Yeast harvesting from commercial beers

[mr_bridger]

Anyone had much joy with this? I tried a while ago to harvest yeast from Cloudwater DIPA (V9 I think) I know they have been using some JW Lee's Vermont yeast or something that makes some cracking beer, and always been interested in trying to brew a beer for myself.

When I did it before, I made a low SG starter, about 1.025 I think, but after a few days on stirplate it looked manky, all lumpy and nasty.

Just as an experiment, I've just emptied the dregs of a BBNo 01|04 Saison into a little starter. Will see how it goes.

Wondered if you guys had any success?

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[MyQul]

I've done a couple. Fullers and Brakespear strain.

I'm not that familier with the vermont strain but there are a few strains (such as the Fullers) that are very flocculant which means they look really lumpy when you culture them u

 

[mr_bridger]

So, a few days on the stir plate, and a few in thfridge has resulted in this. Looks quite a bit in there, some much darker must be dead, but good layer of lovely fresh yeast from that bottle of 01|04.

Tasted the 'beer' off the top, and it's definitely Saison'y even tho was just done at room temp. Be much better with actual hops and decent grain.

Now to build up a second starter. [emoji6]

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[MyQul]

The dark layer on the bottom is trub from the DME not dead yeast

 

[mr_bridger]

Oh!, Never thought that! Thanks for the tip! I've just upped the starter now, give it a second grow, then probably try and get a couple of vials like I do with the smackpacks.

I saw a guy using a seperatory flask on YouTube, not bought one but I've been tempted. Would make draining off that trub easy!

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[MyQul]

Oh!, Never thought that! Thanks for the tip! I've just upped the starter now, give it a second grow, then probably try and get a couple of vials like I do with the smackpacks.

I saw a guy using a seperatory flask on YouTube, not bought one but I've been tempted. Would make draining off that trub easy!

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I've seen that youtube vid. I've been tempted to buy one of those seperatory flasks too