Lord Of The Dans Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Hi fellow artisans, I was gonna reculture some yeast tonight for my next brew, and have a query or two. Last time I did it, I boiled up some dried malt extract, and it worked great. The instructions I've read here say to just use dextrose. A quick glance in the cupboard, and it appears I'm out of LDME (bloody typical, I have 2kg arriving in the post next week), but there is a box of Brew Enhancer 1. Now, from my understanding, BE1 is just dextrose and maltodextrin, and maltodextrin isn't fermentable, so there wouldn't be any point using it. So, if I just use dextrose (theres always some of that in the cupboard) do I need to boil, or just dissolve in hot water? What are other brewers experience from using dextrose? And if I do use it, do I pitch the whole lot on brewing day, or just the dregs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 The instructions I've read here say to just use dextrose. sounds like crap instructions to me [annoyed] Best practice in my book is to just pitch the yeast and run off the wort/beer that you have grown them in which means you need to allow for a day or 3 to settle them out in the fridge. When building a starter, start with a small volume, 100 ml (1030 wort) let ferment out and step to 200 ml (1040 wort) and let ferment out, step to 500ml (1040 wort)let ferment out, step to 1lt (1040 wort), let ferment out. Settle out in fridge and use MR MALTY to check you have enough viable yeast, the reason I like to settle out in the fridge is that its easy to tell how much 'compact yeast' you have instead of guessing an amount. a helpful tip is this, get some contact and place on the side of the jar and mark with 50ml increments, this will let you know how much you have. in the photo I was rinsing yeast but you will get the idea. Uploaded with ImageShack.us Yob 'snip' The method described below may leave some readers, experienced in growing yeast cultures, aghast. \u201cWhat! No stir plate, no malt, no alcohol swabs, no nutrient, no way! Yep [roll] [lol] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Waters Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 The method described below may leave some readers, experienced in growing yeast cultures, aghast. \u201cWhat! No stir plate, no malt, no alcohol swabs, no nutrient, no way! Yep [roll] [lol] I'm only shocked by the way you write your 7s and 4s [pinched] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 and in thick texter[roll] I should have went roman numerals [lol] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregT5 Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Too late Yob, someone has already beaten you to it....XXXX [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyBycrikey Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Now I'm confused again. So getting yeast from the Coopers pale ale using dextrose/water isn't a good way to do it? Could someone explain the best way to do it as if they were talking to an idiot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Eh!L Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Now I'm confused again. So getting yeast from the Coopers pale ale using dextrose/water isn't a good way to do it? Could someone explain the best way to do it as if they were talking to an idiot? Hey Mike, I've made the recultured yeast using 6 CSA stubbies and the dex method of Pauls a couple of times. They have always made beer but have never quite tasted right.[sick] Not sure why?[unsure] check this out. Yeast starter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Collect yeast as outlined, I prefer to transfer to a sterile (yes strilised) bottle with graduated marks like in the picture above. Add 100 ml of 1030 wort (with DME, No DEX) shake the crap out of it morning noon and night for 2 days add 200ml of 1040 wort (DME, No DEX) shake the crap out of it morning noon and night for 1 day add 500ml of 1040 wort (DME, No DEX) shake the crap out of it morning noon and night for 1-2 days put in fridge and let settle out, this will tell you how much yeast you have (ml) , anything else is just a guess. use Mr Malty (Linked above) to understand how much yeast you need. use the re-using from slurry tab and move the slider to compact yeast, leave the other slider as default till you get more experienced. use the viability from date check box and set the viability to when you put it in the fridge. Have a play round with a few starters to begin with without pitching them, get a feel for it before trying to get a brew done with it. Play with Mr Malty, it's a fantastic resource to get you into, not only the ball park but on the 'pitch' [roll] First time I used a starter I underpitched by a long way and the brew was shetful... I drank it anyway [lol] I then played with starters for a long time till I understood what I was doing and havnt looked back, in saying that I dont tend to make too many as my prefered method is to rinse yeast from a previous brew... but thats not the question. [rightful] Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Eh!L Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Hey Yob, After washing and collecting your yeast. Do you then make a starter with the said washed and collected yeast or do you just pitch it in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 no starter, just pitched. But I know my Viability dates so is easy to work out with Mr Malty I generally collect 100ml rinsed compact slurry and can easily scale it, so if I need 70 ml compact yeast I know it will be 70% of whatever liquid volume I have in the jar (Generally 300 ml) Yob edit: I find this method so much easier than starters. In saying that though one of my next projects is to build a stir plate. I want to start a yeast bank of slants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyBycrikey Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 when you say Add 100 ml of 1030 wort(DME no dex) what do you mean, do I mix up dme and water till the hydrometer shows 1030? Sorry for all the questions, still getting my head around the terms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
***** Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 when you say Add 100 ml of 1030 wort(DME no dex) what do you mean' date=' do I mix up dme and water till the hydrometer shows 1030? Sorry for all the questions, still getting my head around the terms[/quote'] Mikey I am with you here[unsure] . I believe you are talking about reculturing Coopers commercial yeast from say 4 APA or Mild stubbies. I am not sure Yob is talking about the same thing, it sounds to me like he's talking about collecting and washing his favorite yeast from his own FV. Yob can you please clarify? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Because the yeast you have collected is such a small volume you want a small starter to begin with, it's my undrstanding that when reculturing you need to build up yeast health and vitality and this is done with a wort of less than 1040.(too high a wort in sugars can stress the poor little buggers) You want to be building up the Trehalose and glycogen (yeast cell building blocks), you also want to keep as much o2 as possible in there which are used as sterols to convert the sugars. 100g to 1lt is a wort of 1040 so with some simple maths you can work out what you need. This is whats needed for a starter to re-culture yeast (IMO), Im also saying that if you have a yeast that you have working it's not required as a step and you can simply re-use one from a Fermenter thats just finished. My set up is different to yours and what works for me may not be appliable to you. Having a good grasp of when your viability date is is imperative to a successful re-pitch either way and I fully advise getting used to the processes before you use it on a brew. as said before, Mr Malty is a great tool to get to know what you need as far as compact slurry goes. Hope this clears a few things up, will no doubt raise a few more questions though, such as.. How do you rinse your yeast Yob? [lol] Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyBycrikey Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Excellent, between Yob's info and Canadian's web link http://billybrew.com/how-to-make-a-yeast-starter I understand a bit more, enough to start playing. So say I take the yeast aside next time I bottle. Pop it in the fridge and let it sit for a month, do Mr Malty, brew another batch. Can I basically use that yeast forever? when I use Mr Malty again do I put the viability date as the first time I put it away or the most recent time? Cheers and beers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 ahhh, this is where you have a bit of research to do, but here are a few helpful links. Rinsing Yeast in Pictures - Wolfy : AHB Yeast Washing - The Brewing Network - Should Read Rinsing Yeast but they do cover washing early on. No more than 2 weeks in the fridge for a re-use without a starter. Freezing Yeast For Long Term Storage - Wolfy : AHB Happy Reading / Listening. Brewstrong rocks!! Yeast Rock [lol] [rightful] edit: Viability is from when it last hit FG, after this point the yeast go to sleep and are on the clock with regard to viability/vitality. Cheers PS Note: Its alot to digest but all those links provide most you need to know. Putting into practice what you learn is loads of fun. Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyBycrikey Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Thanks heaps mate, might have a play with the next couple. Till then think I'll stick with that US-05 stuff : ) 5 bucks is easier to lose than 20litres of beer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Of The Dans Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 Ive only recultured yeast once, and it worked, and I"m not trying to detract from Yob, because I reckon his beer would taste better than mine, but I'm going to outline what I did the first time around for those who have never done it before. 1) Buy 2 Coopers Pale Ale Tallies (not stubbies, coz you wanna collect the bottles!) and sit them in the fridge to settle for a day or two 2) When you and the bottles are ready, open both and pour into a jug, leaving the dregs in the bottle (about an inch or so). Cover bottles with glad wrap and leave out of fridge til they're room temperature 3) boil up 1 litre of water and 100grams of dried malt extract (to be honest, I can't remember how long I boiled it, but lets say 10 minutes 4)pour into another jug/bottle (sterilised, of course) and cover, then pop into the fridge until its at about 24 degrees or maybe a bit lower 5) when ready, pour your malty boiled water into a big glass bottle (I used a V8 juice bottle) and tip the dregs in. 6) Cover with cling wrap and secure with a rubber band. 7) Shake it baby! 8)keep at around 18-20 degrees, and shake a few times a day to get the yeast in suspension. Now, I'm not saying this is the best way, far from it, as it took a few days to see fermentation occuring, obviously due to there being too much wort to start with. In all, it was about 8-10 days until there was enough activity to use it. How did I know there was activity? Coz the cling wrap was bulging, and I TASTED it. And that, my friends, is probably just important as sterilisation. If it tastes funky, don't use it! Its much better to waste 100 grams of LDME than it is to waste 20 something litres of beer! So go ahead, give it a go, Coopers make awesome beer, so it can only make your homebrew better! But yeah, do what Yob says, start small, and build up your starter gradually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Of The Dans Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 Oh crap, I forgot step 9! Don't forget to drink the Pale Ale! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 bump!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisK Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Lord of the Dan's method is the one I've used int he past. This weekend I'm going to try and grow some little yeasty buggers out of White Rabbit Dark Ale stubbies because I want to make a clone. I'd planned to add the dregs of six stubbies to 1l of water/100grams LDM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRR Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Lord of the Dans - did you pitch the entire bottle, or just the sediment? -J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Bump for Jarvo, mate, ya gunna need to do some reading, here's a shorter topic, same stuff is covered. Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 In saying that though one of my next projects is to build a stir plate. This construction project might be of interest then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Of The Dans Posted March 1, 2012 Author Share Posted March 1, 2012 Lord of the Dans - did you pitch the entire bottle, or just the sediment? -J Whoops, just saw this. Yeah I pitched the entire bottle, coz I didn't know any better. It was only my second brew. However, I did taste it for the first time last night and it was AWESOME. Only bottled for 10 days, but I'm impatient, and often thirsty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 In saying that though one of my next projects is to build a stir plate. This construction project might be of interest then. Wolfy's DIY Computer Fan Stir Plate would be a lot cheap and easier I reckon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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