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Author Topic: Possible noob question about growing yeast  (Read 3021 times)

Offline mosinnagant

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Possible noob question about growing yeast
« on: October 14, 2013, 11:44:54 am »
When making a fruit based cider, would there be any benefit to making growing some yeast from the fruit you'll be using in the cider?  I have no idea if local fruit, water, yeast, etc, would have any benefit at all in the brewing process :)
« Last Edit: October 14, 2013, 04:36:04 pm by mosinnagant »

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Possible noob question about making yeast
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2013, 11:54:24 am »
Sure, you can but it's a slightly risky option. The problem is you don't know what other micro biota you might be dealing with. Nothing that's going to hurt you understand, just might not taste good. if you are after a consistent product it's usually recommended to stun anything growing on the fruit with campden tablets (potassium metabisulfate?) and add a known strain of yeast.

personally I like the cut of your jib and suggest you have at. get some local apple cider (un-pasteurized) and put it in a glass carboy/bucket and let it go. see if your local ecosystem produces something you like.
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Offline Slowbrew

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Re: Possible noob question about making yeast
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2013, 11:57:28 am »
You would be using a wild culture and there is no guarantee what you would end up with.  I ' m not saying you shouldn't try it but I would caution to start out with a small batch.  That way if get earthy, pine tar, with ragweed flavor you won't feel so bad about throwing it out.   ;D  You have no way to know if what you will get started is a yeast or a bacteria and the flavors from wild strains of either can be absolutely great or horribly, horribly bad.

And, not to be an language freak but..., you don't make yeast.  Yeast make themselves.  We culture/grow yeast but we don't make it.  Some other higher process or power made it unless you are geneticist in which case maybe you can.   8)

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Offline garc_mall

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Re: Possible noob question about making yeast
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2013, 11:59:33 am »
To add to this, If you are going to use the bugs that live on the cider, Patience is Paramount.

I had a gallon of local cider start fermenting on its own, and so I let it sit (with the cap loosened) to allow it to ferment. The first 2-3 months may have been some of the worst sulfur smells I have ever smelled, but after about 3-6 months, the sulfur blew off, and left a great complex apple/lactic flavor, with a touch of barnyard. It turned into a great cider that was very tasty, and incredibly deep in flavor, despite being completely dry (.998).

If you are going to do what Mort recommends, take a gallon of cider, pour out about 1 1/2 cups, and put the lid back on softly, cover with foil, or add an airlock. I wouldn't do more than a gallon until you know you like it.

Offline mosinnagant

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Re: Possible noob question about making yeast
« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2013, 12:01:05 pm »
You would be using a wild culture and there is no guarantee what you would end up with.  I ' m not saying you shouldn't try it but I would caution to start out with a small batch.  That way if get earthy, pine tar, with ragweed flavor you won't feel so bad about throwing it out.   ;D  You have no way to know if what you will get started is a yeast or a bacteria and the flavors from wild strains of either can be absolutely great or horribly, horribly bad.

And, not to be an language freak but..., you don't make yeast.  Yeast make themselves.  We culture/grow yeast but we don't make it.  Some other higher process or power made it unless you are geneticist in which case maybe you can.   8)

That's why I asked, cause I've never tried it :)  I'm still researching home brewing, don't even have anything to get started, just wanting to learn as much as I can first. 

As for the language, I'm from the south, we call all soda Coke.  "Hey, you want a Coke?"  "Sure!"  "What kind you want?"  "Dr Pepper!" :D

Offline Slowbrew

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Re: Possible noob question about making yeast
« Reply #5 on: October 14, 2013, 01:36:12 pm »
You would be using a wild culture and there is no guarantee what you would end up with.  I ' m not saying you shouldn't try it but I would caution to start out with a small batch.  That way if get earthy, pine tar, with ragweed flavor you won't feel so bad about throwing it out.   ;D  You have no way to know if what you will get started is a yeast or a bacteria and the flavors from wild strains of either can be absolutely great or horribly, horribly bad.

And, not to be an language freak but..., you don't make yeast.  Yeast make themselves.  We culture/grow yeast but we don't make it.  Some other higher process or power made it unless you are geneticist in which case maybe you can.   8)

That's why I asked, cause I've never tried it :)  I'm still researching home brewing, don't even have anything to get started, just wanting to learn as much as I can first. 

As for the language, I'm from the south, we call all soda Coke.  "Hey, you want a Coke?"  "Sure!"  "What kind you want?"  "Dr Pepper!" :D

I completely understand.  In Iowa everyone calls it pop.  That never seemed wrong until I moved to MO for a couple of years.   ::)

If you want a good intro, try the online version of "The Complete joy of Homebrewing" http://www.howtobrew.com/ .  The online version is free.

Paul
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Offline denny

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Re: Possible noob question about making yeast
« Reply #6 on: October 14, 2013, 01:43:01 pm »
If you want a good intro, try the online version of "The Complete joy of Homebrewing" http://www.howtobrew.com/ .  The online version is free.

Paul

Ooops, mixed titles!  The link is for How to Brew by John Palmer.  But I don't know how much good it wll do for someone who's mainly interested in cider.
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Offline Slowbrew

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Re: Possible noob question about making yeast
« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2013, 01:50:43 pm »
If you want a good intro, try the online version of "The Complete joy of Homebrewing" http://www.howtobrew.com/ .  The online version is free.

Paul

Ooops, mixed titles!  The link is for How to Brew by John Palmer.  But I don't know how much good it wll do for someone who's mainly interested in cider.

Thanks Denny.  It's been one of those of those days.   ::)

Paul
Where the heck are we going?  And what's with this hand basket?

Offline mosinnagant

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Re: Possible noob question about making yeast
« Reply #8 on: October 14, 2013, 02:20:00 pm »
If you want a good intro, try the online version of "The Complete joy of Homebrewing" http://www.howtobrew.com/ .  The online version is free.

Paul

Ooops, mixed titles!  The link is for How to Brew by John Palmer.  But I don't know how much good it wll do for someone who's mainly interested in cider.

From what I read on the Oklahoma Statutes, I'll need to have a permit before I can start making anything anyway, so might as well educate myself as much as possible.  I do like beer as well, so I'm sure I'll make some for myself ;)  Thanks!

Offline mosinnagant

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Re: Possible noob question about making yeast
« Reply #9 on: October 14, 2013, 02:23:05 pm »
"Here is a synopsis of the brewing process:

Malted barley is soaked in hot water to release the malt sugars.
The malt sugar solution is boiled with Hops for seasoning.
The solution is cooled and yeast is added to begin fermentation.
The yeast ferments the sugars, releasing CO2 and ethyl alcohol.
When the main fermentation is complete, the beer is bottled with a little bit of added sugar to provide the carbonation."

That section of that link you provided explained more to me about the process than most of what I've read in other places.  A lot of things I've read had step by steps, but didn't explain why, so it was confusing as to why you were doing what.  Thanks again, back to reading :D

Offline Jeff M

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Re: Possible noob question about growing yeast
« Reply #10 on: October 30, 2013, 09:33:56 pm »
During harvest time i got a gallon of unpasteurized cider to wild ferment.  i have to tell you it is the best tasting cider i have ever had.   The wild ones did their job real well and i wish i had washed the yeast cake to save it for another time.  oh well!

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