Harvesting bell's yeast. primero

dpeanut7 · May 3, 2012

So my goal is to make a Bell's HopSlam clone, and in order to do that (and graduate in one sector of homebrewing), I want to harvest the Bell's strain of yeast from their Oberon Beer. I've seen in numerous places that this is the strain used for all of their ales. Basically, I'm just documenting my process and seeing what you guys think.

1. Cleaned all supplies in Oxyclean for 20 min. Half pint jar and Spaghetti jar.
2. Boiled 1.020 wort for 10 min and water for 20 min. (with all supplies from oxcyclean solution in the boil).

3. Added wort to sanitized jar (both room temperature), flamed top of each bottle drank (6), and poured dregs of each beer into sanitized spaghetti jar (1/2 pint jars WAY too small for 6 bottles).

4. Capped and vigorously shook "starter."

5. put jar on my counter covered in a 70 degree house.

6. Will check in 24,48,72 hours.

7. After that, I'll decant, and add more wort?

8. Not sure what to do next, as I don't know how to quantify yeast cells, and not sure how long this will last (not going to make the beer with it for a few weeks.)

SD-SLIM · May 3, 2012

dpeanut7 said:
So my goal is to make a Bell's HopSlam clone, and in order to do that (and graduate in one sector of homebrewing), I want to harvest the Bell's strain of yeast from their Oberon Beer. I've seen in numerous places that this is the strain used for all of their ales. Basically, I'm just documenting my process and seeing what you guys think.

1. Cleaned all supplies in Oxyclean for 20 min. Half pint jar and Spaghetti jar.
2. Boiled 1.020 wort for 10 min and water for 20 min. (with all supplies from oxcyclean solution in the boil).

3. Added wort to sanitized jar (both room temperature), flamed top of each bottle drank (6), and poured dregs of each beer into sanitized spaghetti jar (1/2 pint jars WAY too small for 6 bottles).

4. Capped and vigorously shook "starter."

5. put jar on my counter covered in a 70 degree house.

6. Will check in 24,48,72 hours.

7. After that, I'll decant, and add more wort?

8. Not sure what to do next, as I don't know how to quantify yeast cells, and not sure how long this will last (not going to make the beer with it for a few weeks.)

You will need to step up your starter to get enough yeast cells to make a batch of beer...when I skim bottles for yeast, I usually use about 6 bottles, make a starter with them and allow it to ferment for 5 days, chill and allow it to seperate...at this point you can estimate that Generally 40-60% yeast solids will correlate to 1.2 billion cells per ml.
After this you can go to http://www.mrmalty.com/yeast-tools.php and use there calculator to figure out how much yeast you will need.
Here are two other resources:
http://www.wyeastlab.com/com-yeast-harvest.cfm
http://***********/stories/techniqu...-brewing-tips/743-harvesting-yeast-techniques

Good luck, happy hunting!

periwinkle1239 · May 3, 2012

Also make sure you cap with foil so oxygen can get in to get the yeast going. You don't want an airtight cap. And yes also step up, you'll have to be patient and it might take a few days to notice activity.

JonM · May 3, 2012

Don't be surprised if you don't see any activity in that first step. I never see any krausen or anything when I do that first step with 1.020 wort and bottle dregs. But, it's working! I usually see activity when I do the third step up, to a quart of 1.040 wort.

You'll eventually need to step it up to larger volumes, so if you have a 1/2 gallon growler or something that size, get 'er ready.

Also, might want to use StarSan or some other sanitizer. Oxyclean is just a cleaner. Cheers!

Homercidal · May 3, 2012

It takes a while to get going, even with a 6er sometimes. You'll want to step it up a LOT if you are making Hopslam. It's a big beer.

dpeanut7 · May 3, 2012

Awesome guys! You answered most of my main questions. Mostly, do I ferment on the counter (yes at first to ferment, then cold crash to separate)?

Also, regarding the Oxyclean, I was using that as my first clean (followed a Youtube video), then I boiled the jars and equipment (which acted as my sanitizer?), and flamed the bottles. I usually use Starsan, but the video never mentioned, due to the boiling.

I have a 1 gallon carboy, I was just going to use that. I'll have to research how to step up. Should be fun! Also, I'll be sure to look up how much I need for Hopslam, its the only reason I'm harvesting this strain!

Thanks guys!

JonM · May 3, 2012

Before you know it, you'll have a big pitch able volume of yeast and, if you're like me you'll think "why didn't I start doing this years ago?!?!"

SD-SLIM · May 3, 2012

dpeanut7 said:
Awesome guys! You answered most of my main questions. Mostly, do I ferment on the counter (yes at first to ferment, then cold crash to separate)?

Also, regarding the Oxyclean, I was using that as my first clean (followed a Youtube video), then I boiled the jars and equipment (which acted as my sanitizer?), and flamed the bottles. I usually use Starsan, but the video never mentioned, due to the boiling.

I have a 1 gallon carboy, I was just going to use that. I'll have to research how to step up. Should be fun! Also, I'll be sure to look up how much I need for Hopslam, its the only reason I'm harvesting this strain!

Thanks guys!

If you ferment on you counter...make sure temp is between 62-75 degrees, and make sure no visible light can penetrate the fermentor.

Star San is all you need to use (as long as you follow the manufactures directions)...no boiling needed, unless the jars have been contained something else prior to using, then it's good to boil them!

dpeanut7 · May 3, 2012

SD-SLIM said:
If you ferment on you counter...make sure temp is between 62-75 degrees, and make sure no visible light can penetrate the fermentor.

Star San is all you need to use (as long as you follow the manufactures directions)...no boiling needed, unless the jars have been contained something else prior to using, then it's good to boil them!

I actually used a spaghetti jar (My halfpint jars were too small) I washed with oxyclean and boiled for 20 minutes, but it still smelled SLIGHTLY like spaghetti. I'm assuming this is just like the beer smell on buckets, and won't be a problem.

Ambient temperature is 68-70 in my house, and the jar is covered, so I should be good. I can always move to my not-yet-temp controlled fridge (controller comes monday) which is at 65.

dpeanut7 · May 3, 2012

Do you guys think this schedule is alright?

Today's Thursday, put jar in fridge on Saturday night (3 full days), remove on Sunday, decant, make new 1L starter, leave on counter for 5 days, decant, make new 2 L starter, cold crash/store?

pabloj13 · May 3, 2012

dpeanut7 said:
Do you guys think this schedule is alright?

Today's Thursday, put jar in fridge on Saturday night (3 full days), remove on Sunday, decant, make new 1L starter, leave on counter for 5 days, decant, make new 2 L starter, cold crash/store?

The thing I have found about bottle culturing is that it does not go by your schedule at all. you just have to go where the yeast take you. The first step is the slowest. Subsequent steps shouldn't take more than a day or two. It took me about 10 days to get enough yeast.

homebrewhaha · May 3, 2012

Subscribed. I'm not ready to harvest yet but plan to do this in the future. Does anyone know if there's some kind of wiki or just a good general reference on yeast harvesting? Just from reading around a bit I think I have a good idea what goes into it, but it would be good to have a well-vetted reference to cling to.

pabloj13 · May 3, 2012

homebrewhaha said:
Subscribed. I'm not ready to harvest yet but plan to do this in the future. Does anyone know if there's some kind of wiki or just a good general reference on yeast harvesting? Just from reading around a bit I think I have a good idea what goes into it, but it would be good to have a well-vetted reference to cling to.

This video was useful for me

There are also a good number of Bell's yeast harvest threads that are helpful

dpeanut7 · May 3, 2012

Thanks a lot for your continued help. Seriously. I'm supposed to be continually shaking the jar right? By continually, I mean like every hour or so when I'm around.

pabloj13 · May 4, 2012

dpeanut7 said:
Thanks a lot for your continued help. Seriously. I'm supposed to be continually shaking the jar right? By continually, I mean like every hour or so when I'm around.

Sounds good. Just watch out, it'll start to foam up quite a bit when it gets active.

homebrewhaha · May 4, 2012

pabloj13 said:
This video was useful for me

There are also a good number of Bell's yeast harvest threads that are helpful

Thanks Pablo! Great. Just noticed your signature. Ommegawd Hellepin sounds awesome. What's that all about? I'm a huge Ommegang fan so that caught my eye.

Homercidal · May 4, 2012

dpeanut7 said:
Thanks a lot for your continued help. Seriously. I'm supposed to be continually shaking the jar right? By continually, I mean like every hour or so when I'm around.

Exactly. If you like this, then consider building or buying a stirplate. Takes the work out of it and works better too. Parts to build one include a hobby box, a computer fan, a computer hard drive magnet (or buy some rare earth mags on ebay) and a potentiometer. Some people also include a $15 PWM control.

Oh, and a spare Wall Wart from a Cell Phone. Something in the 6-12V range.

pabloj13 · May 4, 2012

homebrewhaha said:
Thanks Pablo! Great. Just noticed your signature. Ommegawd Hellepin sounds awesome. What's that all about? I'm a huge Ommegang fan so that caught my eye.

I cultured yeast from Hennepin, which people have done successfully before. However, whatever I cultured was NOT the right yeast. I should have known better because it wasn't attenuating my starter cultures completely. But I brewed a Hennepin clone anyway. Started at 1.060 and stalled at 1.040!! So, thanks to the help of these guys, I put Wyeast 3711 French Saison "The Destroyer" in there and it fermented it down to 1.000!! So now I have a warm, spicy wicked strong bastardized version of Hennepin. Still pretty young, but already drinkable and almost 8% ABV. Quite an adventure, but more fuel for the "Never throw out a brew" crowd, of which I am now a member. :ban:

lestershy · May 4, 2012

Not to burst any bubbles but...
Isn't the yeast in oberon a low flocculating wheat beer strain? I'm pretty sure they use a different yeast for hopslam. Still, it's good to lean how to do new things!

pabloj13 · May 4, 2012

lestershy said:
Not to burst any bubbles but...
Isn't the yeast in oberon a low flocculating wheat beer strain? I'm pretty sure they use a different yeast for hopslam. Still, it's good to lean how to do new things!

No. The yeast in Oberon is their house ale yeast that they use for almost every one of their ales including Amber, Two-Hearted, Pale Ale, etc.

dpeanut7 · May 13, 2012

Hey guys, sorry to revive this, but what happens if while I'm cold crashing, some of the yeast freeze? My thoughts are that while my freezer was cooling to 35 degrees (johnson controlled freezer), it may have dipped below to cool, and froze some yeast. Should still be viable right (Considering some freeze yeast on purpose)?

Harvesting bell's yeast. primero

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