Personalizing your own strain of yeast

[KBrew9]

So this may be a stupid question, but one I have been curious about.

I realize that there are many kinds of Yeast with different properties, but while at the Troegs Brewery in PA, one of the brothers mentioned something about cultivating their own strain of yeast from a generic starter.

Is it possible to personalize your own strain of yeast so that it exudes unique characteristics? and if so, can it be done as homebrewer?

I know most breweries have their own personal strain, but I wasn't sure whether or not their process can be duplicated with resources in the home.


Thanks!

 

[cactusgarrett]

I think the way to go about this is to repeatedly brew a beer with the characteristics (gravity, temp, flocc, ester profile, etc) you want the yeast to maintain/produce over and over again, while continuing to use subsequent generations of the same yeast. A controlled, desired mutation in other words.

 

[KBrew9]

Yeah, that makes sense. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't a more exact method of doing it with minimal resrouces. Thanks!

 

[nutty_gnome]

You could also pee in it.

 

[lowlife]

You could also pee in it.

+1 That is what i do.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

You could also pee in it.

How would adding Miller help?

 

[vortexla]

How would adding Miller help?

I was thinking similar, wondering why you would pour BMC into it.

 

[gunner65]

When I read this topic my mind went stright to the gutter.

 

[Golddiggie]

When I read this topic my mind went stright to the gutter.

That's what happens when BMC gets involved...

I don't think that BMC, or muskrat piss, would even be noticed by the yeast...

Is there anything BMC is actually 'good' for?? I mean, besides lawn fertilizer (maybe)...

 

[weirdboy]

I can't find it now, but Charlie Papazian wrote an article a while back about harvesting yeast from your own body for brewing.

 

[Golddiggie]

I can't find it now, but Charlie Papazian wrote an article a while back about harvesting yeast from your own body for brewing.

That just can't be fun... Can only imagine (no, no, get out of my head!!) how they 'collect' the yeast...

 

[weirdboy]

Well not pulling it from your stomach or anything, but off the surface of your skin or hair.

 

[Golddiggie]

Well not pulling it from your stomach or anything, but off the surface of your skin or hair.

That's so G rated...

I have far more skin than hair, so that might work... Then again, who knows what would be collected off of me... Probably something rather evil...

 

[KBrew9]

Well not pulling it from your stomach or anything, but off the surface of your skin or hair.

That would definitely be an interesting read, I can't say I'd try it out though!

 

[Aunt_Ester]

I can't find it now, but Charlie Papazian wrote an article a while back about harvesting yeast from your own body for brewing.

That's ****ing disgusting. Skin cells and yeast in a starter. Bleh.

Then again, perhaps that's why we get E.T.

 

[Airplanedoc]

I can't find it now, but Charlie Papazian wrote an article a while back about harvesting yeast from your own body for brewing.

Wouldn't you be impressed if someone handed you a beer and about half way thru they said "I cultured and used yeast from my own body to brew that beer"

suddenly I'm not so thirsty

 

[seabass07]

You could wait until they finished drinking it to tell them that the yeast came off of your balls.

 

[cl330b]

.

 

[lou2row]

"You know, I harvested that yeast from the ol' lady.............."

 

[smokinghole]

http://www.ncyc.co.uk/search.html

Go there, search for Saccharomyces and you will find vaginal isolated yeasts that can ferment, might not do it well but it can ferment.

Continue with the jokes.....

 

[cl330b]

I'm willing to give it a try. I think I'll have that conversation during dinner tonight.

 

[freshhoarse]

Another thread takes an evil turn...

 

[statseeker]

Whistling....................................................................






BOOM!

I would never use the yeast from my body to ferment anything. That's probably what's behind this itch I've been having.

 

[logdrum]

http://www.ncyc.co.uk/search.html

Go there, search for Saccharomyces and you will find vaginal isolated yeasts that can ferment, might not do it well but it can ferment.

Continue with the jokes.....

This from a guy named "smokinghole"

Sent from my iPod touch using HB Talk

 

[ilikethetrees]

OP should probably re-ask his question in the "Brewing Science" section to get an actual response.

 

[LowerMillHillBackyardBrew]

Wasn't there an "artist" who brewed beer with yeast harvested from her own "hoo-ha"? I'm not sure if I think that's art...

yeah, here's the link: http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=23562
I have no idea if it's legit or not....

That's about as "my own yeast strain" as it gets!!

 

[freshhoarse]

OP should probably re-ask his question in the "Brewing Science" section to get an actual response.

+1. This is a riot, but I'm interested in the "scientific" answer also...

 

[itsme6582]

Anyone want to swap?

 

[day_trippr]

This thread gives a whole new meaning to "yeast bank"...

Cheers!

 

[seabass07]

Wasn't there an "artist" who brewed beer with yeast harvested from her own "hoo-ha"? I'm not sure if I think that's art...

yeah, here's the link: http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=23562
I have no idea if it's legit or not....

That's about as "my own yeast strain" as it gets!!

Pics or it didn't happen...

 

[statseeker]

I dont know if I want to see pics of that.

As far as personalizing your own yeast strain goes, I would go with what was said on here earlier and use a generic strain (US-05, WLP001, or an English strain) and brew with it until it gets a "house" condition to it. Once it does just blend it with the origin strain again until you start getting a feel for what it's giving you.