Fun with Yeast

So I finally got a magnetic stir plate.  After years of not being able to justify spending the 50 bucks for some reason.  My first impression is that it seems to help my process, but it is also just plain freaking cool.  I feel like some kind of mad scientist with it sitting on my work bench next to me as I type this.  Thankfully, for you all, I am only using my mad scientist powers for good. The pursuit of better beer!

 

So there is the first usage.  I used it to bring back to life a smack pack of yeast I'd had in the fridge since October...  Which is waaaay to long.  For the uninitiated, Brewing yeast does not hold up very long in a dormant state.  At least not that long, without some special considerations taken into account.  So I was impressed, and used the results in a cherry chocolate porter I'm concocting.  

Round 2:

And here we are with an English Ale Yeast from Wyeast.  I've got it in a 1.020 gravity starter, which is basically, 800ml of filtered water, and two table spoons of wild local honey.  The plan is to create a "Wild Honey Oat" brew.  Which will not only be me trying to pass a braggot off as a beer, but it's my second attempt at gluten free brewing.  Maybe this one won't taste like a glass of molasses.  Stay tuned for future awesomeness.