Yeast Bank ????

[Piperbrew]

Not sure if this has been suggested before but has anyone ever thought of a yeast bank on the forum? For example I got some lovely yeast direct from the Ringwood Brewery today and intend to freeze some either on agar or in Glycerol, be it for a training exercise for me as they said I could have yeast anytime.

But I also intend to try and take strains from all the liquid yeasts I will be using too. Hence my thought regarding a yeast bank for the forum where brewers could swap yeast if they have strains they have in frozen storage. Obviously it would need honesty by those involved as you would want a strain to be what you asked for and also not a lord knows how many generation strain.

If this was accepted by admin there would also need to be a certain amount of policing such as someone visiting the site once just for a freebie of yeast with zero input to the site.

I don't think it would impact those shops selling yeast as such a small group would be involved and it would most likely boost their sales as folk would be more inclined to try other beers and that would mean them buying all the other ingredients.

Any opinions on this gents??

 

[Slid]

Difficult one this, I feel, as if you are going to go to the trouble of doing a full length AG brew and culture up a starter, I think you want the most reliable sourced yeast you can get. Immediate cost becomes a secondary consideration.

Does anyone else have any views?

 

[Brew_DD2]

I'd be concerned about contamination.

 

[Piperbrew]

Yes I agree totally so it could only be something done on trust. Although once you have the sample yeast you would be making a starter anyway in order to see if the yeast was healthy.

 

[Brew_DD2]

I don't think it's trust that would be the issue, but rather the complexities of ensuring contamination doesn't occur. It's not as simple as it may seem.

 

[Piperbrew]

I don't think it's trust that would be the issue, but rather the complexities of ensuring contamination doesn't occur. It's not as simple as it may seem.

Sorry, my wording...I meant as in trusting someone does the process correctly. But I can see what your saying....

 

[Leon103]

I think it could work.
If you received yeast from someone you would be doing a starter, possibly a couple if steps so contamination would be detected prior to it seeing your wort

 

[BeerCat]

You can dry out the yeast in the oven on baking parchment and then freeze it up to 10 years so i have read. Although i have old yeast in my fridge which i am sure will be all right if i make starters.

 

[foxbat]

I think this could work. I need to do some more research into making slants because they keep for years in a freezer and would be easier to send out in a swap. For example I'm currently building up a starter from some Omega Augustiner lager yeast that's quite hard to get here and I'd probably only use once a year. If I slanted it then it could go on for years.

 

[Piperbrew]

Main reason I suggested it is although we can buy the yeasts in packs there are times when like myself you manage to procure some from the brewery. I have looked on how do store them via freeing but not drying, might have a look and see what I can find.