Can Brett and Pedio be harvested?

[plazola86]

Posted this in the yeast section as well, but probably better to ask here.

I just pre ordered Funk Weapon #2 and Sour Weapon from Bootleg Biology and I'm excited to try both. This will be my first time working with both of these. Can I still use my harvesting methods like I do me regular yeast? I build a big starter, save about half for future use and pitch the other half in the wort.

 

[doomy86]

If there is only one strain in those yeast packets, yes you can.

If it is a multi strain culture, the ratio of the yeasts and with it the taste of your final product will change over time.

 

[Weezy]

like doomy said, mixed cultures won't grow in a starter at a proportional rate so making starters isn't wise. HOWEVER, Funky Weapon is all Brett iirc and sour weapon is just pedio, so you could grow them separately.

I'd recommend pitching those cultures into the beers like you planned, but save a tiny bit. Pick up a gallon carboy and put the leftovers in there. And start maintaining a mixed culture in that jug. Add bottle dregs to it as you get good commercial examples. I've had one going for over a year, feeding it once in a while.

http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2011/03/maintaining-brett-and-lacto-cultures.html

 

[plazola86]

Thanks guys! I also emailed Bootleg directly and received this response.

"If you do the save some of your starter method, definitely can do the same with these cultures. For the Pedio, I'd probably add 2g per liter of Calcium Carbonate as a pH buffer if you're going to hold on to it. Otherwise the bacteria will drop the pH so much they may start affecting viability quickly."

Should be fun getting into sours! Its a whole different learning curve.

 

[505-Brewer]

If there is only one strain in those yeast packets, yes you can.



If it is a multi strain culture, the ratio of the yeasts and with it the taste of your final product will change over time.

Correct but just remember this is not always a bad thing. In my experience some blends have gotten better. Im about to embark on freezing w glycerin and storing in isotonic solutions to keep my yeast including blends. There will be some drift but thats ok. Eventually I'll (maybe) get around to doing some isolation and yeast counts to create my blends each time but at that point I'll be getting paid to do it (for that's slot of work!)