Coopers Yeast Reculturing Using No Malt

[juzz1981]

Hi Guys,

Just found this article from Coopers, they are saying that you can reculture their yeast without using malt and just using dextrose/sugar.

I have always used LDME as I thought it was a must for nutrients for cell reproduction???

Here is the article..



Coopers, encourage home brewers to use the yeast from naturally conditioned Coopers ales. There are numerous documented techniques, with varying levels of complexity, for re-activating the yeast in naturally conditioned beer. The method described below may leave some readers, experienced in growing yeast cultures, aghast. “What! No stir plate, no malt, no alcohol swabs, no nutrient, no way! However, for Coopers yeast, it works...

Method
1. Buy a six pack of Coopers Original Pale Ale and place upright in the fridge for about a week for the yeast to settle.
2. Mix about 600ml of boiling water and 4 tablespoons of dextrose/sugar in a pyrex jug, cover with cling-wrap and leave to cool in the fridge for about 30mins.
3. Open 4 bottles and decant the beer into a jug, leaving behind the yeast sediment - about a couple of centimetres.
4. Pour the sugared water equally into each bottle, cover with cling-wrap and secure with a rubber band.
5. Shake the bottles then place them in a dark spot at a temperature in the mid 20’s.
6. Give the bottles a shake in the morning and at night to keep the yeast in suspension.
7. After around 2 to 3 days the yeast should become active and begin forming a head.
8. Pitch the active yeast into a brew immediately or store in the fridge for about a week. Just remember to pull it out of the fridge to warm for couple of hours prior to pitching.

Some additional points to keep in mind;
- start with more yeast by using all 6 bottles,
- buy beer with the freshest yeast (ie. latest “Best After” date),
- lower alcohol content is better (mild ale or pale ale),
- it’s okay to hold the culture at slightly higher temps to promote a quicker reactivation,
- one sanitised vessel (approx 1 litre) may be used rather than separate bottles,
- make sure the culture smells okay before pitching,
- buy another 6 pack for each culture and
- don’t forget to drink the decanted beer

 

[Acasta]

Theres been a fair bit of discussion on coopers site, and around. I think that, while it is possible to recultre yeast with just dextrose, it benefits to use malt as the yeast can get used to breaking down the simple sugars in dextrose and then when you add it to malt (wort) it may have a hard time. Just something i read.

 

[mwd]

I recommend drinking 6 longnecks bigger buzz more yeast and good bottles for later use.

BTW I did use some dme and a bit of dex and recultured yeast from 2 bottles of Vintage 2010 with no problems whatsoever. I prefer the vintage to the wishy washy pale ale.

 

[MarkBastard]

If it's really that easy then I may even dry it myself. Hell even if the same exact process can be done but with LDME.

Not sure if I'm a big fan of Coopers yeast though.

 

[JestersDarts]

I dont want to be a skeptic, but is this from the same people that offer the brewing "instructions" under a lid of malt extract?

Is it a marketing effort to sell more 6 packs?

I have no doubt that this works to an extent, but really, if I was to reculture, I'm sure this isnt the best way for the best result.

I have aheard an analogy of this from an experienced brewer, along the lines of this:
Giving the yeasties white sugar to feast on and grow is like sending children to a candy shop right before a good dinner. They'll go crazy in the candy shop, munching on absolutely everything and having a real good time, but when you sit them down to the real decent meal, they're sick, tired, and throwing off undesired smells.

I'm happy to be shown otherwise, though.

 

[Acasta]

I dont want to be a skeptic, but is this from the same people that offer the brewing "instructions" under a lid of malt extract?

Is it a marketing effort to sell more 6 packs?

I have no doubt that this works to an extent, but really, if I was to reculture, I'm sure this isnt the best way for the best result.

I have aheard an analogy of this from an experienced brewer, along the lines of this:
Giving the yeasties white sugar to feast on and grow is like sending children to a candy shop right before a good dinner. They'll go crazy in the candy shop, munching on absolutely everything and having a real good time, but when you sit them down to the real decent meal, they're sick, tired, and throwing off undesired smells.

I'm happy to be shown otherwise, though.

It works, and its simple. Thats the reason its on the coopers forum. Your analogy is basically what i said.

 

[ekul]

Is it really that much easier than using ldme extract though? You'd still need to keep it sanitary and do all the other things that you have to do when reculturing yeast...

 

[JestersDarts]

It works, and its simple. Thats the reason its on the coopers forum. Your analogy is basically what i said.

yeah I know - that's the analogy!

I just liked how it was related to the kids in a candy store getting sick after eating too much sugar, then thats all they want to eat properly.

on another note - letting your brew spontaneously ferment with wild yeast works, and is pretty simple I suppose. Will it produce the best result? Depends on what you're after.

I think it is worth noting that it may not nessecerily be the best way. Thats what i'm trying to do with my brewing.

 

[juzz1981]

Think I might just stick to using LDME/LME, worked for me so far... was just curious to see what other brewers thought of the no malt idea.

 

[Brewme]

Is there any advantage using this method to get yeast for a brew over just buying a sachet of Coopers yeast?

Seems a lot more costly.

Cheers

 

[mwd]

Is there any advantage using this method to get yeast for a brew over just buying a sachet of Coopers yeast?

Seems a lot more costly.

Cheers

The sachet Coopers yeasts are a different strain to the one they use in the commercial beers. If you are trying to get a near clone of one of Coopers it makes more sense to use the same yeast.

As for more costly sure but you do get to drink the beer from the bottles you are harvesting.
Don't know about you but I brew and still spend lots of money trying out lots of different commercial brands of beer.

 

[QldKev]

I would use DME and make up 2L worth to grow the yeast up in, and use all 6 stubbies of yeast.

Use a good half the yeast for your fermentor, and pour the rest into sanatized test tubes and store in the fridge. Then you have heaps of little starters to grow up for next time without needing to buy more bottles.

QldKev

 

[Brewme]

The sachet Coopers yeasts are a different strain to the one they use in the commercial beers. If you are trying to get a near clone of one of Coopers it makes more sense to use the same yeast.

As for more costly sure but you do get to drink the beer from the bottles you are harvesting.
Don't know about you but I brew and still spend lots of money trying out lots of different commercial brands of beer.

Hi,

Thanks for the info.

Just for curiosity I'll contact Coopers and suss out the yeasts they use in their commercial beer. My understanding was Coopers supplied premium yeasts to the home brewer as they use in their commercial beer.

Being a reputable brewery, I'm sure they wouldn't supply crap yeast to the home brewer.....or would they?

Interesting thought.

Cheers

 

[np1962]

Hi,

Thanks for the info.

Just for curiosity I'll contact Coopers and suss out the yeasts they use in their commercial beer. My understanding was Coopers supplied premium yeasts to the home brewer as they use in their commercial beer.

Being a reputable brewery, I'm sure they wouldn't supply crap yeast to the home brewer.....or would they?

Interesting thought.

Cheers

Not 'crap' yeast but definitely different yeast.
The kit yeast is a more versatile, tolerant yeast. It is able to withstand some pretty harsh treatment that is handed out by some brewers.
It is not usually the yeast that is a problem in beers but the way it is treated by the brewer.
Cheers
Nige

 

[Yob]

Not 'crap' yeast but definitely different yeast.
The kit yeast is a more versatile, tolerant yeast.

+1

...and from what I am to understand.. able to be packaged, transported, sit in storage, and then expected to, by themselvs.. sometime.. clone the commercial Father... :blink:
Harvesting and stepping up a known strain of yeast I will take any day... and collecting them of course