Turn your yeast starter into 40+ ABV sipper

[dlester]

I was thinking about how yeast starters are a week beer that no one would really consider drinking. And, it's a waste to throw it out. Well, I started freezing out the alcohol and saving it in a jar. I get about 4-5 oz of high strength alcohol from every gallon of beer, which adds up over time. I plan on filtering it and drinking it next Christmas.

Calculating ABV strength:
The ABV is directly related to the volume of liquids. If you know the ABV prior to fractional freezing, it's only a matter of math. If you reduce the volume by 75% with 25% remaining, divide the original ABV by the remaining percentage of the original volume, or 10%ABV/25% of original volume.

Equation: Original ABV/remaining percentage of original volume of liquid.

Example: If you have 10% in one gallon, and after you freeze, you have a quarter gallon remaining (25% of original volume), the math is this: 10%/.25 gallons = 40% ABV.

This doesn't take into account that some alcohol is encapsulated in pockets of ice. I think that freezing in smaller containers, or only freezing to slush would capture more volume of alcohol.

 

[biochemedic]

having done one freeze concentration in the past, I can tell you from experience that the resultant liquor will take on and even amplify a lot of the characteristics of the original brew...if one wouldn't really want to drink a starter, they may have the same reaction to the concentrated version! That being said, I always drink a little of my starters as sort of a quality control thing...if they are at least palatable, I feel it's pretty unlikely that my starter was contaminated or otherwise screwy, so to speak. Also, you could consider infusing the freeze liquor with some hops, herbs, fruit, etc...could possibly turn something otherwise pretty funky into something unique and very enjoyable...

 

[dlester]

having done one freeze concentration in the past, I can tell you from experience that the resultant liquor will take on and even amplify a lot of the characteristics of the original brew...if one wouldn't really want to drink a starter, they may have the same reaction to the concentrated version! That being said, I always drink a little of my starters as sort of a quality control thing...if they are at least palatable, I feel it's pretty unlikely that my starter was contaminated or otherwise screwy, so to speak. Also, you could consider infusing the freeze liquor with some hops, herbs, fruit, etc...could possibly turn something otherwise pretty funky into something unique and very enjoyable...

I think that your right, instead of throwing out the funky starter, freeze it and mix with something to make it unique. I've already got 8 oz out of two starters. I filter it since it typically has gunk in it.

Cheers

 

[RDWHAHB]

If you do your starter right it will be more about the Krebs cycle and budding more yeast. You shouldn't be fermenting and creating alcohol too much at that stage.

 

[dlester]

If you do your starter right it will be more about the Krebs cycle and budding more yeast. You shouldn't be fermenting and creating alcohol too much at that stage.

You may be right. However, there is definitely strong alcohol in the concentrated portion. I made the starter correctlty, let the yeast settle and extracted the beer.

 

[Nightshade]

I have done the freeze concentration and the results were more along the lines of concentrated flavor of the malting but no increase in alcohol content. I did not see an appreciable increase in alcohol from my testing.