Simple Beer Yeast Starters and how to maintain them long term cheaply
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- Опубліковано 23 чер 2020
- Simple Beer Yeast Starters and how to maintain them long term.
Keeping it simple with yeast, DME (Dry Malt Extract), Spring Water, and a little yeast nutrient.
Other items used:
Whisk, scale to weight DME, measuring cups, pot, mason jars, tin foil, and stir bar. Also home made stir plates using cigar boxes, 120 mm computer fan, earth magnets, and old 12v power adapters.
In this video I simply show you how to make wort for a yeast starter and I use about 0.67 ounces by weight of DME per 6 ounces of water. Heat, stir, cool, and pitch with a stir bar of course. After 24 to 36 hours I simply put the jars in a fridge to cold crash before pouring off excess malt and pouring the yeast with some malt back into a smaller mason jar for long term storage in the bottom drawers of my beer fridge. I repeat this process about every 4 months for all of the yeasts I maintain.
Currently I maintain 38 liquid yeasts this way and have been doing this for about 4 years now with great success. I've also tried freezing with vegetable glycerin which worked well in saving most of my yeasts during a long power outage after a major hurricane.
Some of the yeasts I maintain:
Whitelabs 051 California Ale
Whitelabs 004 Irish Ale
Whitelabs 007 British Dry Ale
Whitelabs 013 London Ale
Whitelabs 036 Dusseldorf
Whitelabs 059 Melbourne (One of my favorites for IPAs)
Whitelabs 080 Cream Ale
Whitelabs 300 Hefeweizen
Whitelabs 400 and 410 Witbier
Whitelabs 500 Monastery Ale
Whitelabs 530 Abby Ale
Whitelabs 545 Belgian Strong Ale
Whitelabs 550 Belgian Ale (Amazing yeast for easy drinking Belgian Ales)
Whitelabs 565 Belgian Saison I Spicy (Amazing Saison yeast)
Whitelabs 566 Belgian Saison II Fruity
Whitelabs 568 Belgian Saison Blend
Whitelabs 570 Belgian golden Ale
Whitelabs 611 Nordic
Whitelabs 644 Saccharomcyces "Bruxellensis" Trois
Wyeast 3787 Trappist
Wyeast 1332 Northwest Ale
Imperial Barbarian A04
Imperial Citrus A20
Imperial Juice A38
Imperial Monastic B63
Imperial German Ale Stefon G01
Imperial Dry Hop A24
Omega 200 Tropical IPA
Omega 061 Voss Kveik
Omega 091 Hornindal Kveik
Omega 501 Gulo Irish/Saison Blend
Omega 040A Belgian Dark Ale
Omega 48 British Ale XI
Bootleg Biology Funk Weapon #3 (Great yeast)
Bootleg Biology Saison Parfait:New World Saison Blend
Bootleg Biology The Mad Fermentationsit Saison Blend
Bootleg Biology NEEPAH
Plus lots of dry that I simply use and dispose of.
Why so many? I like to collect plus I never know what I want to brew next and this leaves me with lots of options as I really do feel the yeast can have the largest impact on flavor based on the yeast of course. - Навчання та стиль
Great video, full of information and practical tips n tricks. Thank you!
Thanks for the support. Older video but still relevant.
Great video, I learn a lot, keep up the great work.
Thank you and appreciate the kind words. I am considering on doing one this year about freezing your yeast as it is pretty straight forward but requires a few key items but it has saved me in the past but currently my beer fridge is full of hops (really) and I need to free up some room so I can freeze some yeast again for long term storage.
Luv the detail to ensure solid yeast growth.
I did a good job in that video but I'll be getting a lot better and sharing a lot of what I learned after my training at White Labs.
Thanks! As you say yeast is expensive, so I wanted to find a way to stretch my dollar and here I am. Well done.
I fully agree as yeast can get very expensive. I'll eventually do a video on how to freeze yeast which has also worked for me but with auto-defrost on home freezers, it can be a little concerning.
Checking out some of your older videos. That shirt is funny. I do the same thing clean with the middle of the paper towel
I love the shirt but sadly it was a bit tight. I still have it and hope someday to lose a bit of my gut so I can start wearing it again.
The silica trick is nice
Thank you. I hate how sticky DME can get and those packets help a lot.
Another way of keeping yeast long term comes from a Roman writer Pliny the Elder. Mix the yeast liquid with bran and dry it into small lumps. If you keep those dry lumps in a cool/dry place they'll last for years.
That sounds kind of scary but you know me...I'm tempted to try it. It would make for a great video and if it works that would be even more amazing! (Just worried about contamination.)
As a brand new home brewer I really enjoy watching your videos. You provide a wealth of knowledge in a clear and precise way. I just received some Wyeast 3711 French Saison - Beer Yeast from Northern Brewers that was in transit for 6 days to sunny CA. Outside of yest bag was 91. Posted on one of the Facebook forums and they recommended doing a starter so here I am watching you do exactly that in an inexpensive way. Do you think the yeast is salvageable? I learn something new every time I watch one of your videos so Thank You for taking the time to make them.
I really should give NB a thumbs down for letting your yeast spend 6 days getting to you in the Summer time. Precooked yeast is the hardest to salvage but it can be done if there is enough viable yeast still alive. Get a starter kicking ASAP even if you are brewing for a few days or longer just to make sure this stuff is viable. 3711 has a nice temp range and seems like it could tolerate a slightly stronger starter but that is your call as I usually do 0.875 ounces by weight of DME to 8 oz of water which should put your starter at about 1.039. (I do 4 at a time which is 3.5 oz by weight of DME to 1/4 gallon of water (32 oz)). If you have a stir plate, great but if not you will need to agitate the starter as frequently as possible over 24 to 36 hours. (If you don't have a stir plate sitting the starter on something that vibrates while taking precautions to avoid it falling off, like sitting the starter on top of a washer or dryer that are in use helps.) If the yeast starts kicking the the starter should look a light beige but if the wort looks like the yeast isn't staying in suspension (darker like the original wort color before adding the yeast) then sadly the yeast is dead. Keep a backup plan, like a packet of dry yeast or another liquid yeast. Let me know and if you aren't sure either send me a link to imgur for colors or send me an email under my about section and I'd be glad to take a look.
Bitter Reality Brewing Thanks for the thorough reply. I will get the necessary supplies ordered today and get on it. I will definitely take you up on your generous offer to evaluate a picture of the end result. Thanks again for helping a very green rookie brewer out!
@@HB_Norski We all were rookies at one point and as long as we share and help each other we all can learn. Good luck.
If you want to actually sanitize your jars with temps past 200 and not deal with hot water (sterilizing is practically impossible), stick them in the oven at 275 for 10 min. Higher temps will take out spores and other bugs that survive in boiling water. Not really needed, but I find it easier.
Very useful tip as I see most mason jars are rated for up to 250 for pressure canning so I'd think 10 minutes at 275 F would be o.k. as I'd expect them to be rated for higher than what they are used for regularly.
Ever considered slanting your yeast? Only thing I need to better understand for that is do you plan to re-feed a yeast culture after a while or how long you can keep it cold and sterile - how long will it be viable? Do you just toss unused slants after a bit, or toss them all in a jar and feed them...make new slants? I enjoy the simplicity of dry yeasts, but sometimes you need the special abilities of a liquid yeast...great video...very informative and approachable. Awesome!
I actually have done slants. Once I get my new house and brew studio towards the end of this year I'll make sure to do a video on that. I used to do slants and freeze them (very easy to freeze but you have to freeze them really slowly) and some were frozen as long as 6 months before a hurricane hit and we lost power for almost 2 weeks. I was able to bring back several yeasts without issues. The only two big issues is that a slant doesn't hold much mixed with the watered down vegetable glycerin, so you have to do a few repeat starters to build back the yeast or use several slants of the same yeast. The other major issue for longevity is that the freezers that most of us use are frost free, so they heat up a little every day to avoid freezing up although there is a work around that too.
Best yeast starter video I’ve seen in an long time. What are jar sizes? Have untried with dry yeast??
More details of cigar box stir boxes?? What size earth magnets? Are stir bars 1 inch?? I’ve been paying too much for yeast.
Regular 32 oz mason jars, very durable and very cheap. I recently tried 2 - 1000 ml flasks and personally I prefer my mason jars, just better all the way around.
@@BitterRealityBrewing Great got everything on order except mason jar tongs. Never seen them before but look perfect for the job. Any idea what they are called???
@@tman9338 amzn.to/2NAVj2G - Also called canning tongs plus I'd expect Walmart would have them too. YMMV at the Walmart as mine has a small section for mason jars but I have a family member who lived in Alabama and said moonshine is a huge thing there so their local Walmart had an entire aisle dedicated to mason jars.
@@BitterRealityBrewing Fantastic. I’m in Santa Cruz where people look at me funny when I tell em I make my own beer...especially 20G batches...They think I’m nuts
Great video. Not sure if I missed it in your video, but at what temperature is the fridge set to, and how long can you keep the yeast viable in the fridge?
I keep all in the bottom drawers. As long as I do starters to keep my population going every 3 to 6 months from the original generation I've had some yeasts going for several years that have still been viable. I will be doing some more videos either this year or early next year one viability and re-testing my storage methods using techniques I recently learned in class at White Labs to ensure the overall viability. I expect that most are not at 90%+ as recommended but I believe (and crossing my fingers) my viability should be between 50 to 75% and with over pitching I am good. (Always have a backup.) I am looking forward to getting a microscope and sharing my viability percentages based on storage dates and generations.
@@BitterRealityBrewing Thank you for the reply. Okay, that is good to know.
Regarding your comment of overpitching and 50-75% viability - would dead yeast cells have any negative effects on a fermentation?
@@al4yt dead yeast will just give the live yeast extra nutrition, so there's really nothing to worry about. The live yeast will consume the dead and go about their lives lol
Very good information, thank you! Do I understand correctly that you stir the yeast starter for 24-36 hours?
I do but I've heard some people suggest 12 to 24 hours which works really well if you yeast is very fresh but for maintaining my stock the 24 to 36 hours seems to work really well for me. If you don't have a stir plate(s) check either of these videos out as I took two slightly different approaches with one showing what not to waste time and money on and the other how to do the same thing but with heat. ua-cam.com/video/DycVssVjGWU/v-deo.html (without heat) - ua-cam.com/video/PjipQmalBbM/v-deo.html (Same concept but with heat and left out the "what not to do part")
@@BitterRealityBrewing Thank you for the quick and helpful reply, -Wolfgang
Newby here! Start this process 24-36hrs BEFORE pitching correct ?
@@boughtbyHim 12 to 36 works for most but I do find the sweet spot for most yeast at room temp is around 18 to 20 hours usually. Cooler temps usually take a bit longer and some Kveik and Saison/farmhouse yeasts will get kicking much sooner. There are two goals from everything I understand - #1 - The obvious is to increase your cell count and #2 - Is supposedly to pitch the yeast while it is at its highest activity point which isn't as easy to time but I figure being active is close enough.
And yes I'm new at this and trying to learn.....what is the difference with the different types of yeast...like different white labs varieties and such.....if you don't mind my asking
I've used this list to help me understand yeast from different companies that might be either very similar or even identical in comparison. www.saltcitybrewsupply.com/media/YeastComparison3.pdf
Keep in mind if you are using a very clean yeast like Whitelabs 001 California Ale, it is all about the malts and hops but the majority of yeasts available really contribute to the flavor more than anything else especially if fermented at certain temperatures usually being on the higher side. Clean yeasts are great but personally I like the crazy ones that help really push the flavor envelope more than anything else. I also like to keep a lot of yeasts at the ready for whatever I may need when brewing.
Love your video's. When you store your yeasts that your not using. What is the maximum time they can be left in storage? I see from your comments about 4 months. So at that time do you just build another yeast starter and let it do its thing and it's good for another 4 months? Do you store the yeasts with the lids on tight?
I usually keep them all in 4 oz mason jars and every 3 to 4 months I do a yeast start to maintain them. If for any reason they smell off or don't appear to perform as expected in a yeast starter, the wort stays dark and the yeast doesn't really do much reproducing into that lovely light tan pasty color then I simply pitch it and buy fresh and start over. I probably buy fresh about ever 2 to 3 years but I have some that are easily going on 4 years that I would be confident to pitch without much concern. If you have a big batch that is very important then always pick up some fresh but if not it is a LOT cheaper to maintain your own.
@@BitterRealityBrewing Thanks for the quick reply!
@@flukie6 No prob. Working from home in these times does have its advantages but next week it will be a bit difficult as I will be in Jamaica for a full week as it will be our 30th anniversary. Its where my wife wanted to go and after 30 years I know better than argue.
@@BitterRealityBrewing That's awesome. Congrats on 30 years. My wife and I took my parents to Jamaica for their 45th anniversary.
@@flukie6 Looking like I might hit 1k by late tomorrow so I'll need to do a video when I get back thanking everyone and a few Brew Tubers for helping me get things to this point.
How do you keep up with the yeast count on all of those? Do you just use a yeast calculator and build to a certain count or just use the same measurements on all them and hope its close enough. Thanks
Sadly when I did the video, I was over pitching and crossing my fingers. (On the good side, I was successful well over 90% of the time and when it looked like it wasn't going well, I'd just pitch an alternative with good success at recovering.) I recently went to White Labs in Asheville, NC back in late September for 2 courses on handling and managing liquid yeast. I learned a TON and have been starting my yeast counting and viability testing with really great success. I am learning there are a ton of variables but I'm still testing but eventually will release a video on what I discovered.
Yeast nutrient, are they pretty much all the same. Bought some based on several yeast starter videos. Problem is the tub says it for wine yeast. Have I wasted some money, or can it still be used in the brewing and starter process’s
You'll be fine as they are all like "multivitamins" with slightly more of one nutrient over another based on what they are more geared for from my understanding. Technically speaking I've always heard Wyeast is the best but honestly I've used some bulk nutrient to refill my Wyeast tubes for almost a full year now (refilled both tubes twice now) and haven't seen a bit of difference. I found on a few sites where people mentioned running out of beer yeast nutrient and using wine nutrient with good results. Honestly for beer and wine you shouldn't need it but it does give some extra minerals to ensure good yeast growth, so thinking of tossing some in as a bonus instead of as a requirement and you are already ahead of the game. 😀😀😀
Thanks for a great video. I have a basic question which bothers me as a green horn :-) . If I reproduce let say 10grams package of new dried easts, how much would I get after 48h period approximately? Thanks in advance.
I can't say exactly, as I haven't tried weighing this out, but here are some things to consider. First, most yeasts can reproduce themselves every 90 to 180 minutes, but there is also a death rate to consider. Let's err on the side of safety and say if you tossed 10 grams of yeast into 8 to 16 oz of starter/wort at 1.040 OG, I would estimate you would have 4 to 10 times as much yeast within 36 to 48 hours with a percentage of dead cells. Keep in mind dead yeast cells help as nutrients for live yeast cells while devouring sugar. If you estimate really low at 4 times, you will always be safe.
@BitterRealityBrewing another basic question, if I put more east as recommended I will ruin my batch or it will just make the beer faster?
@@Rastislav110 Without going insane, of course, you can always overpitch to be safe. It most likely won't ferment "faster," but it might start fermenting a bit sooner with more healthy yeast being pitched to get things started. So, technically, it could finish a little sooner, aka a bit faster. 🙂 Under pitching can create stress on the yeast, generating more flavors and/or aromas, but it can also create off flavors and off aromas sometimes, too, depending on the yeasts used. "Over-pitching is always safer than under-pitching." (Another trick with lager yeasts, is that you can pitch them at 68 to 70F, and gradually bring your temp down to the correct fermentation temps (usually within 24 hours) and this will allow the lager yeast to go through a faster growth stage producing more yeast to get the job done. Most people recommend double the yeast for lagers over ales, and this trick has been mentioned by White Labs on many occasions in some of their documentation. Even on older yeast packets.)
So basically you're making a yeast starter, decanting and pitching half of it in a batch. Making another starter with the other half and so on?
Bingo! And you might be shocked that not everyone seems to get that. I went to White Labs in NC last year for professional yeast training and handling and they were impressed which made me feel really good about what I had been doing. I just always thought it made more sense than repitching used yeast and they agreed that it was a better way of doing it. I learned a lot and really enjoyed the training.
@BitterRealityBrewing That's pretty genius on your part. I always see everyone washing the yeast, but never this way. Im definitely going to give this a try. Seems simple enough. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and all the great videos. Cheers 🍻
So can I take a bit of yeast from the starter I just created to grow more yeast in the same way?
All day long! I prefer to make a starter or even 2 starters after the first starter as I prefer to hold back half of all yeast I create for a new brew as I don't believe in "Washing" my yeast as everyone tells me it can alter the flavor and aroma unless you re-pitch into the same type of brew or a darker brew. I'm all about splitting starters from fresh yeast and making more to avoid wasting money.
@@BitterRealityBrewing big thanks for that. Money is tight and knowing I can keep my yeast going is a godsend. Big shouts and thanks!
How many times a year would you do this method.
You should do it 2 to 3, but sadly I only do it about 2 to 1.5 times per year. The longer in-between the more yeast you might have to toss, but it is a choice of time and materials vs fresh yeast costs. Since this video, I still maintain my liquid yeasts but have begun using a lot of dry as of recent due to both costs and the sheer amount of really good dry yeasts that have been available over the past year and half.
so are you saying you can take a small amount of yeast that you got from the trub of a batch you made and make more yeast from it? and not have to buy more yeast
Yes and No. I don't like to capture yeasts from batches as the yeast can mutate a little bit and also pull in flavors from whatever you were fermenting. What I prefer to do is to make a stater, and maybe even split it and do two more, this way I am making a lot more yeast then I need for my upcoming brews. It allows me to keep stock of yeasts that are more likely to maintain their original traits and last longer compared to capturing it from a brew that you are fermenting. (It also reduces the amount of dead yeast cells you would capture from cropping.)
@@BitterRealityBrewing thanks for all your answers...I appreciate them
People who get offended over a t shirt need to lighten the fuck up.
I agree 100% as I've worn a lot of shirts through out my life with sayings on them and most people found them entertaining which was my goal but I know a lot of people now days look for ways to be offended. I use to fly a lot and my flying T-shirt was "Your Village Called and their Idiot is missing" Stewardesses (only the ladies as none of the guys ever took notice) use to take notice and would comment the idiot was on their last flight. It occasionally would get me the entire can of juice or like as it helped them smile which making people smile always makes (most) people feel good.