Going Wild

[tagz]

Is there any audio available for the presentation?

 

[GrogNerd]

No audio. Sorry

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Awesome I'll check them out tonight! I watched a podcast (?) with Brad smith and a couple out of Florida last night that have a microbrewery that harvested some wild yeast and had some bang up results.

All these success stories have me hoping for the best lol! [emoji106]🏻

 

[Barley_Bob]

I'd keep the bands loose enough so gas gets released well before the lids start to bulge. I've used 48oz plastic/PET mayonnaise jars for small test fermentations. Just kept the plastic screw lids on loosely.

I use 2 quart juice containers (like Welches, etc) for my starters. Same deal - just keep the lid loose. It works fantastic. At the end, I just toss the jug. Before this I used mason jars, and I was always challenged by headspace, spills, and getting good aeration. I definitely would not go back. I think mayo jars would work really well for this because it would be easier to get the flowers out, but the same principles apply.

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Day 4. Funky funky smell has tapered. Somewhat of sweet floral hues with a bit of funk. Each minutely different but similar if any of that jargon makes sense.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1463850190.599921.jpg

 

[IslandLizard]

I use 2 quart juice containers (like Welches, etc) for my starters. Same deal - just keep the lid loose. It works fantastic. At the end, I just toss the jug. Before this I used mason jars, and I was always challenged by headspace, spills, and getting good aeration. I definitely would not go back. I think mayo jars would work really well for this because it would be easier to get the flowers out, but the same principles apply.

Unless you have a good supply of jugs, they're easily cleaned with a good warm PBW soak and shake. No different really than a Better Bottle.

One of the best small batch fermentors I have is a gallon Gatorade or Ocean Spray jug, with the little plastic neck tab/handle. The plastic is unbelievably thick and strong, way overkill for a disposable container. As is so common in our super wasteful society, the cost of the container is more than the content it ever held. I'd take a dozen of those. Just wish they were 5 or 6 quart size...

 

[Barley_Bob]

Unless you have a good supply of jugs, they're easily cleaned with a good warm PBW soak and shake. No different really than a Better Bottle.

One of the best small batch fermentors I have is a gallon Gatorade or Ocean Spray jug, with the little plastic neck tab/handle. The plastic is unbelievably thick and strong, way overkill for a disposable container. As is so common in our super wasteful society, the cost of the container is more than the content it ever held. I'd take a dozen of those. Just wish they were 5 or 6 quart size...

Awesome idea, actually.

I have two little kids, and we have no trouble drinking as much juice as California growers can produce. I just toss the jugs I use in the recycling.

Tactical-Brewer is thinking this discussion is totally tangential to his thread. But no! This is useful information!

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Next time I do this, or something similar (harvest yeast dregs from bottles of beer I want) I'll go the plastic bottle route for sure.

I haven't had any real issue with the mason jars so far at this point though. But, I can see now that I'm getting the swing of dme and doing small, yeast flavor profile, batches, a slightly larger fermentor would be beneficial.

 

[IslandLizard]

Awesome idea, actually.

I have two little kids, and we have no trouble drinking as much juice as California growers can produce. I just toss the jugs I use in the recycling.

Tactical-Brewer is thinking this discussion is totally tangential to his thread. But no! This is useful information!

So you do have a virtually unlimited supply coming in every week. That's great for brewing!

Next time I do this, or something similar (harvest yeast dregs from bottles of beer I want) I'll go the plastic bottle route for sure.

I haven't had any real issue with the mason jars so far at this point though. But, I can see now that I'm getting the swing of dme and doing small, yeast flavor profile, batches, a slightly larger fermentor would be beneficial.

To refocus the thread, after our little tangent, although plastic containers can be used for propagating yeast, for some reason I still prefer to use glass, if there's a choice. Glass can be sterilized easier.

 

[Barley_Bob]

Day 4. Funky funky smell has tapered. Somewhat of sweet floral hues with a bit of funk. Each minutely different but similar if any of that jargon makes sense.
]

You're an inspiration. What are you going to do if they all turn out? Propagate them separately or blend them?

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Ha, thanks Barley_Bob! I just think it's awesome to think of what our "styles" are in America using local yeast. Like how there's all the variations throughout Europe from thousand plus years of them brewing and refining their localized yeast.

Man, that's honestly a great question and I truly don't know. I'd love to have one that would go well in a brown ale, but also can't wait to try my hand at brewing some saisons and get refreshing, local yeasty beers [emoji6]

Also, I highly recommend reading Mutedog's blog and Sui Generis' blog as well! Great info on there!

 

[Barley_Bob]

That's interesting. I'd love to try this, but I can't stand saisons. I don't know what I'd use it for. Is it doable to refine it into something that can be used in an American or English style?

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

That's interesting. I'd love to try this, but I can't stand saisons. I don't know what I'd use it for. Is it doable to refine it into something that can be used in an American or English style?

Shoot, I honestly have no idea bud. I honestly don't even know if I like saisons lol. In my mind I'm imagining a refreshing, earthy light colored beer with flavor but honestly have no clue lol.

I will probably make some hefe's with it and some golden ales. I guess just depends on their profiles.

Knowing me, I'll brew them in a brown ale anyways for the fun of it to see how they do. Just depends on their attenuation and what not.

 

[Barley_Bob]

Shoot, I honestly have no idea bud. I honestly don't even know if I like saisons lol. On my mind I'm imagining a refreshing, earthy light colored beer with flavor but honestly have no clue lol.

I will probably make some hefe's with it and some golden ales. I guess just depends on their profiles.

Knowing me, I'll brew them in a brown ale anyways for the fun of it to see how they do. Just depends on their attenuation and what not.

If you get one working in a brown or golden ale, I'll pay for a slant.

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

If you get one working in a brown or golden ale, I'll pay for a slant.

Shoot I wouldn't charge ya for that! I think it would be awesome to trade yeast with people who've harvested local wild yeast!

Imagine drinking a blue ridge ipa, a badlands brown ale, a Missouri porter, etc.

Just think that would be awesome! I wonder just how different the strains are though throughout the country. There's obviously a ton of different yeast that produce the same style, but slight slight variations in their taste.

 

[Barley_Bob]

Shoot I wouldn't charge ya for that! I think it would be awesome to trade yeast with people who've harvested local wild yeast!

Imagine drinking a blue ridge ipa, a badlands brown ale, a Missouri porter, etc.

Just think that would be awesome! I wonder just how different the strains are though throughout the country. There's obviously a ton of different yeast that produce the same style, but slight slight variations in their taste.

...

Then you'd better brace yourself for an Illinois strain.

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

An Illinois pale ale

 

[Barley_Bob]

An Illinois pale ale

I outta collect yeast off of a corn plant, haha!

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Ha no doubt! I've got a lot of family up in Illinois. Belleville, macouta, Carrollton area

 

[cannman]

@Tactical-Brewer, I just listened to a 2013 episode of Brew Strong "Yeast FAQ" and their process to collect wild yeast was to have a jar of wort covered with cheese cloth place under a fruit tree.

Just thought I'd share!

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

@Tactical-Brewer, I just listened to a 2013 episode of Brew Strong "Yeast FAQ" and their process to collect wild yeast was to have a jar of wort covered with cheese cloth place under a fruit tree.

Just thought I'd share!

Yep, I had read about this method, and hope to try it this fall. From what I was reading a lot of people had better luck when the temps were mid 50's otherwise they were getting too much mold in their samples.

I think it's just so hit or miss though. On that episode of Beersmith where he interviewed the couple from Florida, they just set out cups of wort, and the one that worked was one that a bee fell into.

So many variations on the methods for catching wild yeast it's not even funny. I definitely want to try the wort/cheesecloth method this fall and take them to various parts around me. Fields, woods, gardens, fruit trees, etc.

 

[FatDragon]

Just read through this thread - I'm loving it! I kind've left a hydrometer sample on top of my fermentation chamber for a couple weeks a few months ago and I just pitched the wild yeast from it into a liter of wort in hopes of some magic.

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Thanks FatDragon!

Day 5!

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1463941624.015855.jpg

The honeysuckle still has a slight "funk" smell, but has the most bubbles.

The hedge has a nice, honey, sweet, floral aroma and has a decent amount of bubbles.

The roses/daisies has a very neutral smell. Little hints but not anything like the others, very neutral. This one has bubbles, but also some sort of silky umm, snotty(?) looking wavy things that hang down from the bubbles. Kinda weird. Definitely doesn't stink though so who knows.

It should be noted, none of them at this point are "overwhelming" smell wise. More of just hints. I can't wait for another couple weeks to start building these up. I can only presume it's yeast in there? Of some sort anyways. None have any sign of mold so that's a huge bonus! Or at least your normal looking "mold". Maybe that's what that white silky snotty things are hanging down from the rose/daisies bubbles?

Stay tuned to see how these develop along.

Tac

 

[cannman]

At this point I would shake it up and streak plate it and see what you get!!!

 

[FatDragon]

Looks like a pellicle forming on the rose/daisy sample. She's gonna be a sour!

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Lol! Now I'm gonna have to read up on how to brew sours!

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Day 6 update! Looks like krausen has dropped a bit! Check it out! *oh, by the way, it's crazy what pics with flash and pics without flash change what things look like!

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1464036739.947396.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1464036750.046426.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1464036759.578217.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1464036768.746866.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1464036781.545520.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1464036792.014722.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1464036802.744213.jpg

Beer geek porn for your viewing pleasure haha!

Gonna harvest some Liberty ale yeast dregs tonight [emoji106]🏻

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Day 7 update, no real change in appearance other than the hedge is now starting to get those whispy floaties like the roses and daisies. Aroma seems to be more intense on all.

Hopefully something bust loose here soon and starts changing more 👍

 

[Aristotelian]

Update: I have also been getting foam and wispy floaties in my white clover sample. It took a couple more days and my red clover sample started as well. I decided to remove the flowers once fermentation started and noticed a dead worm and some black things (not sure if they were seeds or eggs) in the red clover starter, so I dumped that one.

Any idea what the wispy floaties are? I am scared to try the white clover but hesitant to dump it yet. It smells like beer although very vegetal and funky.

 

[Tactical-Brewer]

Update: I have also been getting foam and wispy floaties in my white clover sample. It took a couple more days and my red clover sample started as well. I decided to remove the flowers once fermentation started and noticed a dead worm and some black things (not sure if they were seeds or eggs) in the red clover starter, so I dumped that one.

Any idea what the wispy floaties are? I am scared to try the white clover but hesitant to dump it yet. It smells like beer although very vegetal and funky.

I haven't the slightest bud. I guess it could be pellicle, but I don't know. I'm just going to let them keep on trudging along for another 3 weeks or so and see what happens.

Luckily I haven't seen any nasties like bugs or seeds so I think all three are still good to keep.

I probably won't "taste" any of this until I've stepped them up after I let these initial test batches crash after a month. Then I'll start stepping them up enough to do 1 gallon batches and I'll taste that lol.