Reculturing Belgian Yeast

[Parrothead]

I plan to reculture the yeast sediment from a commercial Grand Cru for a batch of Grand Cru that I want to brew.

Does it matter if I use wheat DME for the starter, or should I use XLT DME as I do for other starters that I make?

 

[redbeard]

shouldnt matter, as your after the floc'd yeast, not the fermented wort. add some yeast nutrients to help kick it off.

 

[Parrothead]

shouldnt matter, as your after the floc'd yeast, not the fermented wort. add some yeast nutrients to help kick it off.

Sounds good to me!

I was wondering only because a Grand Cru is essentially a wheat beer.

Thanks!! :icon_chickcheers:

 

[mikelinz]

I read somewhere that you can just add a pack of dried yeast to the boil to get yeast nutrients. would this work in a starter? Any comments

 

[blackbock]

If you're talking about the Hoegaarden Grand Cru, several people have attempted to reculture this yeast and there is some debate as to whether it's actually the main fermentation strain. People have had very mixed results with it, some even reported foul-smelling infected cultures.

 

[sinkas]

I was wondering only because a Grand Cru is essentially a wheat beer.

Thanks!! :icon_chickcheers:

Not really

 

[bakkerman]

Not really

Beg to differ... It is a strong wheat beer...

If you are after the yeast, use wyeast 3463 Forbidden Fruit.

 

[Rossco]

If you're talking about the Hoegaarden Grand Cru, several people have attempted to reculture this yeast and there is some debate as to whether it's actually the main fermentation strain. People have had very mixed results with it, some even reported foul-smelling infected cultures.

DAM!!!!!!!!!!!! I had a Hoegaarden Grand Cru last night (8.5%!!!!) and noticed the large amount of sediment in the bottle. I was thinking of reculturing the yeast for a hoegaarden brew next week.

Was a pretty good beer. Can anyone reccommend a belgian wit that i could reculture from the bottle if the grand cru cant be done?

 

[mikem108]

At 8.5% and the potential age of the beer, the yeast has probably pretty much had it, its not recommened to go down in gravity once the yeast has fermented a high gravity beer, if its not that then the alcohol in the beer would have a detrimental effect on the yeasts viability

 

[Rossco]

At 8.5% and the potential age of the beer, the yeast has probably pretty much had it, its not recommened to go down in gravity once the yeast has fermented a high gravity beer, if its not that then the alcohol in the beer would have a detrimental effect on the yeasts viability

so age, heat & alcohol all have detrimental effects on being able to reculture yeast out of a bottle. Thanks for the info. Im slowly learning.......just got my Grumpy's Hoegaarden kit...will let you know how i go...after i go and buy a second fermenter to rack too :-D

I bought the Belgian Wyeast too. On the pack it says to keep between 1-4deg...so i put it in the fridge as soon as i got it home. Unfortunately it was a hot day in Melb, so the trip from Adelaide to Melb wouldnt have helped the yeast....oh well see how i go.

CHEERS!!!!

 

[kook]

Beg to differ... It is a strong wheat beer...

If you are after the yeast, use wyeast 3463 Forbidden Fruit.

I'm with sinkas on this one.

Is Rodenbach Grand Cru a strong wheat beer? How about Abbaye des Rocs Grand Cru ? Cantillon Bruocsella Grand Cru?

Grand Cru is simply a label that wineries and breweries give to their finest products. It has nothing to do with strong wheat beers as far as I'm concerned. Its certainly nothing to do with Hoegaarden either. Inbev do use the label for one of their beers, however this doesn't suddenly make it exclusive to them.

edit: Even De Hemel use the Grand Cru label for a Barleywine they brew....

 

[sinkas]

Im with Kook here,
Hoegaarden Grand Cru is often miss-categorised as a strong wheat beer , because it happens to be the only obvious sibling in the hoegaarden family, famous of course for the Wit beer.

If you asked me what the Grand Cru was, I would say probably a triple with spices..