Bells Two Hearted Ale Yeast

[Blancaster]

I had just purchased some Bells Two Hearted. I had read that all Bells beers are bottle conditioned. I did notice residual yeast in the bottom. I cleaned and sanitized the bottles, poured the beer into glasses and poured the remaining bit with the residual yeast into a yeast starter. Put it on a stir plate for a few days then cold crashed it. I'm pretty sure it worked as I now have a yeast cake in the bottom of the flask. I plan on decanting and making a new starter with that yeast. How many times should I do this to ensure I have good viable yeast? Also how long will the yeast stay good if I refrigerate it?

Brandon


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[Don]

I will usually make 2 or 3 small starters
1st one 1-2 cups (using the bottom 2" of 3 beers)
2nd starter I make @ 1pt starter
Then if It looks like I have at least 2 tablespoons I go head and make a quart starter.
If you have ever used a White Labs tube, that amount or more is what you want to end up with.

There will be more yeast cells packed in the yeast from the White Labs tube, so you will want to end up with 1 1/2 that amount going into your wort.

Should be easy I always use the Bell beer to make all my IPA's.

Good Luck

[Blancaster]

Hey Don thanks for the info! I do have a question for you though.
On your website you state: you don’t want to keep your starter going too long. You don’t want to let your starter turn into beer before you pitch it, 18 to24 hours between decanting works for me...
How do I know when the best time to decant and cold crash is?
From what I have seen with any starters I have done the batch is in what I think is high krausen around the 18-24 hour mark. Should I pull it at that time and cold crash? Or let it go longer? What happens to the yeast if the starter goes long enough to turn into beer?



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[Don]

Brewers do it both ways.

After a while you can look at it and tell when it's reached it's peak, it's not going to hurt to keep it in the starter a little longer but if you are making a lighter beer you can pick up some flavors you might not want in that brew.
Your small starter will grow stronger if you use the right size starter.
With a small amount of yeast like your getting from the drags of the beer you don't want to overpower them with too much sugar, but you still need enough to get the going.

I can't remember which book I read this, I will try to find it for you.
I use the following
Starter #1 1/2 pt @ 1.010 SG, then kick it up to @ 1.025 SG 1 pt. I will usually go up to 1.040 SG 1 qt.
Note: I always use a Stir Plate....

You want the right amount of yeast and starter and equipment.

Once your yeast starts, and with the right amount of O2 and sugar it's basically just a small beer.
Temperature also will make a little difference.

Keep good notes, control your environment, know your ingredients.
If you don't get the results you wanted make changes next time

[sirgiovanni]

Just keep in mind that some breweries use a different yeast for bottling than primary...

[Don]

Yes most do, I've found Bells uses the same yeast in their two hearted ale and bottling.

That's the exception not the rule.