I have been re-using the lees of cysers using Wyeast's Cider yeast strain for the past few month, and I think I've hit upon a very delicious mutation. Basically, each batch had more apple juice, and less honey, because I want a culture that can do cysers without the awful sulfur aromas/taste that takes awhile to mellow out. Batch 4 in this process is just now regaining apple flavor, and Batch 5 (had to clean off the floating apple junk before re-pitching) is now less than one month old, dry, and deliciously apple-y.
I know from research here and elsewhere that the likelihood of this being a stable mutation are slim, since I have none of the necessary lab equipment to properly isolate and culture the yeast, but I'll be washing and saving the lees from the this batch to use again in case the mutations go South on me from here. Batch 6 will have more honey added to see if that aforementioned smell/taste is diminished in a shorter period.
Should be fun to actually try with proper equipment and technique to make "house strains" to make your favorite brew over and over again. I also really like the idea of a brewing totem, as per Medsen's mention of it's use in olde times for inoculating a new batch. I'm thinking koa wood.
I know from research here and elsewhere that the likelihood of this being a stable mutation are slim, since I have none of the necessary lab equipment to properly isolate and culture the yeast, but I'll be washing and saving the lees from the this batch to use again in case the mutations go South on me from here. Batch 6 will have more honey added to see if that aforementioned smell/taste is diminished in a shorter period.
Should be fun to actually try with proper equipment and technique to make "house strains" to make your favorite brew over and over again. I also really like the idea of a brewing totem, as per Medsen's mention of it's use in olde times for inoculating a new batch. I'm thinking koa wood.
