Why Re-culturing Coopers Commercial Yeast?

[Dazza88]

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Hay Jarvo, did you read though the links I provided you on the Coopers site? These are all the same questions to which you have been given answers links to research.

Wolfy's Rinsing Yeast in Pictures

Rinsing Yeast - The Brewing Network

Stepped Yeast Calculator

Tight arse Stir Plate

and countless other links are available.

Have a search through the multitudes of topics and have a read, No offence intended but understanding cannot be handed to you, you need to research it.


Search Function, top right

ed: spilleng

this should be a sticky. timely. i really enjoyed two cpas before heading out to see ryan adams at qpac. wanted to brew a batch.

 

[ASYLUM_SPIRIT]

not upset, just annoyed that you asked the same question and got the same answers and it doesnt seem you want to do any research for yourself.

Research is great, then trial the methods given to you, then put them into practice when you are confident you have the methods down pat.

You have asked the same question before (on multiple forums) and got approx the same answers (and certainly the same links to information)

so Im just a little confused.

sorry for coming off a little rough, but seriously.

Read. Listen. Practice. Do.

Yob

I agree with what you are saying mate 100%. I do a lot of research but I'm very green compared to expert home brewers like yourself.

Sometimes you need someone with the expertise to give you a hand. I was totally confused with the links and wasn't sure on a number of topics. I just needed someone to guide me thru, and I'm very thankful that some people on the forum answered my question without getting annoyed with me.

Is there a beginner section on here or another forum where people can ask questions like this without annoying anyone, cause Im happy to go there next time

 

[ASYLUM_SPIRIT]

His words were encouraging you to search and research rather than calling you an idiot and to prove it, he provided you with several, very useful links which will help answer your further questions.

I know his intentions were good, I never doubted that.

I didn't say he called me an idiot, but I was pointing out that thats what people probably think I am by still asking questions when I have been provided with links.

Yes I was provided with links and yes I searched but I needed someone to talk to.

 

[Nick JD]

I've found it's always cheaper (and better) to buy yeast that to reculture it.

If you can buy CPA yeast, do.

 

[ASYLUM_SPIRIT]

I've found it's always cheaper (and better) to buy yeast that to reculture it.

If you can buy CPA yeast, do.

Thanks mate

 

[Yob]

I've found it's always cheaper (and better) to buy yeast that to reculture it.

many people collect ,harvest, store, culture and propagate yeast for various justifiable reasons which need no mention... and I cant really count myself in that crew yet as Im only beginning to consider the real advantages to a yeast bank type setup... and building my equipment to suit... I fkin love the builds

I agree It's more work to reculture but for the right reasons its the result you are after for the particular beer yeah?

I disagree that its better to buy it than to re-use it, re-using yeast rocks, hence the link to Wolf's excellent article on rinsing yeast...

Though I have a personal brewery variance on those methods, for me it certainly gave me K of confidence and scope for experimentation and enabled me to get it all "dialled in"..

The link to the brewing network podcast also has great info and helped me to understand process and practical application with understanding.. and TBH I must have listened to that thing a dozen times and it still gets better each time... little bits you miss each time yeah?

Mr Malty is stand alone awesomeness in conjunction with the above, I frikkin love calcing my Viability...

I still mean no Dissin to the OP, but stand by Read. Listen. Practice. Do apply.

Peace

 

[ploto]

In other words just have a go and if worst comes to worst, you'll know better for next time.

Once you grasp the basics there's no better way to learn than through hands-on experience.

 

[Mikedub]

I remember my first Coopers re culture, I had some pretty strong fusels - followed by some pretty blinding hangovers, I think i must have seriously under pitched, might face my demons and have another attempt

 

[manticle]

I agree with what you are saying mate 100%. I do a lot of research but I'm very green compared to expert home brewers like yourself.

Sometimes you need someone with the expertise to give you a hand. I was totally confused with the links and wasn't sure on a number of topics. I just needed someone to guide me thru, and I'm very thankful that some people on the forum answered my question without getting annoyed with me.

Is there a beginner section on here or another forum where people can ask questions like this without annoying anyone, cause Im happy to go there next time

I understand all this and agree. I fully believe you should be able to ask questions, no matter how silly they may sound to someone else - as long as you try to help yourself, I think people should be willing to help you. If they aren't, they should shut up and not post.

I hate the 'do a search ffs' crap. I think if you're going to bother replying with that, you might as well bother replying with the answers/suggestions or at least a link.

Because yob didn't just say 'do a search ffs' but provided several links and a politely phrased suggestion about research and learning, I thought his original post deserved more. He did provide very useful help.

I am the moral captain of my ship and I'll sail it to hell. They'll have to pry my dead cold hands off the wheel.

 

[Kai]

I used to culture coopers yeast frequently in my partial mash brewing days. I found it made an excellent range of ales.

Never had excessive banana from it, typically fermenting in the low 20's. I would get some, but it would be coupled with strong diacetyl during the first month of bottle conditioning and both would subsequently subside.

My favourite part of the procedure was the reculturing. Buy a sixer of pale ale, pour the yeast into a flagon along with some carefully prepared starter wort, and drink the leftover supernatant.

 

[Nick JD]

I disagree that its better to buy it than to re-use it, re-using yeast rocks, hence the link to Wolf's excellent article on rinsing yeast...

I didn't say not to re-use it; I said don't bother culturing it if you can buy it.

How many of us reculture US05 from bottle conditioned beer? That's my point - why would you bother?

 

[Yob]

why would you bother?

totally agree..

 

[Yob]

I think i must have seriously under pitched,

I did this too, resulting beer was frikkin 'orrible... I went away and did a shed load of research following that experience

 

[Wolfy]

I didn't say not to re-use it; I said don't bother culturing it if you can buy it.

Since it's a limited release its not always available or fresh, and there are no local WhiteLabs suppliers in Victoria (that I know of), and its free.
Hence, if your procedures are sound, your yeast will be just as good, and much cheaper than buying it.

 

[Nevalicious]

Since it's a limited release its not always available or fresh, and there are no local WhiteLabs suppliers in Victoria (that I know of), and its free.
Hence, if your procedures are sound, your yeast will be just as good, and much cheaper than buying it.

Exactly.

6 pack of CPA, $13 maybe??

Whitelabs culture... $13 plus postage (if no local alternative available)

6 stubbies of beer for free as I see it. I know of atleast one Adelaide local who has recently used the Whitelabs Strain in question to great success. If reculturing CPA yeast isn't your bag, buy it

 

[the_new_darren]

I still dont understand a "use the search button" answer given by some people here..

If it a newb question that has been answered before and you know that then dont reply at all.

After all, in the last 10 years EVERY single question has been asked and answered!!!!

By analogy...why even come AHB when you could get any answer for any HB question WITH GOOGLE ALONE.

To the OP, I find that culturing Coopers yeast from the bottle can be variable. Its important to sanitise the bottle (and let some sanitiser get under the lid) prior to opening the bottle, pour into a glass (dont drink the beer from bottle) and use the "dregs: in your starter.

cheers

tnd

 

[manticle]

I still dont understand a "use the search button" answer given by some people here..

If it a newb question that has been answered before and you know that then dont reply at all.

After all, in the last 10 years EVERY single question has been asked and answered!!!!

I agree with a caveat: if you aid people's searches with a link or with help to use the search function properly (eg typing in the right keywords and characters in the default search or pointing out the google/ahb search bar) then it's worth replying. If the reply is simply 'search function' then save yourself the hassle.

I also agree - definitely don't drink from the coopers bottle before reculturing. I think the instructions from coopers on how to reculture their yeast are pretty decent (unlike the instructions on their kit tins)

 

[Bizier]

Just a word to people thinking of reculturing for the first time, if you are reading about things like re-pitching six times, keep in mind that sanitation is paramount. After six potential exposures to contaminants (if you need to have your yeast open to the air to collect it), mutation is probably much less of a worry than infection. I would recommend less than six, and to always pitch on the high side so that you have a large number of yeast cells to out-compete any potential nasties.

Another simple thing to keep in mind is to ensure your yeast is totally ready before you are adding it to your wort. If you want to get similar results to a fresh vial of White Labs Australian Ale + starter, you will need to grow new viable cells from your original bottle yeast, and then I would suggest a larger second starter to achieve proper yeast pitching rates.

I guess the point I am making is that if you want to have an opinion on a yeast strain, you need to evaluate it under optimal conditions. Sanitise everything, minimise open air transfers and make necessary ones very quick, and ensure you have an adequate amount of healthy yeast to do the job.

 

[RobboMC]

In my opinion it's a bad time of year to be trying reculturing for the first time. Think of the thermal history of that 6 pack since it left the factory. Possibly sat on a delivery truck in the Adelaide heat 1 or 2 40 deg days. In the eastern states it's travelled across the Hay Plain, another day or 2 or 40 deg heat.

I know it's been a cool summer and you may have success with reculturing, but you also run the risk of buying a 6 pack full of dead yeast. August/Sept is a much better time for this sort of thing as long as you get beer with best after dates of June/July/August.

 

[ploto]

In my opinion it's a bad time of year to be trying reculturing for the first time. Think of the thermal history of that 6 pack since it left the factory. Possibly sat on a delivery truck in the Adelaide heat 1 or 2 40 deg days. In the eastern states it's travelled across the Hay Plain, another day or 2 or 40 deg heat.

I know it's been a cool summer and you may have success with reculturing, but you also run the risk of buying a 6 pack full of dead yeast. August/Sept is a much better time for this sort of thing as long as you get beer with best after dates of June/July/August.

Point taken and what you say makes sense, but I don't think it's enough of a problem to write off the idea entirely. I just successfully re-cultured CPA yeast for the first time, I was very thorough with procedure and had no problems; the starter smelt fine and the brew kicked off straight away. This was with three bottles from the old silver cartons, and purchased from Dan's (Boss, we've run out of Toohey's dry! - Put that Coopers in the sun!).