Commercial Brewery Yeasts

[Doc]

I've been looking for information about yeast in bottle conditioned beers.
The only information I've been able to find is here but it is getting dated as it hasn't been maintained.

From another brew forum I've learnt that the yeast from Coopers Vintage Ale is pretty good. I actually have a bottle that I'll try and culture the yeast from it tonight.
However I also have a number of bottles of Chimay and other Belgian beers that I'd like to know if it is worth trying to culture the yeast from.

The main unknown is that a number of breweries stopped having their primary fermentation yeast in the bottles by substituting a bottling strain for secondary fermentation.

Does anyone know of a good accurate resource for yeast strains in bottle conditioned beers?

Cheers,
Doc

 

[PMyers]

Well best of luck with your Belgian yeasts there. The main problem being that the botles have to be fairly fresh in order to cultivate viable yeast from them, and the Belgian beers are typically at least six months old by the time they reach Australia. Add another month or two waiting at the distribution center, and you've got some fairly old yeast.

Secondly, I have recently been informed that most of the Belgian breweries pasteurise their export beers prior to leaving the brewery, and that in itself spells disaster for any attempts at culturing.

Of course don't let that stop you from trying, but don't be too dissapointed. I have tried on several occasions to culture both Chimay yeast and several lambic varieties and met with failure every time.

Cheers,
Pete

 

[GSRman]

i tried to cultivate the coopers vintage yeast.. however i think that the vintage part of it might kill off the yeast..

 

[PMyers]

Furthermore, I now recall reading a description of how Chimay make their beers, and they centrifuge the beer to suck every last shred of particulate out of it, then bottle with a "bottling" yeast. I don't remember if the literature said whether or not the yeasts are the same strain.

Also, it might interest you to know that Orval ferment with one yeast, then they transfer the beer into special "aging" vats and innoculate them with a wild yeast. When they bottle, they re-introduce the original primary fermentation yeast for the carbonation.

Cheers,
Pete

 

[Doc]

It is a weird thing trying to culture yeast from brewery bottle conditioned beers. I guess in a weird way it is an attempt to still have part of a great beer once you have already drunk it. Bit like having your cake and eating it too.

Adding to the dilemma would be what to use the yeast in once it has been cultured. You really need to do a couple of small experimental brews to see how the yeast performs and what the resultant beer has inherited from the yeast.

I should really just stick to the multiple yeast strains I already have. But where would be the fun and learning in that ?

Cheers,
Doc