Conan yeast.  The "secret" ingredient behind Heady Topper - one of the most highly regarded beers in America.  The yeast has a unique, bready flavor profile, and is often described as having a honey-like finish.  Many homebrewers view this yeast as a Holy Grail type strain for IPAs, pale ales, and other hop forward beers.

The Conan yeast strain, commercially known as ECY29 (North East Ale), also has a deserved reputation as being difficult to obtain.  East Coast Yeast (manufacturer of the strain) does not yet have the manufacturing capabilities of the big boys (i.e. White Labs or Wyeast), and as a result, this popular yeast strain often sells out quickly. 

So, with that being said... how would you like a fresh vial of Conan yeast for the low, low price of *free*? 

Today, I'd like to announce the first ever Homebrew Dad yeast giveaway.  I have obtained a fresh container of ECY29 (special thanks to /u/GirkinFirker from reddit!), and will be spinning up a large starter for the sole purpose of sharing the love, so to speak.  Of course, odds are that there's no way I'll be able to harvest enough yeast to meet all of the potential demand from folks who'd like a free portion of a hard to find yeast. 

So, I'd like to make this interesting.  To be considered for a vial, please submit an idea for the beer that you would like to brew with the yeast.  I'll judge the ideas off of originality and general interest.  If there are a *lot* of submissions, I may reach out to the community for some input - i.e. I'll narrow it down to some worthy finalists, then perhaps solicit voting for winner(s). 

Please send your single best idea - in other words, let's limit this to one submission per person.  I want to give everyone a fair shot.

Also, I'd like to add one final caveat - if you are chosen as a winner, you agree to check back and let me know what you brewed with the yeast, how it turned out, etc.  I absolutely intend on publishing the winning recipe(s) here on the site (full credit to the brewer, of course). 

So, if you're interested, please head over to the contest entry page.  Drop me a message with your proposed recipe idea, and get entered in the contest today!

Edit: if you are outside of the continental United States, I am happy to accept your entry, provided that it is legal to ship yeast to you (aka contest is void where prohibited).  However, please understand that yeast shipped outside of North America may well not be viable upon receipt.  Furthermore, overseas winners will be asked to help defray the drastically increased costs of shipping.   Thanks!

Permalink
Tags for this post: conan, yeast, ecy29, contest, giveaway, beer, homebrew

Please support BrewUnited by using our Amazon affiliate link when doing any shopping there - be it for homebrewing or for your regular shopping!

13 Comments

---

Farmhouse ale/ipa

posted by Daniel Rowe on 7/24/2014 at 12:21:04 PM

---

A Heady Topper clone named Betty Bopper

posted by Anthony Caruso on 7/24/2014 at 12:37:19 PM

---

Cascadian Dark Ale

posted by Brett on 7/24/2014 at 12:47:47 PM

---

Hey guys, remember! A comment here won't win you any yeast. You have to fill out the entry form - link is in the article text.

posted by homebrewadad on 1/10/2015 at 10:11:18 PM

---

This strain is pretty readily available from The Yeast Bay. Just sayin...

posted by bfinn on 7/24/2014 at 01:12:12 PM

---

You are 100% correct, bfinn.

I don't think that the Yeast Bay gives it away, though, so I'm guessing the post will still appeal to some.

posted by homebrewadad on 1/10/2015 at 10:11:18 PM

---

Truthfully, I am going to brew the heady clone Because I have never had it, can not get it here in Texas. If I win I will inter this beer into Dixie Cup, a big competition here in Texas. See recipe below:
Batch Size: 11.5 gallons
Original Gravity: 1.072
Final Gravity: 1.010
IBU: 100+
SRM: 6
ABV: 8%
Yeast: WLP001 � 3 vials
Starter: 1.5L

GRAIN BILL
26 lbs. Thomas Fawcett Pearl Malt
8 oz. Vienna malt
1 lb. sucrose
HOPS
Hopshot- Boil 75.0 min
2 oz. Simcoe (10 min.)
2 oz. Apollo (5 min.)

2 oz. Cascade (knockout)
2 oz. Apollo (knockout)
2 oz. Simcoe (knockout)

2 oz. Centennial (30 min. into hopstand)
2 oz. Simcoe (30 min. into hopstand)
2 oz. Columbus (30 min. into hopstand)

2 oz. Chinook (primary dry hop)
2 oz. Simcoe (primary dry hop)

3 oz. Centennial (secondary dry hop)
2 oz. Simcoe (secondary dry hop)




Mash at 150F for 60 minutes. Boil for 75 minutes, adding 1.5 oz. Simcoe @ 30 min.
After knockout add 1 oz. each Cascade, Apollo, and Simcoe. Whirlpool with pump or by stirring for a minute and letting it spin down and settle.
After 30 minutes, reduce wort temperature to 170F and add 1 oz. each Centennial, Simcoe, and Columbus. Whirlpool again. After 15 more minutes begin final cooling process.

Pitch healthy dose of yeast @ 65F.
Split dry hop in half and add half on day 14 and day 21. Carb on day 25.


posted by MILES on 7/24/2014 at 01:40:29 PM

---

Would like to do a simple APA with 2-row and a little bit of C40/Caravienne along with small amount of nugget for bittering. Some citra @ 5. Few oz of Mosiac at flameout. Possible dry hop. Would do a double batch and compare with SO5. I'm curious if it's worth going "the extra mile" for something like Conan vs just an easy to snag dry pack of good ole Chico yeast. Also very interested to see the different flavor profiles of these two yeasts. East coast vs West ...kind of

posted by Shaun on 7/25/2014 at 01:25:00 AM

---

I'd like to do some split batch experiments with this yeast. I've been trying to purchase it but they're always out. I'd also be willing to grow some up and continue to share it forward.

posted by John on 7/25/2014 at 09:09:17 AM

---

How long are you planning on running this contest?

posted by tcxryno on 7/27/2014 at 08:07:10 AM

---

I have been brewing a lot of hop forward saisons using sorachi ace and citra. I would like to see what a traditionally IPA only yeast would bring to the recipes I have been using 3711 for.

posted by Zach on 7/31/2014 at 12:28:55 PM

---

Bready with a honey like finish....let's try something different with it. Sounds like a Dunkel or Marzen might be a good fit but fitting one into my brew schedule might be tough. If you ship my the conan yeast, I'll brew my RIS with it and then submit it to the Reddit homebrew contest.

posted by Josh Reed on 7/31/2014 at 12:29:43 PM

---

Give it to me olan!

posted by rayfound on 7/31/2014 at 01:10:22 PM

---