a complete list of breweries to harvest yeast from

[Donthoseme]

I have been wanting to harvest yeast from a commercial beer for quite some time but one thing keeps holding me back.

BOTTLING YEAST!!

I want to compile a complete list of beers that use only one yeast strain that can be harvested from their beer as well as which breweries use yeast that can be purchased from an LHBS.

Big ones i'm looking for

Au Chouffe SAAZ Belgian Tripel IPA

Dogfish head 90 and 120

Flying dog Gonzo imperial porter

Chimay

These are a few of the main ones i'm looking for but if you know a great beer that you can get the yeast from the bottle or the store let us know!

 

[apparatus]

You might take a look at this list.
Yeasts from Bottle Conditioned Beers

 

[bump8628]

You can look here for which breweries the White Labs and Wyeast strains originate.
Yeast Strains

 

[Zymurgrafi]

I have been wanting to harvest yeast from a commercial beer for quite some time but one thing keeps holding me back.

BOTTLING YEAST!!

I want to compile a complete list of beers that use only one yeast strain that can be harvested from their beer as well as which breweries use yeast that can be purchased from an LHBS.

Big ones i'm looking for

Au Chouffe SAAZ Belgian Tripel IPA

Dogfish head 90 and 120

Flying dog Gonzo imperial porter

Chimay

These are a few of the main ones i'm looking for but if you know a great beer that you can get the yeast from the bottle or the store let us know!

I don't think you will have much luck harvesting from the DFH 90 and certainly not the 120, if they are even bottle conditioned. I have only had the 90 and I do not recall there being any yeast sediment? Beers that high of gravity are likely using a second yeast for bottling due to the fact that the primary yeast will be stressed all to hell and likely all but gone from suspension.

 

[SkinnyShamrock]

If you're anywhere near DFH's brewery, you could stop by for a tour, and ask them about their yeast. When I was there they asked if there were any homebrewers, and the couple people who were there had a 15-minute or so discussion with the guy after the tour. While I'm fairly sure they won't give you any, you might be able to weasel some details out of them...

 

[climateboy]

Don't forget Bell's. I harvested yeast from Two-Hearted Ale bottles, and it is fermenting a batch happily now.

 

[Zymurgrafi]

Here is a list. A bit out dated in some cases but a start.

Yeasts from Bottle Conditioned Beers

 

[kniles38]

I spoke with a head brewer at dogfish head yesterday, and she informed me that they do not use a different bottling yeast for their beers. And they use a proprietary house strain for their high alcohol beers. She encouraged me that I could harvest if I tried.

I don't think you will have much luck harvesting from the DFH 90 and certainly not the 120, if they are even bottle conditioned. I have only had the 90 and I do not recall there being any yeast sediment? Beers that high of gravity are likely using a second yeast for bottling due to the fact that the primary yeast will be stressed all to hell and likely all but gone from suspension.

 

[sonetlumiere85]

Wyeast's 3522 would work great for a Belgian IPA. Bottle harvesting is fun and all, but it's not like it's the end of the world if you get a bottling strain instead. Chimay's yeast is also available as a comparable liquid strain.

 

[user 40839]

If you're anywhere near DFH's brewery, you could stop by for a tour, and ask them about their yeast. When I was there they asked if there were any homebrewers, and the couple people who were there had a 15-minute or so discussion with the guy after the tour. While I'm fairly sure they won't give you any, you might be able to weasel some details out of them...

The happy bit about living in Northern California is being surrounded by fantastic breweries, which are fun to go to and get completely ratarsed in. I've taken the tour in several, and every time - every time - when the guy on the tour learned I was a homebrewer, I got hooked up with offers of yeast strains when I need them, empty bottles from their tasting room, and the last time I was told to call ahead when I was ready to step up in batch size, and they'd have some decommissioned kegs waiting for me.

Simply put, brewers are awesome.

 

[shek]

The happy bit about living in Northern California is being surrounded by fantastic breweries, which are fun to go to and get completely ratarsed in. I've taken the tour in several, and every time - every time - when the guy on the tour learned I was a homebrewer, I got hooked up with offers of yeast strains when I need them, empty bottles from their tasting room, and the last time I was told to call ahead when I was ready to step up in batch size, and they'd have some decommissioned kegs waiting for me.

Simply put, brewers are awesome.

Jeez, I need to start visiting more breweries. I recently started kegging in sankey's (in addition to the couple of cornies I've had for years). Not sure if I'd try to make a keggle, but I could definitely see stepping up my batch size again so that I can keg into a 1/2 bbl.

 

[dunnright00]

I got a buddy who has one recipe that he makes, and every time he's ready to brew he buys a 12-pak of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and harvests his yeast from that.

Now, that being said, I've never tried one of his brews and some of is other practices are a little unorthodox so, take it as you will...

 

[shek]

I got a buddy who has one recipe that he makes, and every time he's ready to brew he buys a 12-pak of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and harvests his yeast from that.

Now, that being said, I've never tried one of his brews and some of is other practices are a little unorthodox so, take it as you will...

Bevmo has a really good price on Celebration Ale right now, like $12.99 for a 12-pack, and I have a gift card from my birthday burning a whole in my pocket. Can anyone confirm that there are yeasties in a bottle of Celebration?

 

[dragon99]

Bevmo has a really good price on Celebration Ale right now, like $12.99 for a 12-pack, and I have a gift card from my birthday burning a whole in my pocket. Can anyone confirm that there are yeasties in a bottle of Celebration?

Drank some last night, but couldn't tell ya if it had yeast. Damn fine beer tho :cross:

 

[remilard]

Bevmo has a really good price on Celebration Ale right now, like $12.99 for a 12-pack, and I have a gift card from my birthday burning a whole in my pocket. Can anyone confirm that there are yeasties in a bottle of Celebration?

All the SN beers are bottled conditioned with the primary strain (well maybe not the keller weiss). The same strain happens to be in packets of WLP001 or Wyeast 1056.

 

[springer]

I used yeast dregs from Saison dupont and Ommagang Hennipen for a Saison I did last summer came out fantastic

Saison

 

[JoeBronco]

I have a Russian River Beatification Starter going now... Hopefully it takes off.

 

[GoldenSky]

I have successfully harvested yeasts from several Belgian Imports, including Chimay, La Trappe, and La Chouffe. As long as your ingredients are spot on for style, and your sanitation methods are pristine, you can make beer that tastes better than the original - as it will be fresh and hasn't encountered the harsh conditions of shipping across the atlantic, then being tossed around on trains and delivery trucks for who knows how many times...

 

[Jersh]

I got 8 cans of Heady Topper a while back. I enjoyed the 1st seven in short order and am saving the 8th to harvest the Conan yeast that they brew with...

 

[rtstrider]

All the SN beers are bottled conditioned with the primary strain (well maybe not the keller weiss). The same strain happens to be in packets of WLP001 or Wyeast 1056.

1056 and wlp001 are not the same strain in those bottles. 1056/US05 is not even in the same ball park it's doughy and I really don't prefer either one of those strains. wlp001 is closer but it's still not quite there. I've used all three plus cultured yeast from Sierra Nevada pale ale on numerous occasions. I prefer the real chico as it is a tad fruitier and accents citrus hops (after it drops out) better than the three mentioned strains. The esters have a slight fruity pebble taste when fermented around 67f. I don't get that at all from 1056/us05 and I get something similar in wlp001 but it's not the same as the real thing from my experience.