Getting yeast from a bottle of beer

With some of the yeasts’ I like not always available, I am going to try to get some from a bottle(s) of the brew I enjoy… I will start with Duvel… And if this doesn’t work… well, I really like Duvel! My plan is to very quietly pour out 2/3 of the beer to drink, and the last 1/3 into a flask with DME starter mix… Any one else want to tell of their trial and error in this? I understand, not all breweries use their proprietary yeast for bottle conditioning… AND alot of big guys filter out the yeast… That kinda slips us into a slot… I’m going to try! Sneezles61

That’s about all there is to it. Duvel might be tough since it’s high alcohol, but worth a shot. Start with 1.010-1.020 starter wort, add some extra yeast nutrient.

If starting from several smaller bottles, have your spray bottle of star-san ready. Spray down the bottle cap and the opener, pour the beer into a glass leaving the last couple ounces, swirl up the bottle, and pour it into your jug of starter wort. Usually by the fourth beer my sanitation practices start to slip, so that’s about the limit. Just keep everything sprayed down each time you open it, or flame the bottle with a lighter, and you should be good.

For a bigger bottle, I’ll get a stopper ready that fits the bottle, pour the beer, and then pour the starter wort into the bottle itself and fit the stopper and airlock. Of course it works best to have the bottle chilled for a few days to compact the yeast cake.

You should have some activity after a day or two. Might take longer if the bottle is old. Just step it up slowly and you should be good to go. For Bell’s yeast, I can usually get a pitchable quantity from a 4-pack of Oberon without stepping it up. But then you have to drink Oberon.

I’ve done it. Just kept building it up. Some breweries bottle condition with a clean lager yeast so as not to affect the flavor.

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Just did this. Dunked my opener and the bottle in star san, opened it, poured off all but the dregs. Put those in a 100g DME/1000 ml water starter wort. Been growing a week and got a nice little bunch of yeast. Cold crashing it now to decant and step it up. Kinda cool!

Edit: Wanted to add that I’m a “shake not stir” guy and at first I really wondered if I had gotten anything. All that seemed to be in the jug was a thin grey coating on the bottom. It took several days until I was sure I had and could get that rush of foam and escaping CO2 when I shook the jug. At this point I have about 1/4 inch of daddy’s little helpers in the bottom of the jug.

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On a parallel note… My IPA “97” kicked a few days ago… Since I have 4 oz of cones, in a bag, in the keg (Another Dr. Suess moment right there) There is still a bit of brew stuck in those hops…That keeps draining! For those of those you that have had that… Its the most wonderful tasting brew ever…Its like drinking liquid hops… Not bitter at all! SMOOTH… Sneezles61

I will not drink that in a box, I will not drink that with a fox. I will not drink that in a house, I will not drink that with a mouse.

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But IF a deer is near, and, hasn’t any fear, I will drink beer. Perhaps with a goat, in a coat? Sneezles61

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I did it several years ago with a Unibroue La Fin de Le Monde. My 1st attempt got contaminated- I checked it under a microscope and had more bacteria than yeast. I was more careful the 2nd time around, and was successful. But it is a pain in the butt, so if the yeast is available commercially, get it that way.

Its not… Thats why this endeavor will happen… Sneezles61

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I’ve done without a problem. Build enough to brew a 1 gallon batch and save the slurry. I’ve also collected wild yeast and brewed with it without problem at least not right away.

A little brewery up north had some brews they did with a wild yeast… They “farmed it” from plum trees… It seemed to have a familiar taste to it… I just couldn’t put my finger on “where” I perceived that flavor from… Sneezles61