Thomas Hardy's Ale Yeast

[russt1969]

Hi all,
Has anyone cultivated the bottle yeast from Thomas Hardy's before?
If so is the primary strain?

Russ

 

[J_P]

Given it's above 10% ABV and stored for years I'm not sure how viable the yeast will be, I've not heard of anyone successfully culturing it either.

 

[russt1969]

I've emailed the brewery so I'll see what reply I get, if any...
I'll give it a bash as I'm looking to do Gale's Prize Old Ale (10%) and thought this would be a good yeast to use. The bottle I have is from 2007 so I may stand a chance. We'll see what happens :)

 

[Wez]

Isn't there something in a Wheeler book about brewing this beer, going into details about using different yeasts at different stages :hmm:

 

[russt1969]

Think there is, but in those days (1993) the choice of yeast was not very much. He says about using wine yeast. I'll give it a bash and see. Let ya'll know :)

 

[Wez]

Good point

I'll be interested to see how it goes, growing yeast on is something i'm keen to do after reading JP & MEB's posts.

 

[russt1969]

Hi all,
This is after 2 days.

 

[Wez]

Looking great Russt

 

[J_P]

Hats off to you Russ - I'm impressed

 

[russt1969]

Cheers Chaps,
I'll probably ferment 20 odd Ltrs with a "new yeast" and use the Thomas Hardy to ferment the remainding 5 Ltrs. I can handle chucking 5 Ltrs away!! The Thomas has a strange smell to it. Not nasty, but not too nice either!! Well, on 2nd smell it is strange. I dont know!!!! In the middle, nice and nasty but not nasty....... You know where I'm coming from. :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

Keep ya'll informed :) all good fun ain't it :hmm:

 

[russt1969]

Update,
I'm in the middle of doing Gale's Prize Old Ale so I thought it was time to wash the yeast before I pitch it into a gallon of Gale's.

Am I right in saying all you do is rack the beer off the yeast. Which tasted ok. Then add some boiled/cooled water and wait for the trub to settle. Pour off the water into another "jar" and again wait until some more trub has settled. About 20- 30mins. Then what you have left in the fridge is suspended yeast. From which I can make the starter from?

Russ

 

[russt1969]

Hi all ,
If this is the correct way in washing yeast how is the best way to store it for a later date? Sterile vials in the fridge. Can you freeze the stuff.

Russ

 

[crescent city Mike]

My understanding is that the Gales strain is Wyeast 1332 as procured from Hale's Brewery in the Pacific Northwest US

 

[RoomWithABrew]

I have got this strain which seems to be the one, haven't had a chance to use it yet.

Super High Gravity Ale Yeast | White Labs

Super High Gravity Ale Yeast, This yeast can ferment up to 25% alcohol when used correctly.

www.whitelabs.com

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I thought i was in a time warp when i saw the usernames above then I noticed the thread is 13 years old.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

" But it's the pelvic thrust that really drives you insane,
Let's do the Time Warp again! "

source: The Time Warp Lyrics - The Rocky Horror Picture Show Soundtrack Lyrics

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I have got this strain which seems to be the one, haven't had a chance to use it yet.

Super High Gravity Ale Yeast | White Labs

Super High Gravity Ale Yeast, This yeast can ferment up to 25% alcohol when used correctly.

www.whitelabs.com

WLP099 is a funny one, it seems to be a blend of a diastatic beer yeast to break down starch, and a wine-like yeast that can tolerate high alcohol.

Another oddity about Tally Ho is that the primary fermentation was done with ale yeast before being pitched with Carlsberg lager yeast.

Ron Pattinson has posted quite a bit about Hardy.

 

[raymondo]

I have one bottle of Hardy Ale - 25th anniversary tucked away - tempted to a) drink it and b) try to propogate the yeast. Any ideas what strain it might be if viable?

 

[RoomWithABrew]

@raymondo
WLP 099 is suggested by White labs.
Not sure though if with the various different breweries that have owned the rights to TH production if they carried the yeast forward as part of the deal. As @Northern_Brewer states Ron Pattinson has some good info and the original recipe. It's a bit like fullers vintage in that there was variation in the malts etc year on year so not the same beer each time.

Ron doesn't discuss the water profile for the TH so that's a gap in my brew plan and I haven't worked out how to do the partigyle for the AK he mentions made from the same grist.

 

[raymondo]

@raymondo
WLP 099 is suggested by White labs.
Not sure though if with the various different breweries that have owned the rights to TH production if they carried the yeast forward as part of the deal. As @Northern_Brewer states Ron Pattinson has some good info and the original recipe. It's a bit like fullers vintage in that there was variation in the malts etc year on year so not the same beer each time.

Ron doesn't discuss the water profile for the TH so that's a gap in my brew plan and I haven't worked out how to do the partigyle for the AK he mentions made from the same grist.

Should have said - brewed in 1993 - so nearly 30 years old!