Yeast Farming

[ashley_leask]

So far for the last 2 years I've basically been using the wolfy method for rinsing yeast. Although the early batches were done prior to reading this and consequently not so good.
However I think freeze my yeast with glycerine according to http://www.ipass.net/mpdixon/Homebrew/Freezing%20Yeast.htm which works fantastically.
I then defrost slowly when required and make a starter from it.
So far the oldest I've used is around 18 months with no issues.

This way I can keep a lot of different varieties of yeast and not have to brew the same beer again straight away.

Haven't read the link, but I do glycerine freezing as well. I read on one of the US forums it's best to freeze slowly but thaw and use quickly, as the glycerine is toxic to the yeast once the temperature rises and they become active again. I noticed much quicker growth, more and earlier activity in my starters when I started getting the test tube out of the freezer and letting it thaw as I made the starter wort.

Previously I'd let come up to temp in the fridge for a day or two before using and they were much more sluggish in the first step that way. About 18 months is as old as I've used as well, but still kicked off straight away.

 

[sticksy]

can you use this method for harvesting and washing from ciders?

im currently harvesting the yeast from a couple of stubbies and will make a starter for my first simple cider from this if im able to harvest the yeast back from the trub.

 

[wbosher]

Never made cider, but yeast is yeast. Even though there are many different types, they all like the same thing, so I can't imagine there would be too much difference as far as growing it goes.

Grab some and make a starter, see how it goes. Maybe wash it first.

 

[dicko]

If the bottles you are using are commercial samples then the yeast may have been added after primary fermentation to carbonate the cider. If this was the case some brewers use a different strain for this and it may not be entirely suitable for primary fermentation.
I am not that familiar with ciders cause I don't drink 'em but I know some commercial beer brewers use this method.

Cheers

 

[indica86]

What cider is bottle conditioned?

 

[dicko]

What cider is bottle conditioned?

sticksy??????????

 

[sticksy]

sorry, I am harvesting from a commercial beer to use in my cider and then want to be able to harvest and wash the yeast cake after the cider ferments.

 

[shaunous]

Hey Lads,
Got my first go at a starter one the stirplate now, I've just transferred it to my shed (was in the house overnight), ambient shed temp is 33*c now at 10am, my theory would be keeping the yeast at your brewing temp, but that's a little hard to having a stirplate mounted in your brew fridge.

Anywho can I just keep it growing on my shed bench around the daytime mid 30's?

 

[NewtownClown]

Yes, but you want to pour that beer off the yeast before pitching... Too high a temp may start killing cells though

 

[shaunous]

Yeh I planned on cooling afterwards in a fridge to separate then pour off the beer, settle to ferment temp in the ferment fridge and tip straight into the FV.

 

[NewtownClown]

If you are going to pitch the entire starter, then it is best to have the starter close to the ferment temp of the brew...

 

[shaunous]

How long should one run the starter on the stir plate for, I couldn't find any so called time limits on yeast calc, seen somewhere about 24hrs per step, so my one 24hr step for a 1.030 brew should suffice. I've used 1L of the wort for the starter from the brew I'm actually brewing.

 

[manticle]

What cider is bottle conditioned?

French/breton/normandy ciders have sediment from yeast. Have seen it in a German Apfelwein as well.

 

[Vtchris2]

a practise i use is as above , but for my sterile water i just buy a carton of spring water from coles $9 and use that as my water and use the bottles as my yeast storage containers , never had a problem

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

Hope someone is watching! Just got my stir plate today. Started a smack pack yesterday it's ready.everything was going well. Git two containers from the fridge of wort I had saved from a pilnsner I cubed two days ago. it was taken early around 1030grav. Today I placed one on the stove to sanitize and this happend.


What I'm trying to do is step up the liquid yeast. I freaked out when I saw all the gunk on top so I recanted the second bottle and left out the sediment. Will I still be able to use the one with gunk on top?
I'm thinking of just putting it back into the fridge and trying again once the gunk falls.

 

[Yob]

:blink:

you what now in the who dat?

you cooked your yeast?

 

[MartinOC]

Yikes!! :blink:

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

Lol not the yeast mate. That's the wort I was sterlizing.

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

All good I will tho it into the starter now

 

[skb]

Ok probably a dumb question but I am about to harvest my first yeast ... from a brew I am making now. As part of fermenting I always chill down to 0c at the end of fermenting to clear the beer. Will this adversely affect my ability to harvest the yeast ?