Yeast from bottle-conditioned ales

[Josh Likes Beer]

I just finished a 75 cl bottle of Trappist Achel Extra and it was delicious. I'm looking at all of the yeast down in the bottom of the empty bottle and wondering if I could fill this bottle full of wort, pop an airlock in the top, and turn it into a viable starter for a batch of homebrew. Well, not this bottle of course, because it's been sitting open exposed to air for too long. But I bought two bottles of this stuff, so I was thinking about having a small batch of wort ready when I open the other bottle.

Has anyone had any luck trying something like this?

[Rob DeNunzio]

I've never tried it, mostly because enough skeptical people finally killed the charming mystique of it by convincing me that it's pretty rare a) for the yeast that was used in bottle conditioning to be the same strain that was involved in giving a beer its initial character, and b) for the yeast that's remaining to have enough "oomph" to help out a fresh fermentation after its been living in a high alcohol solution for so long.

But like I said, I haven't tried it. So you should. And report back.

[Josh Likes Beer]

I'm more worried about (a) than (b). If the yeast isn't viable, then all that's happened is I've wasted a small amount of DME. If the brewery used a different yeast strain for bottle conditioning, but the yeast is viable, then I will end up making a whole batch of a rather pedestrian brown ale.

I suppose I could contact the brewery and find out if they use a different yeast strain for bottle conditioning. I hope they respond to emails sent in English. ¯\(°_o)/¯

[gisbrewmaster]

I haven't tried this but from everything I have read this should work but like Rob said its very likely it isn't the same strain. Do you know how long they age the Achel Extra. It is isn't very long then it may be the same strain. I think it would be a fun experiment. You should do a small batch and see what happens.

[Dan]

Yeah, most breweries use a bit of dry yeast, as far as I know. I remember looking at the booklet that came with my Chimay triple pack and finding something to the effect of 'and then we add a different yeast' in the text. I've read elsewhere that the breweries are fairly responsive to inquiries, though I haven't tried it myself. I'm interested in knowing how it goes, though; people have been able to culture Pacman from bottles, right? (I'm so ignorant about the subject I'm not even entirely sure what Pacman is)

[Ethan]

Rob DeNunzio said:

I've never tried it, mostly because enough skeptical people finally killed the charming mystique of it by convincing me that it's pretty rare a) for the yeast that was used in bottle conditioning to be the same strain that was involved in giving a beer its initial character, and b) for the yeast that's remaining to have enough "oomph" to help out a fresh fermentation after its been living in a high alcohol solution for so long.
But like I said, I haven't tried it. So you should. And report back.

Ah, but since A is often the case (and B can be tested by making a DME starter (throw it on your stir plate for good measure)), I'd suggest you could us it the same way, to prime/finish a beer.

I just did this about a month ago for the first time, using yeast from a bottle of Troll's Shangrila to prime when I kegged a beer I'd made (which was sort of a "use-up-old-stuff" beer, nominally sort of a dubel-ish thing.) I'm letting it do it's secondary in the keg, under 5 lbs pressure to keep it sealed, and will let it carbonate to 12 or so. Though controlling that part I haven't solved yet... need to make or buy a spunding valve.

[Ethan]

Dan said:

Yeah, most breweries use a bit of dry yeast, as far as I know. I remember looking at the booklet that came with my Chimay triple pack and finding something to the effect of 'and then we add a different yeast' in the text. I've read elsewhere that the breweries are fairly responsive to inquiries, though I haven't tried it myself. I'm interested in knowing how it goes, though; people have been able to culture Pacman from bottles, right? (I'm so ignorant about the subject I'm not even entirely sure what Pacman is)

Pacman is Rogue's favored yeast, it does happen to be quick, highly-attenuating, and pretty clean. It was offered by Wyeast or White labs as a specialty strain, em, last year maybe? Sadly, I drank all my bottles I made w/it, and didn't culture the yeast from the last one. Alas...

But maybe you can get it from a bottle of Rogue. Which ones are bottle-conditioned, anyway?

[Shawn, the Beer Philosopher]

Isn't "PacMan" just the name that the folks at Rogue have given their signature proprietary yeast strain ...? Anyway, I've heard of salvaging a culture from the yeast bed at the bottom of these bottles, so I would assume it can be done successfully. Seems to me, though, that the salvaged culture is used to fortify a new yeast starter. I don't know that I'd try to pitch it "as is." Like Rob said, that yeast has pretty much done its work ... it's tired and not likely very hungry anymore.

Like everyone else, I'd love to hear if this works. I have a soft spot in my heart for Achel Extra!

Dan said:

Yeah, most breweries use a bit of dry yeast, as far as I know. I remember looking at the booklet that came with my Chimay triple pack and finding something to the effect of 'and then we add a different yeast' in the text. I've read elsewhere that the breweries are fairly responsive to inquiries, though I haven't tried it myself. I'm interested in knowing how it goes, though; people have been able to culture Pacman from bottles, right? (I'm so ignorant about the subject I'm not even entirely sure what Pacman is)

[Dan]

I brought this up in the brewing IRC room I was in and got linked to a fairly extensive list of yeast in bottle conditioned beers. Interestingly enough, they say that the Chimay yeast is the same strain. Maybe I'll try to culture the stuff from my small bottle of the Blue.

[Ethan]

That ought to work, but...

you might want to just pour the yeast from the bottle into a slightly larger starter, in a bigger container. I typically add 100g DME with enough water to make 1000ml, which is a good amount to pitch.