spriolo
Well-Known Member
I decided to try and collect yeast from a bottle of Bells Two Hearted Ale. It's by far the favorite in my family and it makes since to pull the yeast and start tinkering with it.
I'm fully aware that Two Hearted Ale (THA) is a bigger beer and other Bells products may or may not have a better sample of the Bells yeast... but I'd like to find that out for myself.
After 12 hours, I saw the slightest amount of bubbles on top of the wort and the once clean wort seemed very cloudy (suspended yeast).
After 24 hours, I pulled the pickle jar off of the ghetto stir plate and let it rest for a few hours. I boiled up 2 more cups of wort at 1.030 and poured off as much spent wort as possible (watching for even the slightest amount of sediment in the pour stream). After I was satisfied with the amount I decanted off the top, I poured 2 more cups of cooled wort over the still thin, but very present yeast slurry.
Hopefully I can step it up (I have a 1500mL mason jar) and have enough for my next batch.
If you have experience with this type of thing, how long has it taken you to increase your yeast from a thin line of sediment to 1/2 cup of thick slurry (recommended by mr. malty)?
I'm fully aware that Two Hearted Ale (THA) is a bigger beer and other Bells products may or may not have a better sample of the Bells yeast... but I'd like to find that out for myself.
- I sorted through a six pack and found a bottle that had a decent layer of sediment (by the way, THA has almost NO sediment in most bottles...)
- After spraying everything and everyone within 100 yards with Iodophor Sanitizer. I opened the bottle and poured off the ale and left behind 1/4 inch of sediment slurry in the bottom of the bottle.
- While I enjoyed the decanted THA I boiled up 2 cups of wort at 1.030 gravity. As soon as I had about 15 minutes into the boil I started cooling the tiny wort sample
- Once I had the wort cooled (75*F) I poured 1/2 of it into the waiting sediment slurry bottle and swirled it around.
- I then gathered up my sanitized culturing vessel (an old glass pickle jar with a wide mouth.. sandwich stacker from the cooler section LOL). And then, poured the rest of the cooled wort plus the swirled sediment from the bottle into the pickle jar.
- I slapped a piece of sanitized foil over the top of the culturing vessel and gave the whole thing a nice swirl.
- I happened to have an old PC fan and magnet set so I assembled a bare bones stir plate and set the sample on top
After 12 hours, I saw the slightest amount of bubbles on top of the wort and the once clean wort seemed very cloudy (suspended yeast).
After 24 hours, I pulled the pickle jar off of the ghetto stir plate and let it rest for a few hours. I boiled up 2 more cups of wort at 1.030 and poured off as much spent wort as possible (watching for even the slightest amount of sediment in the pour stream). After I was satisfied with the amount I decanted off the top, I poured 2 more cups of cooled wort over the still thin, but very present yeast slurry.
Hopefully I can step it up (I have a 1500mL mason jar) and have enough for my next batch.
If you have experience with this type of thing, how long has it taken you to increase your yeast from a thin line of sediment to 1/2 cup of thick slurry (recommended by mr. malty)?