or is this viable to achieve a favorable outcome?

Has anyone tried this themselves? Worth it or waste of effort?

Offline denny

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Re: Yeast Blending
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2023, 11:19:59 am »
My experience is that it is uncontrollable and unpredictable. Personally  I don't like to brew like that.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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Offline Megary

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Re: Yeast Blending
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2023, 11:35:10 am »
I’ve never tried it and certainly defer to Denny’s experience.

But…

This is your hobby and whatever makes it fun for you.  Whatever keeps the fire burning.  Personally, it sounds like a neat little experiment and might be fun to run the mix out for a few batches.  Or not.   :D

Offline denny

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Re: Yeast Blending
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2023, 12:43:40 pm »
I’ve never tried it and certainly defer to Denny’s experience.

But…

This is your hobby and whatever makes it fun for you.  Whatever keeps the fire burning.  Personally, it sounds like a neat little experiment and might be fun to run the mix out for a few batches.  Or not.   :D

The more you repitch, one of 2 things happens....it either gets more unpredictable or one strain takes over. If that's OK with you, then no problem.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline HopDen

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Re: Yeast Blending
« Reply #4 on: July 04, 2023, 12:46:18 pm »
My experience is that it is uncontrollable and unpredictable. Personally  I don't like to brew like that.
I like unpredictable. It’s the unknown that may produce a positive outcome, similar to natural selection itself. I will assume that you have tried blending both types of yeast? Which brings me to your own yeast strain. How did you produce it?


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Offline tommymorris

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Re: Yeast Blending
« Reply #5 on: July 04, 2023, 12:51:07 pm »
White Labs makes an Ale Lager blend.

https://www.whitelabs.com/yeast-single?id=142&style_type=1&type=YEAST

In regards to blending yourself, I think unpredictable maybe tantamount to unreproducible.

Offline denny

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Re: Yeast Blending
« Reply #6 on: July 04, 2023, 01:13:53 pm »
My experience is that it is uncontrollable and unpredictable. Personally  I don't like to brew like that.
I like unpredictable. It’s the unknown that may produce a positive outcome, similar to natural selection itself. I will assume that you have tried blending both types of yeast? Which brings me to your own yeast strain. How did you produce it?


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I have tried ale and lager, 2 lager, 2 American ale and 2 Belgian ale. 

I didn't produce 1450.  I found it online when I started banking yeast 23 years ago and saved it from extinction.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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Offline denny

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Re: Yeast Blending
« Reply #7 on: July 04, 2023, 01:15:09 pm »
White Labs makes an Ale Lager blend.

https://www.whitelabs.com/yeast-single?id=142&style_type=1&type=YEAST

In regards to blending yourself, I think unpredictable maybe tantamount to unreproducible.

That has been my experience. Wyeast, for instance, encourages people to blend, but point out that unpredictability, especially in future generations.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline denny

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Re: Yeast Blending
« Reply #8 on: July 04, 2023, 01:15:50 pm »
My experience is that it is uncontrollable and unpredictable. Personally  I don't like to brew like that.
I like unpredictable. It’s the unknown that may produce a positive outcome, similar to natural selection itself. I will assume that you have tried blending both types of yeast? Which brings me to your own yeast strain. How did you produce it?


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I don't like unpredictable.  I like to control what's happening with my beer.  To each, their own.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline HopDen

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Re: Yeast Blending
« Reply #9 on: July 04, 2023, 01:30:15 pm »
My experience is that it is uncontrollable and unpredictable. Personally  I don't like to brew like that.
I like unpredictable. It’s the unknown that may produce a positive outcome, similar to natural selection itself. I will assume that you have tried blending both types of yeast? Which brings me to your own yeast strain. How did you produce it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't like unpredictable.  I like to control what's happening with my beer.  To each, their own.
I never said I didn’t want control over my brewing. Any serious brewer would and I count myself as a serious brewer. I’m talking about moving outside that paradigm and experimenting with the unknown.


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Offline denny

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Re: Yeast Blending
« Reply #10 on: July 04, 2023, 01:47:16 pm »
My experience is that it is uncontrollable and unpredictable. Personally  I don't like to brew like that.
I like unpredictable. It’s the unknown that may produce a positive outcome, similar to natural selection itself. I will assume that you have tried blending both types of yeast? Which brings me to your own yeast strain. How did you produce it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't like unpredictable.  I like to control what's happening with my beer.  To each, their own.
I never said I didn’t want control over my brewing. Any serious brewer would and I count myself as a serious brewer. I’m talking about moving outside that paradigm and experimenting with the unknown.


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I apologize if that came off as an insult.  It certainly wasn't intended that way. I find your statement kinda contradictory....you say you want control, but you also want to give up control. Again, that's fine. We don't all have to brew the same way.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline HopDen

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Re: Yeast Blending
« Reply #11 on: July 04, 2023, 02:00:05 pm »
My experience is that it is uncontrollable and unpredictable. Personally  I don't like to brew like that.
I like unpredictable. It’s the unknown that may produce a positive outcome, similar to natural selection itself. I will assume that you have tried blending both types of yeast? Which brings me to your own yeast strain. How did you produce it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't like unpredictable.  I like to control what's happening with my beer.  To each, their own.
I never said I didn’t want control over my brewing. Any serious brewer would and I count myself as a serious brewer. I’m talking about moving outside that paradigm and experimenting with the unknown.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I apologize if that came off as an insult.  It certainly wasn't intended that way. I find your statement kinda contradictory....you say you want control, but you also want to give up control. Again, that's fine. We don't all have to brew the same way.
No harm no foul. I believe I was clear of my intent on first post though. Sometimes intentional mistakes produce good results or at least in this case, I will find out.


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Offline Megary

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Re: Yeast Blending
« Reply #12 on: July 04, 2023, 03:01:20 pm »
It sounds like an interesting experiment.  If it keeps the hobby fun, do it.  You don’t need permission or approval from anyone.  I, for one, would love to hear how you make out.

Offline HopDen

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Re: Yeast Blending
« Reply #13 on: July 04, 2023, 03:08:41 pm »
It sounds like an interesting experiment.  If it keeps the hobby fun, do it.  You don’t need permission or approval from anyone.  I, for one, would love to hear how you make out.
Cool! I was hoping for some input from anyone who has tried it and their outcome.


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Offline jeffy

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Re: Yeast Blending
« Reply #14 on: July 04, 2023, 03:31:45 pm »
I have often done split batches with two different yeasts. That's a great way to compare the differences that each one makes. You could do that and then blend them a little at a time to see what you get.
Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)
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