RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
Lots of posts on this topic seem to involve drying over a period of 4-7 days and questionable sanitation.
Here's my experience:
Skim off some kräusen with a sanitized spoon. For when to do this, refer to recommendations for your specific culture.
Put it on some waxed paper.
Spread it thin.
Put it in the oven.
Turn on the oven light and close the door. The inside of the oven is probably the most sanitary part of your home. No specialized equipment required. Use a cookie drying rack if your oven doesn't have its own rack.
The oven is not hot, just slightly warm, around 80°F. ALERT: Some ovens have more powerful lights than others. Monitor with a thermometer if you aren't sure how hot it may get, and/or leave it slightly propped open.
Here it is after a few hours:
Open the oven maybe once or twice to equalize the humidity and for exciting photo ops.
After only 12 hours:
It already looks done, but leave it a full 24 hours to be sure it's fully dry. When it no longer smells yeasty the flakes should be fully dehydrated.
Flake the yeast into a plastic bag. Label. Store in the fridge or freezer. Supposedly they'll be viable up to 20 years.
Here's my experience:
Skim off some kräusen with a sanitized spoon. For when to do this, refer to recommendations for your specific culture.
Put it on some waxed paper.
Spread it thin.
Put it in the oven.
Turn on the oven light and close the door. The inside of the oven is probably the most sanitary part of your home. No specialized equipment required. Use a cookie drying rack if your oven doesn't have its own rack.
The oven is not hot, just slightly warm, around 80°F. ALERT: Some ovens have more powerful lights than others. Monitor with a thermometer if you aren't sure how hot it may get, and/or leave it slightly propped open.
Here it is after a few hours:
Open the oven maybe once or twice to equalize the humidity and for exciting photo ops.
After only 12 hours:
It already looks done, but leave it a full 24 hours to be sure it's fully dry. When it no longer smells yeasty the flakes should be fully dehydrated.
Flake the yeast into a plastic bag. Label. Store in the fridge or freezer. Supposedly they'll be viable up to 20 years.
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