O’Hanlon’s Brewers Special Reserve..yeast

[daveb]

Well i have tried to revive some yeast from a bottle of O’Hanlon’s Brewers Special Reserve...bottle conditioned strong ale/barley wine....at 12.9% Abv i thought it would be a good yeast to use in my future barley wines, but alas after 2 days in a sterilised bottle half full of fresh wort at 1.020 OG it isnt showing any signs of life..

I have used chimey blue and a few others with excellent results, but it woudl seem either the O’Hanlon’s Brewery bottle condition then pasteurize before sending the bottles to market or its been stored in unfavourable conditions...either way the yeast is dead as a dodo!

Does anyone know much about this yeast used by O’Hanlon’s?...maybe someone knows of a suitable alternative High tolerance ale yeast?....

 

[zgoda]

I can recommend WLP 099, goes like crazy. I've been told it's from Thomas Hardy Ale.

 

[wilsoa1111]

im a fan of the belgian strains
BUT
thats far from the point, you sir appear to have (inadvertantly) stolen my avatar piccy, a sin almost a deep as drinking bud :twisted:
:lol:

 

[daveb]

Cheers guys for the replies...zgoda I MAY LOOK INTO THAT STRAIN THANK YOU!
wilsoa1111 i think you owe me an apology....i joined before you lol!...but it seems you post a lot more than me so maybe that makes it even...anyway two great minds think alike sir...it is a cute avatar isnt it!... :
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2011

 

[daveb]

I take it all back!...there is definite signs of yeast activity today...i can see a build up of actual yeast cells and the first co2 bubbles rising in some small but steady streams...i will continue with this culture and transfer to a 1 gal demijohn with some more wort and a sprinkling of yeast nutrient....Not bad for a 2010 vintage!......shows how adaptable yeast can be!

 

[graysalchemy]

The yeast would most likely be well knackered if it was the same yeast that fermented it. It may well have been reseeded and not the original strain. even if it was then it may well be stressed and may not produce the results you are looking for. I may be wrong but you don't usually keep a beer from a strong beer because of what i have outlined above.

:thumb: :thumb:

 

[daveb]

Well its really starting to bubble now...what ever yeast it is..sitting for 3 years in a bottle at 12.9% Abv hasn't weakened it!....i am wondering now if it is the same yeast that was used to brew the beer or just some conditioning yeast, maybe even a champaign yeast???....I doubt pitching any ale yeast into a 12+%Abv beer would be very successful!...but am not sure to be honest, plus I need to know if it is ale yeast or not now....anyone here work at O'hanlons lol?..

Am going to give them a ring tomorrow and ask them!....For a small 250ml bottle of beer there was quite a lot of yeast in it used to condition it..and the beer itself was only mildly carbonated!..so am guessing the beer was bottled soon after the primary fermentation was over hence the large amount of yeast in the bottle....i get this all the time when i bottle my home brew.....most beer manufactures that use a conditioning yeast woudl not use so much....especially if its 3 yrs in the bottle before hitting retail.... :hmm:

 

[graysalchemy]

one thing to check is how the sample tastes if there are any really off flavours I wouldn't bother using it. :thumb:

 

[daveb]

one thing to check is how the sample tastes if there are any really off flavours I wouldn't bother using it. :thumb:

Smells fresh and fruity...not tatsed the sample yet..
Well i rang O'Hanlons today and spoke to a lovely and knowledgeable lady...

I asked if the conditioning yeast is the same as the primary and she assured me it is....they had a special strain they developed with the help of one of the yeast labs out there...it is based on a lager yeast!....they have increased its ability to withstand high stress due to initial temperature increase during teh very active phase of fermentation.

Its definitely NOT champaign or wine yeast...

Now the thing is i alreday have two cultured yeasts from Chimmay Blue and Duvel bottled conditioned Belgian ales...and have used this combination of both yeasts to brew a few Imperial IPA's and one Barley wine which all tasted lovely and fruity around 9-10% Abv...

I still have a half gallon of this yeast cake in my fridge.....

Am wondering what the difference will be using the O'Hanlons strain of yeast in my upcoming Barley wine...

Some sad news about this O'Hanlons Special reserve 2010 vintage beer...she did tell me it is highly unlikely they will be brewing another batch of thsi beer as its hardly making a profit and since it takes 2 years just to brew its too labour intensive and time consuming just sat around waiting to be sold!.....yes two years brewing!..the last 12 months it sits in a cask slowly fermenting away at lower temps than usual....and the beer is then bottled using the same yeast that comes out of these casks..its a very slow process and even after 3 years the beer is still young...am thinking of purchasing a few more bottles before thsi excellent beer has gone for good.....

The yeast activity in my sterilised wine bottle starter is now EXTREMELY VIGOROUS! and am at the point of preparing my 1 gal demijohn to continue the starter culture....

I may be getting sad in my old age but i love all this fluffing about and messing with yeast cultures from famous breweries....the yeast am sure plays a major role in the taste of O'Hanlons brewers special reserve.....so am hoping it will improve the taste of my home brew! :pray: