Autolysis absolutely still occurs in homebrew. However, with today's wide availability of healthy, fresh yeast and with modern homebrewers generally having a better grasp of the brewing and fermentation process, it isn't the homebrew boogieman that it once was.
If you'd like to produce some autolysis yourself here are some things you can do to encourage it:
-Don't use yeast nutrient.
-Under pitch/Over pitch (both can contribute).
-Use yeast with poor health-expired, reused after late collection, etc.
-Use cylindro-conical fermentor without cooling the cone and/or without dumping the yeast right away.
-Leave your beer on the yeast for an extended period at relatively high temperatures.
-Leave high abv beer (>9%) on the yeast for an extended period.
-Choose a yeast strain that is more prone to autolysis (some of the top-cropping British strains come to mind).
-Get lots of trub into the fermentor.
-Use too much yeast at bottling.
I've personally tasted several homebrews that had noticeable autolysis flavors. I even experienced them for the first time in two of my brews just a few weeks ago. In my case it was due to total neglect.
I brew a lot (I'll be pushing 30 batches for 2012 by year's end) and I had a spell last winter where I brewed more in a short period of time than I had room to keep in temperature controlled area of the house while awaiting packaging. I moved two batches that were brewed the same week to an area that, while not temp controlled, at the time was about 55F-great(fermentation was completed in my fermentation chamber as with all my brews).
Out of sight, out of mind as they say and I kept on putting off packaging those two batches. Well, during the summer that area of the house gets into the 80's. So, fast forward 9 months. I decide I HAVE to package them because I'm at the time of year where I'm really revving up my brew schedule and I could use those carboys. I taste them and what I have is 12 gallons of some lovely beef broth.
Again, total neglect on my part but it does happen.
