Yeast harvesting from Coopers bottles with wort addition.

[Stouter]

I realise this must have been done to death, but I'll drag this corpse up and try to breathe some life into it in the hope it makes this easier for me to understand. Criticism and 'WTF are you doing' comments are not only welcomed, but also encouraged in this search for my yeast epiphany.

I'm looking to harvest yeast from my 3 Coopers Stout big browns. I've somehow drunk the lot this arvo, and left a bit in the bottom of each, sealed the tops back on and put them in the fridge in what is a strange and unusual departure from my regular methods.
My limited understanding so far is that I can use this left overs to make more yeast.

Back to yesterday -
I brewed up a nice mix of Stout in the urn, reached the targeted 1.053 I expected and put it into a cube to cool.
Now I intend to use some of this cooled wort for repitching in the same wort for fermenting, by adding it to a sterilsed bottle, to which I'll then add the combined left over yeasts from the bottles, swirl around a bit, then what?

 

[hirschb]

1.053 is a bit strong for prepping up dregs. It may work. Try it and see. After putting the wort in your bottles (maybe 100-150ml of wort), seal the bottles with airlocks or star-san-ed tin-foil wrapped very tightly, and place at room temp. If there is no visible ferm in two days, throw it away. If you get a decent ferm, let it ride for a few days, and then use an Erlenmeyer flask and stir plate to make successively larger yeast cultures until you've hit the amount you need for some future brew. Needless to say, you're not gonna be able to culture enough yeast quickly enough to use in the stout you just brewed.

 

[LAGERFRENZY]

Maybe for the next time:
https://www.coopers.com.au/coopers-forum/topic/7349/

 

[Stouter]

Maybe for the next time:
https://www.coopers.com.au/coopers-forum/topic/7349/

That's clearer!

 

[Stouter]

Needless to say, you're not gonna be able to culture enough yeast quickly enough to use in the stout you just brewed.

Not even if it's already cubed and sitting for however long it takes for the yeast to develop.

 

[LAGERFRENZY]

I don't see why not if you aren't in any hurry.

 

[Stouter]

Nah, no hurry. I'm still waiting for a batch of Pale Ale to ferment in the temp fridge, so the cube has to sit there for a while anyway.
Thought it might be good to use some of the Stout wort in the harvesting process as I'm going to pitch it into the very same wort.

 

[S.E]

Nah, no hurry. I'm still waiting for a batch of Pale Ale to ferment in the temp fridge, so the cube has to sit there for a while anyway.
Thought it might be good to use some of the Stout wort in the harvesting process as I'm going to pitch it into the very same wort.

[SIZE=11pt]Do you have some of the stout wort in a separate container or all in the cube? Cos if you need to open the cube to get wort for your starter you risk the rest of the wort in the cube getting infected before the starter is ready to pitch.[/SIZE]

 

[Stouter]

That's a risk I'm willing to take.

 

[S.E]

That's a risk I'm willing to take.

That’s ok then so long as you’re aware and happy. I take what most home brewers would consider outrageous liberties and struggle to get infections. Guess I’m just lucky though other unfortunate brewers seem to be tipping every other batch out on the lawn.

 

[Rocker1986]

I wouldn't be opening the cube, it's just asking for some nasty piece of shit to come in and ruin it in my mind. Better off making a lower SG wort with some water and DME to build them up. I can't see it making any difference to the flavour of the end beer.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

I realise this must have been done to death, but I'll drag this corpse up and try to breathe some life into it in the hope it makes this easier for me to understand. Criticism and 'WTF are you doing' comments are not only welcomed, but also encouraged in this search for my yeast epiphany.

I'm looking to harvest yeast from my 3 Coopers Stout big browns. I've somehow drunk the lot this arvo, and left a bit in the bottom of each, sealed the tops back on and put them in the fridge in what is a strange and unusual departure from my regular methods.
My limited understanding so far is that I can use this left overs to make more yeast.

Back to yesterday -
I brewed up a nice mix of Stout in the urn, reached the targeted 1.053 I expected and put it into a cube to cool.
Now I intend to use some of this cooled wort for repitching in the same wort for fermenting, by adding it to a sterilsed bottle, to which I'll then add the combined left over yeasts from the bottles, swirl around a bit, then what?

Before reading comments after your post that may confuse me my first thought is that Coopers Ale yeast is the same strain used for all thier Ales.
To get the purest version of that yeast is from one of their Pale Ales. Then! Coopers themselves recommend stepping up that yeast with pure Dextrose/sugar not Malt Wort. There must be something in that recommendation. Like yeasts mutate and adapt to different environments etc.
Stepping up yeast with pure sugar is a new to me but it makes pure sense too.
All I know is that Coopers yeast cultured smells like yummy Fruit Salad. Compared to say US-05 that smells like fresh bread.

 

[Stouter]

Before reading comments after your post that may confuse me my first thought is that Coopers Ale yeast is the same strain used for all Ales.

I myself can be very confusing even without comments from others.

My train of thought was that by using the same wort as the yeast were to be pitched into it might soften the transition for them. I've read that lower % beers are best for this method, but this is what I'm drinking ATM and this is what I'm brewing ATM.

Kelsey, I think you're over cautious with this cube opening caper, and I'm going to do it and be forever damned if infection occurs.

 

[damoninja]

Kelsey, I think you're over cautious with this cube opening caper, and I'm going to do it and be forever damned if infection occurs.

Don't open the lid, squeeze the sides and open the tap letting some out without letting air in.

 

[Stouter]

No tap!

 

[Stouter]

So in future, after brewing I'll drain off some of the fresh wort for testing O.G, and put some aside in a sealed container, devoid of air for my yeast props.

 

[Rocker1986]

I had an infected cube a few months ago, which wasn't even opened. I think the seal on the tap thread wasn't great and something perhaps snuck in there... the thing sat for about 4 or 5 weeks perfectly fine before it emptied itself all over the laundry floor in a mess of vinegary smelling shitness one morning. :lol: So yeah, I guess I am cautious a bit more with them after that.

 

[Stouter]

before it emptied itself all over the laundry floor in a mess of vinegary smelling shitness one morning.

Sounds much like happy hour at the old peoples home.

Point taken, and despite my light hearted piss taking comments I do actually appreciate input on this. My plan for my next Stout is to draw off a decent sample into a mason jar or similar and cube the bulk, then work up the yeast into a frenzy before pitching!
Not forgetting the 6 'P's - Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Pitching!

 

[damoninja]

No tap!

Bummer

 

[Midnight Brew]

I cultured up some Coopers yeast the other day that Ive been putting off drinking since January. So I got old mate to drink them, poured carefully to keep the dregs and then reseal the bottle for me.

Yes, may be a bit old and I wasnt sure it would work but hey, I had some wort around and time so I had a shot. That night I made a 100ml starter of 1020 wort and decanted the yeast dregs into it. It sat for about 4 days with a swirl here and there. After 4 days there were clear signs of fermentation so I tipped the whole lot into a 1040 1L starter and put on a stirplate. Less then 24 hours later it had past high krausen and visibly transformed. Put the flask in the fridge to settle and there looks to be a good 50-75ml of yeast solids in there.

Imagine if I had fresh bottles.