Yeast culturing

[TRob]

Hello all,

I recently moved to Costa Rica and am getting the itch to make something alcoholic again, however, all the fancy yeasts and supplies that are so easily accessible in the states are a little more difficult to attain here. Thus, I was hopping (beer pun) that all of the bright minds here could help me with this project.

The most readily accessible sugar source here is fruit, namely mangoes, this time of the year, so I was thinking why not get some mango wine going. The dilemma arises in the fact that brewing or wine yeast isn't too easy to get here, so I've been brain-storming ideas to fix this problemo and have come up with three:

1) allow the natural, wild yeast to do their work

2) use bakers yeast (will probably end up bready and not that great)

3) culture yeast from a microbrew here or possibly a wine (is this possible?)

I'm leaning towards the third option right now and I've recently started a sourdough yeast culture just with flour and orange juice, and am wondering if I could do something similar since I don't have access to agar and petri dishes? Does anyone here have experience with reculturing from beer or wine and have an old-school, non-lab tech recipe for a culture?

I'm sure more questions will arise as I think through this, but any help would be great.

Gracias

 

[Nateo]

I'd go with 1. I doubt 3 is possible in Costa Rica. 2 would be my last resort.

 

[Stauffbier]

If you can get Malta Goya in Costa Rica you can use it to make a yeast starter with yeast that you harvest from craft beer bottles. You just have to find craft beer that is bottle conditioned in Costa Rica, and you're all set!

 

[TriangleIL]

I think you would try here first.

Costa Rica Craft Brewing Company