hefe yeast question

I made a batch of hefeweizen that turned out great. It is bottled and almost half of it is already gone.

I used WLP380 yeast for it, and unfortunately I didn't washed and saved some of this yeast for next batches.

Since the weather is getting hot, I don't want to order liquid yeast.

I have two options:

1. Use dry fermentis WB-06 wheat yeast
2. Grow some WLP380 from the bottles of the beer that I'm drinking

What would you recommend? I never used dry WB-06 and I really don't know what to expect.

If you recommend option 2. than I need some advice and/or link with instructions.

Thank you

WB-06 is not too great.

Danstar Munich is a little better.

Most online brew stores will ship with ice packs in the summer, and wheat beer yeast is more heat tolerant.

Cpt_Kirks said:

WB-06 is not too great.

Danstar Munich is a little better.

Most online brew stores will ship with ice packs in the summer, and wheat beer yeast is more heat tolerant.

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What about harvesting some WLP380 (which is, btw, great yeast) from the bottom of the bottles?

400d said:

What about harvesting some WLP380 (which is, btw, great yeast) from the bottom of the bottles?

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how does one go about doing that?

400d said:

What about harvesting some WLP380 (which is, btw, great yeast) from the bottom of the bottles?

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I have never tried that, but I wash yeast from the bottom of my fermenters all the time.

Try this: Make sure the bottle is COLD. You want the yeast to all fall out of suspension. Carefully pour the beer off the yeast, stopping when the yeast tries to flow along. Fill the bottle about half full of cooled, boiled water. Swirl the bottle until all the yeast is back in suspension. Pour the yeast water into the vessel to be used to make the starter, and add in boiled DME water.

I am sure that if that method is not correct, someone will chime in.

Cpt_Kirks said:

I have never tried that, but I wash yeast from the bottom of my fermenters all the time.

Try this: Make sure the bottle is COLD. You want the yeast to all fall out of suspension. Carefully pour the beer off the yeast, stopping when the yeast tries to flow along. Fill the bottle about half full of cooled, boiled water. Swirl the bottle until all the yeast is back in suspension. Pour the yeast water into the vessel to be used to make the starter, and add in boiled DME water.

I am sure that if that method is not correct, someone will chime in.

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this is what I thought exactly, but I'm worried about the amount of yeast....

should I maybe repeat it with couple of bottles and make a starter like that?

I would use a few bottles, like 5 or 6. Make sure you sanitize everything, including the top of the bottle.

What about this recent discussion that you should always top-crop your hefe?

944play said:

What about this recent discussion that you should always top-crop your hefe?

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Hmmm, I have read that.

However, if you don't use a blowoff tube, won't the yeast normally lost there be present in the bottom of the fermenter? You will lose some in suspension, but not all.

I have come to the conclusion that wheat beer yeast should not be washed too many times. About 3 times, max.