Bottle Harvesting Suggestions

It would probably be best for you to find a low gravity beer that has yeast in it. Do research on whichever one you pick first as some beers are bottle conditioned with lager yeast.

 

All of Ommegang's Belgians use the same strain and the bottle yeast is the real deal (I normally harvest their Witte at 5.2 or Rare Vos at 6.5). The Bruery bottle yeast is authentic, ABV for Mischief and Saison Rue is high but usually fresh, have had good luck there. Saison DuPont at 6.5 has harvested well. For Trappist ales you are more likely to have success with Dubbels than Quads, usually they are the same yeast but do a Google search for specifics. When shopping, usually the beer store can scan the bar code and tell the date it arrived at their store. I have inquired about freshness more than once, going for the newest bottle.

I have good success with harvesting, it more than a novelty for me. Presently drinking a Saison (DuPont) and a blond (The Bruery) and conditioning a specialty ale with DuPont/Ommegang combined.

 

I have had excellent results harvesting yeast from bottles of De Ranke XX Bitter. The yeast yields flavors somewhere between a saison strain and standard Belgian ale strain.

 

Here are my favorites:

Ommegand Hennepin - if you can get this fresh it's a monster; you can cut the stepping up process in half. It will need to finish at a pretty high temperature to get the desired character.

Blaugies Saison D'epeautre: a better-behaved version of the Saison Dupont yeast; same for Dupont Avril table saison.

With care, the yeast harvested from Rochefort 8 is pretty wonderful.

Across most styles, I've collected a good number of ribbons from homebrew competitions, but all of my first places are from beers fermented with stepped up commercial dregs rather than from yeast companies. You get a great yeast, often cheaper than from WY/WL, and a good beer to drink too. No Brainer.

 

Hi there, wondering if you've noticed a difference in flavor between the Blaugies yeast when harvested from bottles vs Wyeast 3726? I'm guessing the Blaugies "house" yeast is probably a number of different strains and 3726 is the "dominant" strain that was isolated by Wyeast, but would love to hear your thoughts on this.

 

I've never used WY3726 but am led to believe that it's the gist of the Blaugies strain. Remember that the Blaugies yeast was borrowed from Dupont when they launched. WY and WL both dumbed down the Dupont yeast when they offered it up; 4 strains reduced to one, according to Brew Like a Monk and Farmhouse Ales. I am only able to get my fermentations up to 77F during the cold half of the year here in arctic Vermont but have managed to make some pretty good (40+ point in competition) saisons from the Blaugies dregs. Of course your own fermentation and cellaring will greatly influence the final product (for the better; it's your beer).

My opinion is that the dregs from Saison D'epeutre or Avril will make a wonderful saison. Other styles might vary, though it does make a pretty good wit.

 

Bottle harvested is usually different even if it's reputedly the same strain. Even 1056/001/US05 are different from each other and from stepped up Sierra Nevada dregs. Individual yeast companies will treat the yeast differently than other companies or commercial brewers using it. Try 1056 and SNPA dregs side by side in a split batch; I guarantee you will see a difference.

 

My understanding is exactly what skivtjerry posted. Beers like Ommegang/TheBruery/deRanke are truly world class and you can brew with their yeast if you master the technique. Lots of posts here on harvesting Conan's yeast. Pretty sure there are others you can search and find, that's why I love sampling commercial craft beer, always looking for the next gem. If you like playing yeast detective this game is for you (my name for The Bruery's strain is "Poirot").

I don't live near anything so all my yeast have to be shipped and because of the heat that pretty much eliminates shipping in the summer ('bout 9 months of the year at my house). Harvesting allows me to control the process . . . I also run a full-time laundry service for my yeast (commercial and harvested). Yeast are probably the toughest boss I've ever worked for.

 

The Duvel one is easy to cultivate, don't know if it's the primary strain that's available from white labs etc or a bottling strain

For English ones, Thwaites do a few bottle conditioned beers like their porter. It's a decent yeast and I don't think it's available from white labs etc. Also St Austell bottle condition a few too, it's another good one. Both are easy to manage

 

I have cultured this beer in the past and streaked out for isolation. It is at least two distinct strains. One has a huge fruity aroma and the other is more barnyard like.