Pitching Yeast from Bottled Beer

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by Effinwill, Jan 19, 2020.

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  1. Effinwill

    Effinwill Crusader (433) Dec 2, 2016 California

    I’m thinking about using the yeast from my last batch (a tasty dry stout 4-5% abv) in my next batch. I didn’t save anything from the fermenters but I do have many bottle conditioned beers!
    How about inviting a friend over to help separate the beer from the yeast and pitching the slurry from a few quarts into each fermenter? Could even make it a 48 hour endeavor.
    Im wondering how many cells I have in the bottom of a quart of such homebrew? Any suggestions?
    Cheers!
     
    #1 Effinwill, Jan 19, 2020
  2. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    The dregs from a few bottles would probably not be enough. If you want to harvest bottle dregs, you should make a very small starter, and then step it up a few times. This method is really only worthwhile, time-wise and cost-wise, when you want to harvest a yeast strain you can't otherwise easily get. But if you want to do it for fun, knock yourself (and your friend) out.
     
    #2 VikeMan, Jan 19, 2020
  3. PortLargo

    PortLargo Pooh-Bah (1,831) Oct 19, 2012 Florida
    Pooh-Bah

    As Vikeman suggested, if you are talking something generic like US-05 it isn't worth the time and trouble . . . much easier to just buy a new packet. When starting a more complicated yeast it is relatively easy to make more than you need and save the excess for the next brew day(rather than bottle harvest ). Only when you are seeking something world-class, aka: Heady, DuPont, Ommegang, do you want to harvest from bottle.

    Here's a pretty good discussion. It's about Belgian yeast but applies to all:
    https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...-dregs-to-use-as-primary-yeast-strain.138629/
     
    #3 PortLargo, Jan 19, 2020
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