I caught something. Now what?

[svenito]

So I tried my hand at catching some wild yeast about 3-4 weeks ago. It appears I caught something

https://imgur.com/a/1Sqb9

I made a simple 1.030 DME which was lightly hopped. Placed a couple of jars of it in the garden overnight with some muslin cloth on (all boiled for 15 minutes). In the morning, I poured them into a larger jar with an airlock and left it be.

Now I've got some sort of sediment at the bottom, but I'm not sure what to do now to see if it's viable yeast, or something else.

It smells a little sour but still beery. Should I make a bigger DME starter for it, pitch it, and see what comes out? I've not tasted it yet however. I guess I should at some point.

 

[BeerCat]

Perhaps you should have a taste. I guess its the same way you would collect yeast for making bread. If it smells and tastes ok i would step it up, bake a loaf and ferment a a litre or 2 of wort.

 

[Sheepish]

Have a look here http://www.milkthefunk.com/wiki/Main_Page

...loads of info.

 

[svenito]

Well it certainly doesn't taste awful. There's some sweetness from the wort, and a little sourness in the smell and some bitterness in the aftertaste. Might grow it and see what happens.

Finger crossed I make it through the night now :)