Gathering Wild Yeast....

[zosimus]

So I have been curious about the process of gathering Wild Yeast as I know some homebrewers do this.

I have concocted a couple of sugary liquids which I found people do different things, some with honey water, some with simple syrup and some with fruit juices

So far I know I've captured yeast as my little starter is bubbly and smelling nice and yeasty.

I know this method of brewing is a hit or miss as you get weird flavors and other things, but this is really more of me just experimenting with the idea that I could do it so if it fails I'm all good.

I am curious though of the safety of this method of doing things. It seems like a very sketch way of doing things. I'm most worried about mold, but does anyone know about safety when it comes to gathering your own wild yeast?

I haven't seen any mold and I swirl my starter twice a day (I've heard that helps prevent mold) but I'm curious on other people's experience. I have some cider left over that's going to just sit there so I'm willing to sacrifice it and just start fermenting to see if I can get anything good.

 

[eliastheodosis]

I am curious though of the safety of this method of doing things. It seems like a very sketch way of doing things. I'm most worried about mold, but does anyone know about safety when it comes to gathering your own wild yeast?

I would say that the seeming sketchiness of many things is negatively correlated with the amount of knowledge you have about that particular topic Mold is a reality and it's not exactly good for you. If you're messing around with this process you're likely to run into it at some point. Just make sure you're educated about it and that you use that education to make smart decisions. Some molds can be more harmful and often no single variable will tell you everything you need to know about the situation. Use your senses and use your sense. Remember that ignorance and caution are good dance partners. If you're in doubt don't be afraid to scrap something. You might get braver as you learn more and get more experience.

Some people will try a small amount of a promising starter that has some mold in it so long as the signs are good. It's a calculated risk, though. Even if the risk is seemingly low. Personally, I don't mess with it. If mold has touched the starter liquid then I would either pitch it or plate it out to try to isolate the yeast I want. You can try to remove the mold and make sure the yeast can take over as you step it up for a brew. The bigger/grosser the mold colony the less likely I would be to try this, though. Here is a link to Bootleg Biology's site where they describe some harvesting techniques and also a link to Tonsmeire's site, The Mad Fermentationist, where he talks about spontaneous yeast starters.

https://bootlegbiology.com/diy/capturing-yeast/https://www.themadfermentationist.com/2011/04/ambient-spontaneous-yeast-starters.html
There are also things you can do to discourage the growth of mold in the first place. You're already swirling, which is a great start. Just educate yourself on techniques and things you can do to discourage mold growth and also what won't help. Alcohol isn't always a saving grace like some people think and hops discourage LAB but not mold. Cutting oxygen out of the equation if you can will be a great help.

Last thing would be to learn to actually identify mold. Many people freak out at the first signs of wild yeast growth. Here is a link to the Milk the Funk wiki where they have some pictures and descriptions of each one. Many things that seem like they might be mold actually are not. There is also some info there about combating mold, health concerns, etc.

https://www.milkthefunk.com/wiki/Mold
Stepping outside of the more common bounds of beer fermentation can be an eye-opening experience. Good luck and have fun!