Beer Forum

I had a Sam Adams White Ale (Witbier) and tried to get the yeast going again after I poured it. Is this retarded? I guess they probably pasteurize this, huh? Anyone else tried this? Can I steal from my buddies homebrew, or even my own?


jpskin

You may be ratarded, but "harvesting" yeast is not. It's not stealing unless you are swiping cultures on a tour without permission. If they don't want you to have it they should filter it.

Go to http://www.howtobrew.com and check out the section on yeast. It has some good methods for collecting from bottles. There is other info on the web too, and even some in this forum if you can find it.
Basically, you just want to get as much of the beer off the yeast at the bottom and then our in some Distilled water, swirl it up and pour into a sanitized glass. After a few minutes decant the cloudy water (yeast) into another somtainer and let the yeast settle to the bottom (a couple hours). Now decant the water off of the yeast and pour some wort onto it (1/4 cup or less). Cover with foil or plastic wrap and leave it for 24 to 48hrs. Repeat a couple of times and pretty soon you'll have enough to make a decent starter.

Keep in mind though that SOME breweries will filter out the yeast used in fermentation and add another strain for bottling.

You can, but you have to ask yourself if it is actually worth it.

With so many strains of yeast available these days, there is no real need to culture from bottles. And what you get from a bottle may not be as healthy or pure as you want it. If you want to save money, learn about propagating and culturing yeast and one vial or smack pack can last you for about 5 batches.

When I started brewing I was also excited about the idea of harvesting yeast from bottles. But once I knew enough to actually do it, I realized that it would not make my beer better and I stopped persuing this route.

I would coulture from my own bottles, but only if they are bottled with Kraeusen and not to old. In this case healthy yeast had been added at bottling time.


Kai

Thanks guys! I appreciate the advice and instructions. I am interested in culturing my yeast. Not to save money, but just to do it. The idea intreagues me.

Jpskin

I am interested in culturing my yeast. Not to save money, but just to do it. The idea intreagues me.

I feel the same about sticking my schwanz into a light socket but I don't, it's called willpower.

BUB

If you really want to do this, take from sources where you know you cant get their yeast commerically. I do it all the time, and have a good farm going right now. My technique is here:

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/phpBB2 ... ght=#11827