Capturing yeast

[Hawks]

Just drinking the first beer I have made recovering the BL yeast and it was well worth the extra bit of effort So, many thanks for the post or I'm not sure I would have bothered :thumb:

I made 10 gallons of wort that was loosely based on Bathams Best from GW and split into 2 FVs. S05 in one and a starter cultured up from 2 bottles of BL in the other.

The S05 has done as expected and is very clean, dry with plenty of hops - a really nice beer that I am very happy with

The BL is revelation - it finished a point higher ( which I expected ) ,is a slightly darker colour ( not expected :hmm: ). It has added some great tastes though and the hops are coming through even more pronounced. It's also seemed to condition better - both in cornies under the same pressure ( 3PSI ) in the same kegerator. The head is much tighter and it feels as though it has slightly more carbonation :hmm: .

In short I will definitely be doing this again - I have 2 more BLs and 2 bottles of White Shield :thumb:

 

[lettuce_nz]

Hi again guys.

I have cultured yeast from two bottles of bengal lancer, stepping up to a 1L starter with the advice in this forum, at the height of fermentation (in the starter), I've noticed a slight sulfurous smell. Is this normal or should I be worried? I was hoping to use it in a brew this weekend.

Cheers!

 

[Dronfieldbrewer]

I did not notice any smells that were not good brewing smells when I last used BL..

 

[Hawks]

me neither, but also didnt sniff the starter until I was ready to use it - taste it... that'll tell you

 

[jampot]

Would like to have a go at this with some hop back yeast, is there a difinative "how to" guide here somewhere, how do you know when you have enough yeast for a 23 ltr brew ?

 

[Dronfieldbrewer]

Would like to have a go at this with some hop back yeast, is there a difinative "how to" guide here somewhere, how do you know when you have enough yeast for a 23 ltr brew ?

Its difficult to judge as to how much yeast you need. It depends on the viability of the bottled stuff etc.

When I last used Hopback. 1 bottle was enough to step up, I used a big jam jar 1/2 full of 1040 wort or you could use some spraymalt or what ever. Swirled the bottom of the bottle and just tipped it in. Within 12 hours, you should see some formation of a krausen in the jam jar. I suppose that if you havn't got the startings of bubbles at this point then you might need to tip in another bottle bottom.

I waited until it was really bubbling and kicking yeast off the top (about day 2.5) before I tipped it into the brew proper, so just poured it in...Whosh within 6 hours a new krausen was forming and off like a train.

Hopback yeast is a top cropper, it will chuck up a cream cheese like stuff. This is the new yeast, skim off into a steralised vessel with sealable lid and shove in the fridge for the next brew ( or make bread with it, yum yum :party: ) . It will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks but then will deteriate.

When its finished fermenting, skim the crust off the top, drop it into another fermenter ( off the trub) and then you will need to use finnings. I use a packet of gelatin per 25 litres, mixed with boiled water and bunged in.

 

[Screwy]

So how much of this yeast do you need for a brew

S

Good resource here http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

Cheers,

Screwy

 

[jampot]

Ok, I have had a go at harvesting a bottle of hopback summer lightning, things have gone well. I have now a 1 ltr starter. It is in a 2ltr conical flask. The bottom of flask is completely covered with yeast now about 5 mil thick. So my question is is this enough for a 23 ltr brew or will I be under pitching?

 

[Mark1964]

yes but you could grow it more by draining off the spent wort/dme then adding more spraymalt or wort to 2 litres or more

 

[jampot]

Sorry is that yes I am under pitching or yes it would work but better to add more, its been on stir plate so the yeast is now mixed in again so could I just add a further 1 ltr on top?

 

[Mark1964]

not ideal to do that its best to let it settle then the yeast will drop to bottom, put it in the fridge for a while then carefully pour off the liquid and top up with dme or wort to 2 litres and it will start fermenting and growing again

 

[jampot]

Ok thanks, gonna brew Sat. So if it needs days in the fridge I think I am stuffed

 

[Mark1964]

it doesnt just overnight should be ok it will have dropped to the bottom by morning

 

[jampot]

Ok, thanks. I had better do the 2 ltr dme in the morning before work. Am I ok with just boiling it up in a sauce pan cooling it then tiping straight in as now I dont have the conical to use i.e its holding the yeast. I take it the boiling will sanitise everything being added?

 

[Mark1964]

yes boil for 10 mins then cool

 

[jampot]

Thanks very much for your input this eve. Gonna try and make a gfb on sat.

 

[jampot]

wow its really going for it now....

 

[Mark1964]

The more sugars you give the yeast the more active it will be. When this lot has finished fermentation you could split it into small pop bottles and save in the fridge for future brews

 

[jampot]

I see, but wasn't I doubling the yeast to have a pitch rate enough for Sats brew? What about saving the yeast after that brew.Aaah questions ,questons!

 

[Mark1964]

yes you can pitch the full amount but if its not a lager your brewing you wont need a 2 litre starter. I pitch 500ml in a bitter mild stout etc and its off like the clappers the next day so thats why i suggested splitting what you have