Fermentation Friday: Dec 2008 - Yeast

I've been out of town for nearly 4 months for military training. During that time I only had limited Internet connectivity. This inconsistent connectivity, coupled with November's poor showing for Fermentation Friday, ended up with me not hosting December's installment of Fermentation Friday. I was ready and rearing to go, but I get it... I was more or less off the grid, and Adam needed to do what he needed to do, so no worries... (You're dead to me! Just kidding!)

So, this month's topic is yeast. Yeast make beer better by farting in the wort... It's true! My only real experience with yeast, other than the dry yeast re-hydration from the various home brew kits I've used, had not so great results...

I tried a smack pack on one batch, and something went terribly terribly wrong... That was the batch I lovingly refer to as the disastrous brew. From the original post...

My second batch of beer was a complete failure. I think I had some handicapped yeast this time. The recipe kit I used (I brain dumped what brand it was, so don't ask...) came with a "slap pack" of yeast. You slap the pack and the yeast activates. You know you're good to go when the packet bloats up. But something may have gone wrong with the yeast. The amount of bubbles produced in the airlock was dismal, but it may have been an issue of sanitation, or something else.

I also used some liquid yeast, you know the type that comes in a vial, in my Oktoberfest inspired Ale, AKA "Franken-Beer"... Also a not so great brew...

By the way, I never posted the photos and update from the night we used the Tap-A-Brew kit for the Franken-Beer... I'll dig that stuff up and post them...

Long story short, I've had NO LUCK with better yeast... The lower quality the yeast, the better the beer for me... Clearly, I still have a lot to learn...

At any rate, this wasn't a great post, but... It was the YEAST I could do...

Merry Christmas!