BlackRegent
Regular.
I don't know if anything like this has been tried previously but...
I've built up a fair library of specialist yeasts (mainly Wyeast) through overbuilding starters and reserving some in a jar which I keep in the fridge.
It occurred to me that there might be interest in the group to develop a yeast swap programme so that we don't keep buying yeasts where we don't need to.
The way I see it working is as follows.
(1) Members express an interest in participating.
(2) Those who want to participate then create a post listing the yeasts they have "in stock" and this is kept up to date wherever possible. (I keep my list up to date in Brewfather and a screenshot of this list would be sufficient).
(3) As part of their brew planning, a member thinks to themselves that they would like a specialist yeast but they don't have it ('Member A'). They then consult this thread (or another) to see if anyone else has it ('Member B')
(4) If so, Member A messages Member B to see if they would be interested in swapping.
(5) Member B consults Member A's list of yeast and sees if there is anything of interest that they would like to swap.
(6) If so, Member A and Member B arrange the swap between themselves, which can either be face to face (restrictions permitting) or through the post. (I am thinking a jam jar in a jiffy bag here. Seems rustic, but it works for me and it seems to me very unlikely that a jam jar would break in the post. Yeast is also hardy stuff so I doubt that a day or two at ambient temperature would be harmful).
(7) It is done on the basis of reciprocity, so that members should not think they can just blag free yeast. Of course, members can choose to provide it without getting anything in return, but that should not be assumed.
(8) It is done in a good natured spirit, so there is never pressure on Member B to swap, for example if there is nothing within Member A's stocks that interests them, or they don't have the time, or they just don't want to.
What does everyone think?
I've built up a fair library of specialist yeasts (mainly Wyeast) through overbuilding starters and reserving some in a jar which I keep in the fridge.
It occurred to me that there might be interest in the group to develop a yeast swap programme so that we don't keep buying yeasts where we don't need to.
The way I see it working is as follows.
(1) Members express an interest in participating.
(2) Those who want to participate then create a post listing the yeasts they have "in stock" and this is kept up to date wherever possible. (I keep my list up to date in Brewfather and a screenshot of this list would be sufficient).
(3) As part of their brew planning, a member thinks to themselves that they would like a specialist yeast but they don't have it ('Member A'). They then consult this thread (or another) to see if anyone else has it ('Member B')
(4) If so, Member A messages Member B to see if they would be interested in swapping.
(5) Member B consults Member A's list of yeast and sees if there is anything of interest that they would like to swap.
(6) If so, Member A and Member B arrange the swap between themselves, which can either be face to face (restrictions permitting) or through the post. (I am thinking a jam jar in a jiffy bag here. Seems rustic, but it works for me and it seems to me very unlikely that a jam jar would break in the post. Yeast is also hardy stuff so I doubt that a day or two at ambient temperature would be harmful).
(7) It is done on the basis of reciprocity, so that members should not think they can just blag free yeast. Of course, members can choose to provide it without getting anything in return, but that should not be assumed.
(8) It is done in a good natured spirit, so there is never pressure on Member B to swap, for example if there is nothing within Member A's stocks that interests them, or they don't have the time, or they just don't want to.
What does everyone think?