Reactivating Coopers Commercial Ale Yeast

[GRK]

I have found if you wait to long before transferring, because I am not using an air lock system as such, the flavours have become worse

[Otto Von Blotto]

I'm not using an airlock system either, simply screw the lid on with a piece of gaffa tape over the airlock hole and back it off a touch to allow the gas to escape - perhaps it's the pin pricks that are the problem, they aren't necessary with glad wrap since it's not an airtight seal to begin with.

 

Either that or there's something else in your process that is contributing to off flavours like that. Most of us leave our beer in the fermenter for 2-3 weeks as it gives the yeast a chance to clean up after itself.

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

GRK.. The CCA yeast is a slow ale yeast. In my experience compared with other ale yeasts @ what I consider good ale temps (18c) it takes significantly longer to finish than US05, Nottingham or the kit yeast. The krausen will drop out ~ day 5 and 1025ish and from there it will chug along at 2 points per day till the end. Saying this I think flavour wise it is an awesome yeast and you wont be disappointed. Just it takes a bloody long time even when using a starter size many would consider overpitching..

 

I am on my 6th batch with CCA yeast.

 

1. 1.046 OG 22L batch @ ambient ~ 22c - 1L Starter took 19 days including 5 days clean up

2. 1.048 OG 21L batch @ 20c Temp Controlled - 1L Starter took 18 Days including 4 days cleanup

3. 1.049 OG 21L batch @ 18c Temp Controlled - 1L starter took 27 Days including 7 days cleanup

4. 1.049 OG 21L batch @ 18c Temp Controlled - 2L starter took 17 Days including 5 days cleanup

5. 1.048 OG 21L batch @ 18c Temp Controlled - 2L starter took 16 Days including 5 days cleanup

6. 1.049 OG 21L batch @ 18c Temp Controlled - 2.5L starter @ 1020 7 Days in so expect another 2 points per day so will finish Day 11 and with a 5 day cleanup 16 Days..

 

Compare this to an IPA I put down on the same day as batch 6 using US-05. 1048 OG 21L @18 with a 1L starter which is 1014 so 1 day away from FG. Half the size starter and will finish 3 days before the CCA one.

 

For a 70L batch I would be going at least a 6L starter!!! In bottles the whole carton!!

[Beerlust]

Hi Greeny.

GRK.. The CCA yeast is a slow ale yeast. In my experience compared with other ale yeasts @ what I consider good ale temps (18c) it takes significantly longer to finish than US05' date=' Nottingham or the kit yeast.[/quote']

I've brewed with the CCA yeast many times over the last 4-5 years & experience different fermentation experiences to your good self when using this yeast, mainly because I use it differently.

 

I primarily ferment the CCA yeast from 20-24°C. I primarily use the other two yeasts you mentioned for cleaner ferments at & around the 18°C mark. I'm almost convinced the CCA yeast strain is of British origins & in my limited time brewing, have found the British strains I've used operate better at temperatures above 18°C & closer to 20°C.

 

At 20°C I've found the CCA yeast produces barely a hint of esters & ferments fast & strong. I've had 1.048 OG brews ferment out inside 3 days at & above this temperature.

 

I always use 6 stubbies worth of Coopers Pale Ale decanted yeast for the re-activation process & pitch them while active.

 

It's a 'horses for courses' thing in relation to when I use the CCA strain against using other cleaner strains, & I always maximise the amount of yeast pitched from those stubbies by extracting every visible amount of yeast from them.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

Lusty.

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

 

I primarily ferment the CCA yeast from 20-24°C. I primarily use the other two yeasts you mentioned for cleaner ferments at & around the 18°C mark. I'm almost convinced the CCA yeast strain is of British origins & in my limited time brewing' date=' have found the British strains I've used operate better at temperatures above 18°C & closer to 20°C.

 

[/size']

 

Hey Lusty,

 

Wouldn't disagree with you that it comes from British origins. Whatever the yeast is I don't think it is a commercial Fermentis or Danstar yeast as I have tried all the ale ones and none act the same as the CCA yeast.

 

Don't have it in my notes what the yeast did when I fermented warmer and I think both of those batches were slightly underpitched anyway. But from memory it got lower in the SG before the krausen dropped and it started its chug away. Every batch has been good from a tasting point of view which is why I keep going back to it. For a less hoppier easy drinking pale ale I think its the best of all the yeasts I have tried. I think next time I will do a split batch and go one at 18c and the other 20 ish to see the differences. When I do that I will report back.

 

Have a good day mate.

 

Greeny

[GRK]

Thanks guys I will need a few mates and a carton of pale ale. But next brew I intend to give it a go.

Thanks again

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

Thanks guys I will need a few mates and a carton of pale ale. But next brew I intend to give it a go.

Thanks again

 

Sounds like a plan mate. If your familiar with how do do starters you could also do 1 six pack into a small vessel as PB2 says ",

- one sanitised vessel (approx 1 litre) may be used rather than separate bottles

 

Once that takes off pitch it into a larger clean and sanitised vessel 4L with 3L of starter wort (300gm Dry Malt with 3L of water) and then let that take off and you would have a 4L starter which if your going to ferment @ the 20c mark would probably be enough to do the 70L

[jeremy-o]

So it looks like I've kickstarted what will eventually be a viable stock of the CCA yeast. I used the last dregs from two longnecks, started them separately in 100ml DME solutions, then pitched them both together into a one litre Erlenmeyer style flask. It's looking very healthy. My plan is to cold crash it once it's finished, decant off the beer, then transfer the yeast into a smaller sterilised container for storage. When it gets a bit warmer I'll get it going again with a second starter and brew a stout

[Otto Von Blotto]

Just decant off as much as you need to leave enough behind to fill the smaller container. Stir or shake the thing up to mix the yeast back in then tip the lot into the jar or whatever. It won't matter too much if the yeast is stored under 'beer' if you use it again within a reasonable timeframe. My harvested yeast is done this way as I simply mix the hell out of the starter and tip some into a jar. Never had any issues.

[jeremy-o]

That's the plan! I recently got all my stored yeast organised in nice little uniform containers - with this one plus the WLP838 I'm going to get ready for the next batch, I'll have 3 lager and 2 ale yeasts ready to roll for any given brew. Good to have options, but even better to not have to pay...

[Otto Von Blotto]

Agreed with the not paying bit, that's mainly why I harvest and re-use. I only keep 3 strains on hand though, because otherwise they don't get used often enough and end up thrown out. At the moment they get used about once every couple of months each.

[ImaginativeName]

Is it possible to keep reactivating the yeast from our own brew?

[PB2]

Sure is!

 

I have my own variant of Coopers Commercial Ale yeast, which I've been using since 2000. I also run a Belgian Witbier (up to brew #15), Saison and Belgian Trappist.

 

Usually, reactivate from a bottle with more yeast slurry carried over from the FV than others. Or, if a "yeasty" bottle is not available, I reactivate from two 750ml bottles.

 

Because these yeast have not been treated as well as Coopers Commercial Yeast, I use Malt Extract in my starters instead of sugar. Usually 50g - 80g of Light Dry Malt mixed in water to a volume of 1 litre.

[Mark D Pirate]

Paul is you own variant of CCA acting any differently than the base strain ?

my own culture may have a wild yeast infection or something stupid but charges through a 24 L batch at 17 C in a few days with a temp ramp up day 4-5 to ensure a low finish .

Still getting the esters and the flavour is getting closer but still not quite right .

Did get the banana nose this time around ....when i get it perfect shall i send a bottle along with a resume ?

[PB2]

Over the years' date=' it has proved to be more hardy than our commercial strain (both with alcohol tolerance and longevity), which I attribute to the consistent absence of paternal support and neglect (it was the vehicle I drove, with too much over-steer, around the yeast learning curve).

 

The result is all about what doesn't kill you makes you stronger!

 

Bit chuffed because it carries the code “PB2” in our yeast bank and it has a slightly different genome sequence to our commercial yeast.

 

Serendipity is king!![/quote']

[Mark D Pirate]

Might be time to cultivate a fresh culture then , mine has thrown more esters than expected in latest attempt ....good excuse to buy more longnecks

[ImaginativeName]

Sure is!

 

I have my own variant of Coopers Commercial Ale yeast' date=' which I've been using since 2000. I also run a Belgian Witbier (up to brew #15), Saison and Belgian Trappist.

 

Usually, reactivate from a bottle with more yeast slurry carried over from the FV than others. Or, if a "yeasty" bottle is not available, I reactivate from two 750ml bottles. [img']smile[/img]

 

Because these yeast have not been treated as well as Coopers Commercial Yeast, I use Malt Extract in my starters instead of sugar. Usually 50g - 80g of Light Dry Malt mixed in water to a volume of 1 litre.

 

Wow.

 

Great info, thanks very much.

[ImaginativeName]

Might be time to cultivate a fresh culture then ' date=' mine has thrown more esters than expected in latest attempt ....good excuse to buy more longnecks [/quote']

 

Agreed.

 

Spent the weekend with some good friends celebrating a 40th, I drank about 100 schooners, all in the name of research of course.

 

Sometimes we must suffer for the sake of art.

[Lowie]

Hi would this method work for other drinks? Specifically I was wondering if it'd be possible reculture yeast from the Bundaberg Ginger Beer long necks. I noticed the long necks seem to have yeast sediment. I'm pretty sure what I saw was yeast rather than just ginger pieces that had settled but I might of been mistaken. Though even if it is yeast I'm not sure if the PH in the ginger beer would leave any healthy yeast as Bundaberg adds citric acid to the drink after fermentation. Cheers in advance!

[ImaginativeName]

Hi would this method work for other drinks? Specifically I was wondering if it'd be possible reculture yeast from the Bundaberg Ginger Beer long necks. I noticed the long necks seem to have yeast sediment. I'm pretty sure what I saw was yeast rather than just ginger pieces that had settled but I might of been mistaken. Though even if it is yeast I'm not sure if the PH in the ginger beer would leave any healthy yeast as Bundaberg adds citric acid to the drink after fermentation. Cheers in advance!

 

I'm only a novice, but I imagine any yeast in soft drink would be long dead before it's loaded onto the trucks, otherwise it would continue fermenting whatever sugar is in the bottle, into alcohol.

[Marvin]

Any views on if salvaging yeast from 6 bottles gives advantage over 4?

It will be going into a 1.7kg can + 1.5kg malt can brew.

Best after date is (mild ale) 30 June so 3 months past, how old is too old?

I plan to reuse the slurry after the brew, probably twice.

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

Any views on if salvaging yeast from 6 bottles gives advantage over 4?

It will be going into a 1.7kg can + 1.5kg malt can brew.

Best after date is (mild ale) 30 June so 3 months past' date=' how old is too old?

I plan to reuse the slurry after the brew, probably twice.[/quote']

 

Advantage of 6 over 4 is more yeast mate :-). For a good yeast pitch I would do the 6.

 

My current culture in the fridge i got from a couple of long necks and stepped it up but in theory you could start from 1 beer.

 

3 months past best after is fine. Especially the mild ale.

[ImaginativeName]

Do 6.

 

I actually used 4 long necks for my last one, then stepped it up to a 2L starter, worked a treat.

 

Cheers

 

JP

[Marvin]

Thanks for the replies, six it is.

[smokyjoe]

Planning on doing this over the weekend to make the Fruit Salad ale. I've got a 6 pack of Pale Ale that's been sitting in the fridge for a week.

 

Question: Is there any way to do this by opening and drinking one beer at a time (over several hours)? Maybe put the stubby with the dregs in the fridge with glad-wrap over the top until I've done 6? Or keep opening and adding to the 1.25l PET bottle as I drink more?

 

I'm morally against decanting into a jug and drinking half-flat beer, but if I have to do it (and drink quickly) then so be it.