Yeast Bank project

[TheGeek]

So I decided its a good time to look at starting my own little yeast bank. I purchased a stirplate and 2l flask from Bell's general store for $60 (came with some small dme packs, 2way airlock and bung that I needed some spares of anyway). The stirplate is obviously no lab grade piece of equipment but it gets the job done quite nicely for the price. I also got my 16ml vials in. Just waiting now for a pipette pump and all of my equipment will be on hand. I had a small cooler and freeze pack around to use as well as pressure cooker to act as autoclave. I still need to get glycerin but I imagine it won't be crazy expensive. (I'm basing my method off the "Frozen Yeast Bank" thread here).

So far the total is:

Stirplate: $40
2L Flask: $15
Pipette pump: $10
Pipette: $4
(48) 16ml Vials: $25

I've got some Nut Brown Ale sitting on Nottingham right now, I'm going to try to harvest some (I know, its one of the cheapest yeasts to buy, but I think its a great place to make a first attempt) I'll post pics after I'm done.

 

[FoxRunner]

Good luck I keep an eye on this to know what Ill eventually be in for...

 

[wegz15]

Where did you get your vials from?

 

[TheGeek]

Cynmar.com

 

[bbognerks]

That is exactly how I bank my yeast. The process works very well. I have also successfully built up a starter from a vial. So it does work! A couple of suggestions for building the yeast back up. These were from listening to Jamil Z on the Brewing Network regarding banking yeast. Granted he stores much smaller quantities, but I still feel better doing it this way after listening to his take on it.

1. Step up the starter gradually. 15mL -> 100mL -> 1000mL -> 2000/5000mL
2. Use a weaker wort, like 1.020, for the first stage straight from the vial.
3. Get a 100/250mL flask/container for the first stage.

Cynmar rocks. The vials that I used were item # 11527908. Enjoy!

Just wish the lab grade freezer I had a chance to get wouldn't have fallen through. Ah well, hopefully the opportunity will come again.

 

[simko]

If you live near a university you could ask one of the researchers for some DMSO, a non toxic cryoprotectant,

make a 7% DMSO solution with your concentrated liquid culture, mix it up and freeze that.

slim chance, but you could try emailing a yeast researcher and asking them, they might give or sell it to you.

 

[camiller]

If you live near a university you could ask one of the researchers for some DMSO, a non toxic cryoprotectant,

make a 7% DMSO solution with your concentrated liquid culture, mix it up and freeze that.

slim chance, but you could try emailing a yeast researcher and asking them, they might give or sell it to you.

Glycerin serves the same purpose and is probably easier to get. I know my LHBS carries it.

 

[simko]

Whoops! didnt see glycerine mentioned, yes it serves the same purpose, also makes your skin silky smoothe, whereas dmso gives you cabbage breath :O

 

[camiller]

Whoops! didnt see glycerine mentioned, yes it serves the same purpose, also makes your skin silky smoothe, whereas dmso gives you cabbage breath :O

Yeah, after your post I did a little reading. Some interesting pranks were coming to mind...

It penetrates the skin very readily, giving it the unusual property of being secreted onto the surface of the tongue after contact with the skin and causing a garlic-like taste in the mouth.

 

[pd230soi]

DMSO... If I remember correctly that was going around the football locker rooms in the 80s because guys felt it would help large contusions disapate faster and so when you got hit again it wouldn't hurt as much.

You would see these glasses in the tops of lockers and yes people stunk. I'm not sure it worked as well as advertised.

 

[Durhamite]

Haha, i had a friend who ran cross country with me in highschool (1999-2003) and he had messed up his knee somehow. Well, he was friends with our baseball coach and he had given my friend DMSO to help it out.

Funny to see that things havent changed even 20 years later haha.

 

[TheGeek]

Honestly I have had a hard enough time finding the glycerin! No pharmacy has had it so far, but I haven't been to the hbs in a while.

 

[jcramer]

You can try a art supply/baking supply store (eg. Michaels?) They sell glycerin for putting in cake icing to make the consistency smoother. My wife is a baker and she told me about that and that's where I found some.

 

[TheGeek]

awesome! thanks.