16 replies to this topic

[3rd party JKor]

I'm all set to start up my yeast bank, what strains would you guys pick (say 5 or 6) that you think would cover the widest range of styles and/or cover the highest percentage of your regular brewing?

[chuck_d]

My approach is to collect any strain that I use in general, but specifically to collect strains that are usually unavailable. Any VSS/Platinum strain that I have an idea of using I am going to bank. I'm starting to make it a habit of picking up VSS/Platinums whenever they come out unless they are a blend. You'll see your biggest financial gains made by banking yeast you use frequently, while you'll see your biggest convenience gains by banking rare strains. I'd recommend making at least two slants maybe three for your generation 1 cultures.

[MAZ]

I have no preference between Wyeast or White Labs (or the other yeast banks for that matter), but I'm most familiar with the Wyeast strain #s, so here would be my choices:1056 American Ale (Sierra Nevada)1968 London ESB (Fullers)2206 Bavarian Lager (Weihenstephan 206)2565 Kölsch (Weihenstephan 165)1762 Abbey II (Rochefort)

[Cliff Claven]

WYeast 3711 French Saison is a very forgiving yeast. It ferments on its own at 70df. It is a seasonal/special release.

[Yeasty Boy]

Just bank the yeast you use the most. I like a variety of beers, from Alts and Bavarian lagers to Belgian anythings to English pales and bitters to American ambers and porters. If I had to pick just one yeast for each of the above categories I would be just fine. You can always grab a new strain for a one-off.As it happens, I have two favorite English strains, two Belgians, an alt, a Bavarian and an American micro strain - none of which are commercially available year-round (if at all.) I have a number of others that don't see a lot of use, but I like them well enough to pull them out once a year, prop and re-slant. Once you have the setup, keeping one or ten isn't much different.So, like I said, start with the yeast you use the most. Don't let this turn into a reason to use a yeast other than what you want, "Just because I have it banked." Instead, use the yeast you want and take that as an excuse to put it on a slant. Capice?

[Jimmy James]

I'm all set to start up my yeast bank, what strains would you guys pick (say 5 or 6) that you think would cover the widest range of styles and/or cover the highest percentage of your regular brewing?

It depends I guess on why you are banking yeast in the first place. IMO why bank yeast you can purchase anytime at the LHBS. I would go to some of the public yeast banks out there and get strains in and culture them up to see what I could get going.

[MolBasser]

All of them.If your going to bother to bank yeast I would bank every single strain I came across.Just me.Oh, and for whatever reason I prefer white labs 001 over 1056. However I will say (and I said it before I got hired) that this is the most versatile yeast out there as it lets the ingredients through.BrewBasser

[kbhale]

WLP001 California Ale Yeast 1084 Irish Ale Yeast. WLP029 German Ale/Kölsch Yeast. WLP500 Trappist Ale. 2206 Bavarian Lager Yeast 3463 Forbidden Fruit Yeast. 1056 American Ale Yeast.

[ncbeerbrewer]

I have to agree with the suggestions of just banking yeast strains that are special releases or limited in release. There are plenty of yeasts and many great great strains Wyeast and White Labs too but: Why slant and bank something like 1056 or any other year round yeast WLP001 too. Why bother when you go to your LHBS and get them whenever you want. If it were me I would just bank the special strains and keep on otherwise with the rest of the readily available yeasts.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I'm all set to start up my yeast bank, what strains would you guys pick (say 5 or 6) that you think would cover the widest range of styles and/or cover the highest percentage of your regular brewing?

What styles do you brew the most? I think this should help you pick the first few strains. As brewbasser said I think one of the best things to do is save every one you come across. Pick a beer to brew - if you don't have an appropriate yeast, buy the right yeast and save some of it for a later brew as well.

[3rd party JKor]

1056 American Ale (Sierra Nevada)1968 London ESB (Fullers)2206 Bavarian Lager (Weihenstephan 206)2565 Kölsch (Weihenstephan 165)1762 Abbey II (Rochefort)

Good start...

Just bank the yeast you use the most. I like a variety of beers, from Alts and Bavarian lagers to Belgian anythings to English pales and bitters to American ambers and porters. If I had to pick just one yeast for each of the above categories I would be just fine. You can always grab a new strain for a one-off.As it happens, I have two favorite English strains, two Belgians, an alt, a Bavarian and an American micro strain - none of which are commercially available year-round (if at all.) I have a number of others that don't see a lot of use, but I like them well enough to pull them out once a year, prop and re-slant. Once you have the setup, keeping one or ten isn't much different.So, like I said, start with the yeast you use the most. Don't let this turn into a reason to use a yeast other than what you want, "Just because I have it banked." Instead, use the yeast you want and take that as an excuse to put it on a slant. Capice?

I think I'm leaning towards keeping the ones I use the most, for the savings, and maybe a few seasonals. Then I'll just buy the odd ones if I'm doing a recipe that requires them.

All of them.If your going to bother to bank yeast I would bank every single strain I came across.

I am considering this.

WLP001 California Ale Yeast 1084 Irish Ale Yeast. WLP029 German Ale/Kölsch Yeast. WLP500 Trappist Ale. 2206 Bavarian Lager Yeast 3463 Forbidden Fruit Yeast. 1056 American Ale Yeast.

I like that list.

I have to agree with the suggestions of just banking yeast strains that are special releases or limited in release. There are plenty of yeasts and many great great strains Wyeast and White Labs too but: Why slant and bank something like 1056 or any other year round yeast WLP001 too. Why bother when you go to your LHBS and get them whenever you want. If it were me I would just bank the special strains and keep on otherwise with the rest of the readily available yeasts.

The reason to bank the year round strains is to save money.

[ncbeerbrewer]

I understand what you mean JKoravos. Where did you get your supplies to start doing this stuff. Chuck D I guess that question pertains to you as well if you don't mind. I have been tossing around this idea as well and just wanna get a ballpark $$ of what it might cost and what you guys did to get your set ups. Slant away!!

[3rd party JKor]

I got most of my "lab" stuff at Avogadro's Lab Supply on eBay (inoculation loop, alcohol lamp, etc.). I got the vials at work, but Discount Vials is where most people get them. The big expense is the pressure canner for sterilization. I got it for $85 from Amazon (Presto 23-qt.). The nice thing about the canner is that it's multi-functional, I've been wanting to do some food canning and wort canning, so I have that going for me...Canner included, I think I spent less than $125.

[Yeasty Boy]

Banking saves quite a bit of money if you let it. Even if it's 1056.(By the way, my prob with this yeast is it lets all the ingredients through... except for the yeast! Give me some ester, nut, spice....)

[chuck_d]

There are plenty of yeasts and many great great strains Wyeast and White Labs too but: Why slant and bank something like 1056 or any other year round yeast WLP001 too. Why bother when you go to your LHBS and get them whenever you want.

Not everyone has an LHBS, I don't. If I am completely stocked except for yeast it will cost $15 for just one vial. For people that do have an LHBS it still saves money it's just not as drastic.

[chuck_d]

I understand what you mean JKoravos. Where did you get your supplies to start doing this stuff. Chuck D I guess that question pertains to you as well if you don't mind. I have been tossing around this idea as well and just wanna get a ballpark $$ of what it might cost and what you guys did to get your set ups. Slant away!!

www.thesciencefair.com <- 50, 100, 250, 500, 1000 mL flaskswww.discountvials.com <- test tubesBetween those two, ebay, MB and NB I was able to minimize my costs.I got my mason jars for canning wort on eBay. Same with the pressure canner to serve as my autoclave.

Edited by chuck_d, 09 May 2009 - 10:40 AM.