Farming yeast?

[mChavez]

Hi!

I've had a look at some wyeast packs at my LHBS and the price is very steep!

I remember skim-reading articles about farming yeast from the bottom of the fermenter, but that required quite a bit of equipment.

Would it be relatively easy to farm & freeze some of the wyeast if I take some from the pack I buy before I add the rest of it to the wort?
What equipment do I need to have?

Thanks!

 

[diS]

Simplest way is to make bigger starter and save part of it for next brew. If you want to farm it you can freeze it in glycerine solution.
There is a thread in Yeast section:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/d...tarter-then-why-not-farm-yeast-freeze-269488/

 

[spark_plug]

Or pitch all the yeast and wash it afterwards. Bernie has a nice little how-to in the yeast section, which requires minimal equipment.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/

 

[brewkinger]

Yeah, like spark said, 1 quart mason jar and a couple of smaller mason jars (baby food jars work great too), boil kettle, racking cane and some time and patience.

Check on the sticky on yeast washing
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/

Pretty simple, if you can make beer then you can wash yeast.
I bought a $6.50 WYEAST 1056 6 months ago and have made 6 batches with it. Makes it cheaper than dry yeast.

 

[evrose]

Hi!

I've had a look at some wyeast packs at my LHBS and the price is very steep!

I remember skim-reading articles about farming yeast from the bottom of the fermenter, but that required quite a bit of equipment.

Would it be relatively easy to farm & freeze some of the wyeast if I take some from the pack I buy before I add the rest of it to the wort?
What equipment do I need to have?

Thanks!

You need more equipment and better procedures to freeze yeast than you do to harvest and wash from a fermenter. To freeze it, you have to suspend it in glycerol solution at certain concentrations. I've done it (with the help of professional yeast microbiologists who I work with), and it's barely worth the time.

However, harvesting from the fermenter is quick, cheap, and easy. There are threads here that outline the procedure in great detail. Check the sticky threads in the yeast forum.

 

[mChavez]

Thank you!

How long can the yeast be stored for after it's been harvested?
And are stir plates a necessity?

 

[brewkinger]

I harvest one good full pint sized jar of yeast from every batch and use it within 2 wks of harvest. Depending on your sanitation process it can be kept for months in the fridge (that seems to be the consensus on HBT) but I tend to use mine quickly as I try and brew once per month.
A stir plate is not necessary, you can give the starter a swirl every time that you walk by it; BUT a stir plate can be built very cheaply (refer to the DIY forum for tons of ideas)
I built mine for around $20 and it makes the starters a WHOLE bunch better.

 

[roastquake]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/guide-making-frozen-yeast-bank-35891/

This is exactly what I do, I have several strains frozen now

 

[roastquake]

I've also had success making starters from the yeast in my bottled brew, just be sure to open with a sanitized bottle opener, flame the rim of the bottle, and of course make sure the beer doesnt have any off-flavors that may come from contamination/infection. I've found that to be much easier that yeast banking