MJ Liberty Bell yeast

The Homebrew Forum

Help Support The Homebrew Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Dec 27, 2011
Messages
2,960
Reaction score
1,441
Location
Near Malvern
So the background to this post: long-term brewer (9 years), read about how the yeast can change a brew but never quite believed it to be that important, as I've tried a variety of yeasts over the years and never been able to detect much difference.

Just sampled a pale ale I made with MJ Liberty Bell, one of my "house brews" that I make regularly so I know the recipe, and the hops are really coming through like never before. So much that I had to question what hops I used: the brew had Fuggles (bittering) & Bramling Cross (aroma/flavour) but tasted as if there was some Cascade or other "C" hops in there.

Have I just had a light-bulb moment with yeast: can it really do this? Or has the homebrew supplier labelled the hop bag wrong? I love Bramling Cross for it's Brittish hedgerow fruit flavours, I certainly wasn't expecting a hop smack.
 
Definitely the yeast, it's the most important ingredient.
Damn straight - yeast is right up there with water, malt and hops 😜

Re. the OP, yeah, I've used M36 a couple of times, more by accident than any good planning, but with good results. I have it in my mind as English ale yeast but one of the news I made was as Black IPA with, as you say, good hop character.

That said, IIRC, @MyQul has had good success with it in English styles. I've got a couple more packs in the fridge to play with at some point and I certainly plan to give it a whirl in an upcoming bitter.

One word of caution, I tried re-pitching some M36 slurry and ended up having to ditch the entire batch - maybe I just got unlucky but I'd certainly advise researching this a bit more if you're considering reusing.
 
Thanks both, I had another bottle last night, hops really prominent still - very nice but not quite what I was expecting from a recipe I'd done several times before.

I'm not a new brewer, done over 170 brews with a variety of yeasts, so this was a real surprise. Just had a delivery from Malt Miller with another couple of packets which I'll try in another brew. I have to say I am impressed with this yeast, more so than any other I've tried.
 
Thanks both, I had another bottle last night, hops really prominent still - very nice but not quite what I was expecting from a recipe I'd done several times before.

I'm not a new brewer, done over 170 brews with a variety of yeasts, so this was a real surprise. Just had a delivery from Malt Miller with another couple of packets which I'll try in another brew. I have to say I am impressed with this yeast, more so than any other I've tried.

I have some for a bitter I plan to brew in a few days.
It appears to get very good reviews with only one caveat, it has a reputation for carrying on fermenting a bit too much in the bottle.
Not an issue for kegs.
 
Noted, thanks 👍I didn't have an issue either time I've used it (I bottle all my brews) but useful to know in case it ever crops up in the future.
I’ve done about 4 or 5 brews with it and I only had an issue once.
 
Noted, thanks 👍I didn't have an issue either time I've used it (I bottle all my brews) but useful to know in case it ever crops up in the future.
I guess it depends to some extent on how fast you drink it and where it is stored.
 
So the background to this post: long-term brewer (9 years), read about how the yeast can change a brew but never quite believed it to be that important, as I've tried a variety of yeasts over the years and never been able to detect much difference.

Just sampled a pale ale I made with MJ Liberty Bell, one of my "house brews" that I make regularly so I know the recipe, and the hops are really coming through like never before. So much that I had to question what hops I used: the brew had Fuggles (bittering) & Bramling Cross (aroma/flavour) but tasted as if there was some Cascade or other "C" hops in there.

Have I just had a light-bulb moment with yeast: can it really do this? Or has the homebrew supplier labelled the hop bag wrong? I love Bramling Cross for it's Brittish hedgerow fruit flavours, I certainly wasn't expecting a hop smack.


ive got a split batch fermenting at the moment- half with so4 and half liberty bell so will be interesting to test them side by side in a couple of weeks. hop bill is maris otter, a bit of munich some wheat and crystal and the hops are mainly EKGs and challenger with some cascade in the whirlpool. Not dry hopping this batch.
 
I mainly brew hoppy pales and usually use US-05 but added a packet of liberty Bell with my latest order, looking forward to trying it now and seeing if I end up with more hop flavour athumb..
 
ive got a split batch fermenting at the moment- half with so4 and half liberty bell so will be interesting to test them side by side in a couple of weeks. hop bill is maris otter, a bit of munich some wheat and crystal and the hops are mainly EKGs and challenger with some cascade in the whirlpool. Not dry hopping this batch.
Be interesting to see how this goes. Bevie re badges its yeast procured from other suppliers, Liberty Bell is, reputedly, Fermentis SO4.
 
Be interesting to see how this goes. Bevie re badges its yeast procured from other suppliers, Liberty Bell is, reputedly, Fermentis SO4.

Liberty Bell is definitely not S-04.

S-04 is my go-to yeast and I'm very familiar with it, it clears perfectly and clumps well in the bottom of the bottles. Liberty Bell has produced quite a hazy brew and is a lot more mobile in the bottles: if anything, it's more like US-05.
 
I thinks it supposed to be same as wyeast anerican ale ii which Is an anchor strain I believe. Anchor may have derived from whitbread though?
 
Be interesting to see how this goes. Bevie re badges its yeast procured from other suppliers, Liberty Bell is, reputedly, Fermentis SO4.
I've read this many a times, and firmly believe it is complete nonsense. Liberty bell has a lovely aroma when fermenting; S04 hasn't. Liberty bell has a kind of nice mild fruity ester going on, S04 has that S04 bready sour thing. I don't doubt for a moment that liberty bell is repackaged something, but it's not S04.
 
Be interesting to see how this goes. Bevie re badges its yeast procured from other suppliers, Liberty Bell is, reputedly, Fermentis SO4.
Do you have a source for that? I don’t like S04, I find it gives off flavours I don’t like. Liberty Bell is nice and fruity. As @darrellm says there’s a difference in their flocculation too.
 
"Liberty Bell" was called "Burton Union" two or three years ago. Read into that what you like, names for American sourced yeast have a reputation of being a bit fanciful at times.

Must try it though. It's handy having good dried yeast around. Some times you just can't put your hands on suitable liquid yeasts when you want it or else find you've had liquid yeasts hanging about too long.
 
Do you have a source for that? I don’t like S04, I find it gives off flavours I don’t like. Liberty Bell is nice and fruity. As @darrellm says there’s a difference in their flocculation too.
I have found CN-36 an excellent substitute for British ales as well as AIPA's, this has been put up before on this forum in similar discussions. There are a few around.
YEAST MASTER by David M Taylor Perma-Living
When I use SO4 or most ale yeasts I ferment low 17 C ambient, which allows for a couple of degrees of exothermic action.
 
Last edited:
Be interesting to see how this goes. Bevie re badges its yeast procured from other suppliers, Liberty Bell is, reputedly, Fermentis SO4.

ok so kegged today after 3 weeks in primary. However, not sure I’ll be able to draw any conclusions as looks like I may have a stuck fermentation. Liberty bell finished as expected, at 1011. But S04 seems to be stuck at 1020.

I’ve done nearly 50 brews and have never had a stuck fermentation until now. I never even check, I just keg after 3 weeks and take reading from dregs in fermenter. Up to now I’ve mostly used US strains, so that may be why I’ve avoided this before.

got all beer from the S04 as it had dropped clear.( part of problem no doubt) With LB I left a pint or two behind because it was cloudy.

im guessing there might be enough yeast in the keg to finish the job if I put it somewhere ewere warm for a week or so?
 

Latest posts

Back
Top