[ynotbrusum]

One suggestion is not to reuse this batch of yeast!

[redrocker652002]

I have been watching this to see how it progresses.  Those who asked about the taste, I am curious about that too.  I used 1056 once and had a very similar reaction.  Took a long time to start, and even when it did, it was very mellow.  Only reason I knew it was doing anything was the hydrometer readings I took every couple of days kept going down.  Other than that, the activity was very minimal. 

[Village Taphouse]

One suggestion is not to reuse this batch of yeast!

Tell you what .. it's weird that the maiden voyage was delayed, no question.  But now the yeast is active so it would be even WEIRDER if he used it in a batch #2 and it was delayed again.  That would make me quite brewing and become a turnip farmer.    Just kidding.  That wouldn't happen.  Now that the yeast seems to be chugging along I would absolutely use the 1056 again. 

[Village Taphouse]

I have been watching this to see how it progresses.  Those who asked about the taste, I am curious about that too.  I used 1056 once and had a very similar reaction.  Took a long time to start, and even when it did, it was very mellow.  Only reason I knew it was doing anything was the hydrometer readings I took every couple of days kept going down.  Other than that, the activity was very minimal.

Funny you mention this.  I had some older yeast in my fridge including some Omega Bayern, Omega 113 and Wyeast 1056.  Over the winter I decided to make some ales with the 1056.  I smacked the pack about 3 days prior to wanting to brew.  The pack expanded to a very solid state in about 2 days and I was surprised at delighted .. and it made great beer.  I think I made 7-8 batches with that yeast.  Then I made a started for the Omega 113 and it took 3+ days to show signs of life but the starter was active and I just made batch 3 with it and each batch takes off very quickly.  One thing that (I feel) many brewers don't do anymore is use oxygen.  I use some pure O2 in starters and also in the fermenter when the yeast is pitched.  Not sure if this is the difference or not. 

[Chris C]

I quit re-using my yeast on IPA's because usually the 2nd generation starts giving off flavors that I'm not a fan of.  I don't know if starting with 2 packets might change that?

[Village Taphouse]

I quit re-using my yeast on IPA's because usually the 2nd generation starts giving off flavors that I'm not a fan of.  I don't know if starting with 2 packets might change that?

I don't usually see this.  When I get up to 6, 7, 8 uses on one slurry I feel like I'm rolling the dice but generally batch #8 is as good as any of the rest of the batches.  I feel like if I started to get some off-flavors it might be something I did wrong (mishandle the yeast, slack on my sanitation) or the yeast just started to naturally mutate to something different.  IMO, yeast is by far the most mysterious aspect of brewing and one could say the most important. 

[denny]

I quit re-using my yeast on IPA's because usually the 2nd generation starts giving off flavors that I'm not a fan of.  I don't know if starting with 2 packets might change that?

Depends on the yeast and how you treat it.

[Chris C]

I quit re-using my yeast on IPA's because usually the 2nd generation starts giving off flavors that I'm not a fan of.  I don't know if starting with 2 packets might change that?

I don't usually see this.  When I get up to 6, 7, 8 uses on one slurry I feel like I'm rolling the dice but generally batch #8 is as good as any of the rest of the batches.  I feel like if I started to get some off-flavors it might be something I did wrong (mishandle the yeast, slack on my sanitation) or the yeast just started to naturally mutate to something different.  IMO, yeast is by far the most mysterious aspect of brewing and one could say the most important.

I could probably use more training on how to harvest it correctly.  I just swirl up the cake with a little beer after secondary or kegging, then dump into sanitized mason jars.  Once ready for use, I pour it in with some LME that I boil up and cool with a stir plate for 24 hours before brewing.  Not sure if I'm doing something wrong there.

[denny]

I quit re-using my yeast on IPA's because usually the 2nd generation starts giving off flavors that I'm not a fan of.  I don't know if starting with 2 packets might change that?

I don't usually see this.  When I get up to 6, 7, 8 uses on one slurry I feel like I'm rolling the dice but generally batch #8 is as good as any of the rest of the batches.  I feel like if I started to get some off-flavors it might be something I did wrong (mishandle the yeast, slack on my sanitation) or the yeast just started to naturally mutate to something different.  IMO, yeast is by far the most mysterious aspect of brewing and one could say the most important.

I could probably use more training on how to harvest it correctly.  I just swirl up the cake with a little beer after secondary or kegging, then dump into sanitized mason jars.  Once ready for use, I pour it in with some LME that I boil up and cool with a stir plate for 24 hours before brewing.  Not sure if I'm doing something wrong there.

Generally a starter isn't needed for slurry unless it's really old. It could be that by overpitching your starter (with the slurry), the yeast can't build up glycogen reserves and are starved and in poor condition.

[Village Taphouse]

I get a certain strain up and running (ale or lager) and then I brew consecutive batches with that yeast and the yeast never sits for any longer than about 2-3 weeks.  In that amount of time, the yeast can just be pitched .. no starter required.  I did try to start saving A LOT of strains but eventually I realized that they didn't come back the way I expected so I stopped that.  I leave my harvested yeast in a 1000ml flask with sanitized foil over the top and in the fridge .. and I do the same thing .. I run the beer off into the keg and then I have this same flask which (because I'm a little OCD about yeast) has had boiling water added to it and then it sits in Starsan for 10 minutes or so.  Then swirl the yeast in the fermenter and pour it through a sanitized funnel, into the flask and then covered with sanitized foil until the next batch.  Yes I will have a lot of beer made with the same yeast so I try to mix it up .. smoother, hoppier, pale, amber, darker, different hops, etc.