Yeast Sharing

[kkozlen]

Got to talking with a couple people last night about yeasts... Thought it might be good to find out who had what, and what they'd be willing to share.

Here's what I have in vials in the fridge that I could grow up and share with others...

Wyeast Czech Pilsner Yeast
Pacman Yeast
Boulder Beer Wheat Yeast
Ballast Point Calico Amber Ale Yeast
Wyeast 3333 German Wheat Yeast
WLP005 British Ale Yeast
WLP001 California Ale Yeast
WLP810 San Francisco Lager Yeast
Wyeast 2565 Kolsch

[bevoduz]

Great idea!

I've got:
Wyeast
3864 Canadian/Belgian (Unibroue)
1099 Whitbread Ale
2001 Urquell Lager
2007 Pilsen Lager
3787 Trappist
1084 Irish Ale
9093 Imperial Blend
1010 American Wheat
Fat Tire Ale Yeast
1056 American Ale
Pacman Ale Yeast
1056/Pacman Blend

White Labs
Super High Gravity Ale

I need a good Koelsch, octoberfest, and Hefe.

[arboyd]

Instead of starting another thread, I'll just start here...

Anyone have a good resource on how to harvest yeast? I have been wanting to do this for awhile mainly for the cost savings and unfortunately time does not allow me to brew enough to rack on the yeast cake of consecutive batches. Also, I would be harvesting from carboy's.

thanks,
Andrew

[bevoduz]

Not sure if your question was answered, but here's what I do with great results.

I use a stir plate to make my starters (if you don't make starters, I suggest looking into it, it makes harvesting yeast very easy, as well as improve your brews) I can my starter wort to simiplify this process, and have a powerpoint presentation I can send you outlining the steps if you want it.

I make a starter as usual (always make sure your starter gravity is on the low end to avoid mutating the yeast). When I pitch the yeast into the beer I got the starter going for, I leave some yeast in the flask, put it back on the stir plate with canned wort, and let them yeasties grow. Depending on how much I want to preserve depends on whether or not I add more wort when it's done fermenting. When it's ready, I pour off most of the wort, swirl the yeast with the remaining wort, and transfer it to the sanitized storage tubes I use. I use tubes just like white labs does, which are un-blown 2 liter plastic bottles. I bought a bunch of them and can sell you some if you need them, they're like $2 each or something and work great.

Then I just mark the tubes and put them in my fridge until I need them, at which time I create a starter and I'm ready to go. I've used the tubes as long as a year after creating them without any issues. I've even made tubes from that and used the yeast months later still without issues. One of the nice things about this is you always have yeast in case you or a friend needs it. Another nice thing is you can put a lot more yeast in the tubes than you'll get with a smack pack or white labs tube, so if you decide to brew at the last minute you have a much higher amount of yeast you're pitching with, and or a shorter time to get your starter to the level you need it.

I hope this helps!

[brewdad]

Can you post your recipe and instruction for the yeast starters you use? I'm thinking back to the presentation you did for the club some months back. I remember cooking and canning and mixing in a bucket. I'm sure there's other details out there too.

Thanks,

Tony

[bevoduz]

email me and I can send you the presentation in pdf format, it won't let me post it here. chadbevers@gmail.com