Making Yeast

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fletcher

bibo ergo sum
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so, for some reason, since i've started home brewing, i've found that the most interesting 'component' of it for me is the yeast and how it works.

i stumbled upon this video - and wondered whether something like this could be used for beer? i noticed that her jar of raisins is actually fermenting...so is that just wild yeast that's doing it? i'm not 100% how it all works.

if anyone had any online resources to learn about yeast, i'd love to know of some. i might head to my local library to check out some books...i'm curiously fascinated by it!

fletcher
 
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It's pretty easy to make a sourdough starter/mother, but bread is a hell of a lot more forgiving than beer is, and it's going to contain a ton of non-yeast microbes that could turn your beer pretty funky.

Spontaneous fermentation is common in cider and wine making, and in lambic style brewing as well. Though with the latter most people would use a purchased culture instead.


Yeast, the practical guide to beer fermentation is the first book I would suggest, it covers yeast very well, and also a little bit on brettanomyces and capturing wild yeasts.
 
Interesting video!

Here's a vid from that will hopefully be of some benefit, enjoy!
 
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It's pretty easy to make a sourdough starter/mother, but bread is a hell of a lot more forgiving than beer is, and it's going to contain a ton of non-yeast microbes that could turn your beer pretty funky.

Yeast, the practical guide to beer fermentation is the first book I would suggest, it covers yeast very well, and also a little bit on brettanomyces and capturing wild yeasts.

At lot of the sourness in sourdough comes from bacteria, with a stack of wild yeasts in there too. And I have to agree with Felton, bread is far more forgiving that beer.

Being a maker of both beer and sourdough I personally wouldn't bother trying to capture wild yeasts to brew from. If I was going to make a sour beer I'd use a commercially available culture.

IMHO yeast is something you don't mess with as you only need a a hint foreign bacteria/yeast for it to all go pear shaped.

Lots of reading is key on yeast, and there is also a stack of good yeast info on here.
 
thanks guys. i'll check out that book. since starting brewing, learning about yeast is really interesting
 
so, for some reason, since i've started home brewing, i've found that the most interesting 'component' of it for me is the yeast and how it works.

i stumbled upon this video - and wondered whether something like this could be used for beer? i noticed that her jar of raisins is actually fermenting...so is that just wild yeast that's doing it? i'm not 100% how it all works.

if anyone had any online resources to learn about yeast, i'd love to know of some. i might head to my local library to check out some books...i'm curiously fascinated by it!

fletcher


Search for Harvesting Wild Yeast and before long you'll be equally obsessed with a new hobby; an "add-on" to the one that now occupies all your spare time and thoughts!
For an OMG moment read Rogue Ales

White Labs sends teams to remote places all around the world (recently the New Guinea Highlands) where, in the search for new and undiscovered strains, they collect yeast from air, plants and insects.

Your interest is piqued. So why not throw some raisins (or grapes, dates) in some sterile wort in a jar, cover with plastic and allow to ferment in warm dark space...
 
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haha it is!!! it's so interesting!! love it!

thanks man, i'll check that out
 
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