MMJfan
Well-Known Member
Just a question about harvesting yeast. First of all, this was my first attempt at harvesting yeast and also my first attempt at making a starter period so bare with me.
I'm wanting to make a Bells Oberon clone and heard that it is best to harvest their ale yeast. I had some Oberon still sitting in my fridge, so I figured, what the heck and I attmpted to havest some yeast from 5 bottles of Oberon a few days ago. My first step was to add them to a small starter of 1.020 wort. I waited a couple of days and saw no signs of life in my starter. So, after a couple of days, I kicked it up and added some more wort at about 1.040 and after a couple more days, there is still no signs of activity.
My question is, how fresh does the beer you are harvesting from have to be? The Oberon I was using had been in my fridge for over 2 months so I'm thinking it was not viable to use and that is the reason why I'm getting no activity. Am I correct in thinking this? Or should I give it more time? I really don't want to wait it out much more as I'm already looking at about another week if I start over making another viable starter with harvested yeast and I really want to get this beer brewed.
After almost 5 days with no activity, I'm just planning on starting over with a sixer of some Bells Pale Ale and try this thing again.
I'm wanting to make a Bells Oberon clone and heard that it is best to harvest their ale yeast. I had some Oberon still sitting in my fridge, so I figured, what the heck and I attmpted to havest some yeast from 5 bottles of Oberon a few days ago. My first step was to add them to a small starter of 1.020 wort. I waited a couple of days and saw no signs of life in my starter. So, after a couple of days, I kicked it up and added some more wort at about 1.040 and after a couple more days, there is still no signs of activity.
My question is, how fresh does the beer you are harvesting from have to be? The Oberon I was using had been in my fridge for over 2 months so I'm thinking it was not viable to use and that is the reason why I'm getting no activity. Am I correct in thinking this? Or should I give it more time? I really don't want to wait it out much more as I'm already looking at about another week if I start over making another viable starter with harvested yeast and I really want to get this beer brewed.
After almost 5 days with no activity, I'm just planning on starting over with a sixer of some Bells Pale Ale and try this thing again.