[tomsawyer]

I have been using West Yorkshire for the last year for my bitters, its been a very nice yeast to work with.  Recently I obtained and used a Bedford ale yeast.  My problem is that I kept poor notes recently and don't recall which yeast cake is which.  How might one tell the two apart?  I know the West Yorkshire didn't throw a lot of esters, whereas the Bedford is supposed to have a distinctive ester profile which I take to mean is fairly fruity?

[morticaixavier]

looking at the descriptions of each yeast you might be able to get an idea by giving each a little swirl. The yorkshire is described as highly floculent while the beford is medium. I know with the 1968 it flocs into a cement brick at the bottom of the fermenter. So, I'm not saying this will actually work but perhaps you will be able to ID the yorkshire by it's more stable and compact cake. just a though. maybe smell them?

[Kit B]

I'm thinking that smell is probably your best option.

[tschmidlin]

If you still have some of each beer you used the yeasts in last, comparing samples of those to the smell of the yeast cakes might give you an idea.

[tomsawyer]

You are assuming I know which beer I brewed with which yeast.  I brewed a porter with the Bedford, the saved the cake.  I brewed an oatmeal stout a couple weeks later and thats where I don't recall which cake I grabbed.  I will smell the porter and see if I can associate an ester profile with the two cakes.  My impression of some different British ale yeasts is that there isn't a huge difference between the two.  Its just that I just bought the Bedfrd so I would like to give it good evaluation.  I've used the Wyeast West Yorkshire for a good dozen generations, I got it a year ago and have used it regularly since then.  I do a house bitter so it gets a regular workout.