Harvesting Yeast from Commercial Beer Bottle

[Ridire]

I sort of asked this question a few months ago but am still a bit confused about the process.

I am told that Bell’s uses the same yeast strain in most of their ales. I would like to eventually harvest some of this (probably from a Two Hearted) to use in my IPAs. I have read a bit about how to go about this but I’m still not quite sure I understand.

First off, when I get a Bell’s beer, I see no visible signs of a yeast cake at the bottom of the bottle. Can I just pour all but the bottom 1/8” and assume there is enough viable yeast in there to get this going?

My understanding of the process is as follows, please correct me where I go wrong:

1. Open Bell’s Two Hearted and dump all but the bottom 1/8” or so into a glass.
2. Make the ultimate sacrifice for science by drinking the glass of Two Hearted Ale.
3. Dump the “dregs” left in the bottle into a beaker.
4. Repeat #1-#3 a few times.
5. Make a “mini-wort” with some DME (how much?) and add it to the beaker.
6. Let fermentation go a few days.
7. Cool the “beer” so that the yeast drops to the bottom.
8. Pour as much of the liquid out of the beaker as possible without losing the yeast.
9. Repeat #5-#8 (how many times?)

Is this how you do it? How do you know when you’ve got enough for a 5 gallon batch? I have only ever brewed with dry yeast, so this is a bit foreign to me. But I would really like to be able to do this.

 

[solbes]

I've cultured Bells twice (and about ready to do a third). Once from Best Brown, and second from 2H.

You pretty much have it. Make sure the beer has sat undisturbed in the fridge for a few days to concentrate the yeast on the bottom. Save the last 1/2" or so and swirl it around prior to adding to wort. I have used 3 bottles and 2 bottles, both turned out great. The fresher the better, so look for the bottle date.

I step it as a 1 cup starter at 1.030 to wake them up. Then a 2 cup starter at 1.040. Then a 1-1.5 quart starter at 1.040. Give yourself a solid 7-8 days as each step might take 2-3 days.

 

[brkoerner]

here is video that goes thru the process using Heady Topper instead of Bells but dont think the process would differ

 

[Ridire]

Thanks guys. I'll watch the video.

As I've also never used liquid yeast, can you clear something up for me which is pretty remedial?

When I read that you want a "1.5 liter starter" or a "2 liter starter", does the volume of the starter refer to the amount of wort that has been fermented to produce the yeast? I'm a big confused on that. Obviously, If I ferment a liter of wort, decant, then pitch into another liter of wort, I'll have a lot more yeast at the end of the second ferment, right? I don't understand what the volumes mean.

 

[freisste]

Thanks guys. I'll watch the video.

As I've also never used liquid yeast, can you clear something up for me which is pretty remedial?

When I read that you want a "1.5 liter starter" or a "2 liter starter", does the volume of the starter refer to the amount of wort that has been fermented to produce the yeast? I'm a big confused on that. Obviously, If I ferment a liter of wort, decant, then pitch into another liter of wort, I'll have a lot more yeast at the end of the second ferment, right? I don't understand what the volumes mean.

That is exactly right. A 1.5l starter means you made a starter from 1.5l. Whether you pitch the whole thing or decant and pitch just the yeast, it is a 1.5l starter.

And the second part you describe is called a 2 step starter. It does indeed make more than a single starter. Actually, two 1l starters produce more yeast than a single 2l starter.

 

[Ridire]

Thanks again. One last question. If I do this, how long can I store the yeast before use?

 

[brkoerner]

If you dont do anything else to other than propagate the yeast up and store in the starter wort in a jay I've read a few-several months and then suggested to make a starter before pitching.

if you go through the process to freeze it you can keep it pretty much for ever

 

[Ridire]

So, you store it in the starter wort in a mason jar? I was assuming you got as much of the starter stuff out of there as possible and washed it by adding water until there is not much of the "beer" left. Then store it in the fridge in the mason jar with water.

 

[brkoerner]

I have yet to do this, but I don't see it being an issue as long as you have propagated it some like the first 2 starters that DonO did in the video and than just make a starter before brewing