161 replies to this topic

[positiveContact]

Yes, give a look at the Maribeth Raines document.You are going to need a few 50 ml containers that can be sterilized. One to hold you agar slant media and the other to hold 20 ml wort. Both will be sterilized in your pressure cooker. While you are at it, pour 75 ml of wort into 1/2 pint canning jars and process also.Short process since there is information on the web to create slants with agar and the slant has your yeast, Pour the sterilized container of wort into the slant. Close lid shake to dissolve air into solution. Slightly loosen to allow CO2 to escape. Shape off and on for a day. Then pour into your 1/2 pint of wort.Shake when as you pass by. This will set for 2 days.This beer will be your starter solution the can be added to 500 ml of sanitized wort and then grown up for your beer.Not exactly cheap to get started but will expand you learning experience with yeast.Checkout Maribeth's document.

I'll have to give that a read. Do you find this aspect of the hobby enjoyable? being a yeast farmer might be fun ;)I also have a centrufuge that can take small vials - not sure if it has any usefulness here.

[JMcG]

I do find it enjoyable, or I wouldn't do it.It is some extra work, on occasion: Making slants and cleaning tubes.But, I like when I can plan for a brew using a yeast culture other than the cake from my last brew. I have about 25 different ones. Most are strains available from Wyeast or White Labs, but some I've cultured some from bottles I liked (mostly bugs).I use glass screw top test tubes for slants and to start the propagations. (I don't like plastic/throw-away stuff). I have two stir plates, a tube rack that can go in the pressure canner, an alcohol lamp and inoculation loop for transfers/streaking cultures. I have a couple of Petri dishes (useful for separating different yeasts from bottles). I just use DME (plus nutrient) to make media and get agar from the organic grocery store. Two or three time a year I prepare new tubes for re-culture and propagation.I have a scope, but rarely use it, unless I'm looking at a specimen cultured from a bottle. I don't usually bother with cell counts during propagations.You could certainly do this with a lower tech approach and use canning jars for cultures, etc. The way I do it is the way I was taught and, for the most part, the way a real lab would do it.I've always sort of enjoyed the process (and the beer ) and find it interesting. Love making microorganisms work for me.