Wild Yeast Fermentation

[drsmurto]

Haven't done a SG reading yet hopefully will do one tommorow then chill it down.

The fact it wasnt weird/sour etc made me think it may be a brewing yeast but I have only ever pitched yeast inside (the bottle was left outside).
I do ferment in a fridge out there, but the yeast would have to get out of the airlock and out the fridge door and traveled about 3 meters then into the bottle.

Only other way I can think that brewing yeast got in is that I do pour my trub down the drain.. but it would have to have hung around the drain for about 2 weesk then got out up into the air and into the bottle.
I also usualy pour starsan and napisan down the drain after it so not sure how well it would survive in there.

It's a myth that all wild yeast are sour.

Natural/wild ferments are quite common in winemaking and the end result is not weird or sour.

 

[jyo]

Watching with interest! :icon_cheers:

 

[Steve@PMF82]

Im following this one with interest as well.
I guess its coming into the best time of year to try this out myself.

We have a small orchard about ten trees, apples, pears, some plums oh yeah there's a walnut tree in there somewhere to.
Old mate 2 doors down grows a decent about of grapes for his own wine making.

I put slurry down the drain ONCE. All our grey water goes to a designated area near orchard.
The inside of the house stank for days, the smell of the yeast eating what ever else goes into the drain.

 

[Deebo]

Relaxing fermentation footage.. ignore the woman giving birth in the background.. wife was watching something on tv

 

[Deebo]

Final gravity was 1010. Decided to just prime with sugar as I dont know if I want the wild yeast near my keg lines etc.
Didn't taste as sweet as I though it was yesterday and noticed a slight sulphur smell that you get with lager yeast sometimes.

Poured most of the beer out and topped up with water to maybe try and seperate the yeast and trub a bit. Now I just need another 2l bottle to pour into.

 

[raven19]

Interesting thread thus far. Yeasts of old were all repitched from previous batches, as such originated from 'wild' ferments, just 'controlled' to a mild degree based on selection from brewers at the time.

Keen to hear on the flavours in the resulting beer.

 

[raven19]

It's a myth that all wild yeast are sour.

Yeah but sour ones are so tasty!!!

 

[Deebo]

Son of wild yeast:



Decided to rinse the yeast and add it to some clear wort I had in a bottle in the fridge to see what effect no trub and better temp control will give.

 

[CONNOR BREWARE]

Son of wild yeast:
View attachment 49892
View attachment 49893

Decided to rinse the yeast and add it to some clear wort I had in a bottle in the fridge to see what effect no trub and better temp control will give.

When will you be opening wild yeast MK I for the taste test? Will be interesting to hea the outcome.

 

[Nick JD]

I wouldn't be surprised if your house (and especially the area where you dump trub etc) is "infected" with beer yeast.

 

[Deebo]

I wouldn't be surprised if your house (and especially the area where you dump trub etc) is "infected" with beer yeast.

Would be interesting to find out.
How long can yeast survive and under what kind of conditions?
I suppose the drain would be pretty cool but I do pour starsan and nappsan down there after cleaning etc.

 

[Nick JD]

How long can yeast survive and under what kind of conditions?

Dunno. Considering we are adding 100 billion to a batch ... and then they start multiplying, I reckon our houses are all well-infected with beer yeast - more so if we have sediment in the bottom of bottles and glasses and in your breath and our clothes and in the carpet and in the shed etc etc.

 

[stux]

How long does dried yeast last

It only takes one!

 

[Josh]

I pitched my latest spontaneous ferment 2 months ago. Only in the last few days, I have noticed vigorous fermentation in the carboy. I'm guessing they took a while in the growth phase?

 

[Lecterfan]

The background: I took about 5L of left-over APA and left it uncovered for about 36 hours (I say this like I meant to, but it was a simple byproduct of drunken laziness). I then poured it into a bucket that I had cleaned with hot water and then starsanned, covered haphazardly in glad wrap and forgot about it. It took a while but for about 2 or 3 weeks now it has been covered in a luscious thick krausen and the smell is so sweet it is fantastic. However, a few days ago a stinking little mongrel no good vinegar fly made its way in while I was messing around in the vicinity of the bucket (the covering was loose as I was not taking this at all seriously) and appears to be dead but on top of the krausen.

The question: should I attempt to fish it out or just trust that the wild bacteria/yeast that is in there already will prevent the vinegar fly carcass from ruining what is shaping up to be a seriously interesting (and surprisingly sweet smelling) experiment? Thoughts?

I was hoping that if this beer turned out interesting in a tasty way I would also culture the yeast to try on other things.


edit: and I am aware this seems a ridiculous question, but I have posted it simply as I have no experience with 'wild' ferments or even with bugs on top of krausen...my gut is telling me to starsan a spoon and whip it and the surrounding krausen out...

 

[Steve@PMF82]

The background: I took about 5L of left-over APA and left it uncovered for about 36 hours (I say this like I meant to, but it was a simple byproduct of drunken laziness). I then poured it into a bucket that I had cleaned with hot water and then starsanned, covered haphazardly in glad wrap and forgot about it. It took a while but for about 2 or 3 weeks now it has been covered in a luscious thick krausen and the smell is so sweet it is fantastic. However, a few days ago a stinking little mongrel no good vinegar fly made its way in while I was messing around in the vicinity of the bucket (the covering was loose as I was not taking this at all seriously) and appears to be dead but on top of the krausen.

The question: should I attempt to fish it out or just trust that the wild bacteria/yeast that is in there already will prevent the vinegar fly carcass from ruining what is shaping up to be a seriously interesting (and surprisingly sweet smelling) experiment? Thoughts?

I was hoping that if this beer turned out interesting in a tasty way I would also culture the yeast to try on other things.


edit: and I am aware this seems a ridiculous question, but I have posted it simply as I have no experience with 'wild' ferments or even with bugs on top of krausen...my gut is telling me to starsan a spoon and whip it and the surrounding krausen out...

Yeah go with your gut, fish it out! If there is a decent krausen it should be protecting the wort from the fly carcass.
Sounds interesting, id let it ferment out, take readings ect, bottle it up (PET) and see how she goes.
This is something i have been meaning to do on purpose but have not got around to it.
Let us know how it goes

 

[ShredMaster]

Lecterfan, I guess the answer would depend on whether you actually intended to drink the final product and how much private scientific research you can do with a bucket of left-over wort, some wild yeast of some type and the chance of some vinegar.... Would you, actually, drink it?

 

[Deebo]

Had forgot about my wild yeast ferment. How long is recommended for wild fermentations to age before trying them?
From what ive heard a year would probably be good to give whatever bacteria is in there a chance to do their thing?

 

[Lecterfan]

I always intended to bottle it once completed and then sample it. If it's any good then hell yes I'll drink it...and let's not make the vast leap from the word 'experiment' to the phrase 'scientific research' just yet :lol: .

Cheers B4u, job done - you never know, it might be the protoype for my next case swap beer and you can sample it...

I'll certainly report back after sampling.

 

[Deebo]

Drank the original wild yeast this arvo (the one that fermented in 30c heat for a day or two), was suprisingly not bad (pitty I cant remember what recipe the wort was from) tasted to me like an average english ale.
It was cloudy and none of the yeast had really settled in the bottle which seemed strange (unless wife gave it a shake when I wasnt looking). Also had very little carbonation/head retention.


Still have the second batch that was done under better fermenting conditions in the cellar.

I have some more spare wort I extracted from the trub of todays brew so might try another one.