tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499847887594230746.post5455240194910090275..comments2012-04-24T23:11:56.327-04:00Comments on Brew-Bot: Brew NewsWyatt Fritzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11809669010637321626noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499847887594230746.post-79402690979752774362012-01-29T17:46:49.608-05:002012-01-29T17:46:49.608-05:00I've harvested yeast on occasion but you have ...I've harvested yeast on occasion but you have to be careful of contamination. The easiest way is to just pitch a new batch of wort onto the trub of a previous batch. Otherwise you can acid wash or just use distilled water to separate the trub form the yeast and pour it off while its in suspension. You add just a few inches of distilled water to the trub at the bottom of your carboy and shake it up. The trub will settle faster than the yeast and you just pour it off into another vessel. Usually I repeat this process two or three times. I have had just as much success with fermentis safale dry yeasts as the liquid. The liquid yeasts just tend of get a little more style specific.Wyatt Fritzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11809669010637321626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499847887594230746.post-14876663963921401452012-01-29T12:25:30.968-05:002012-01-29T12:25:30.968-05:00Wait, scratch that - the article was on how the dr...Wait, scratch that - the article was on how the dry didn't need to be rehydrated, I think a starter would always help things out (unless you use multiple packets like you use). <br /><br />Do you buy the liquid each time you brew? I'd love to use liquid like that except it's prohibitively expensive, proportionately to the price of the rest of the ingredients. I've heard of people getting food grade glycerine and freezing samples of liquid yeast to cut down on costs.Briannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499847887594230746.post-80090624526384213032012-01-29T00:47:42.337-05:002012-01-29T00:47:42.337-05:00I typically use wyeast or white labs, but occasion...I typically use wyeast or white labs, but occasionally use a dry yeast. I really like the white labs California ale yeast as it is fairly versatile and can handle pretty high gravity brews. When I use dry I always direct pitch. For more robust beers I will pitch multiple packets.Wyatt Fritzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11809669010637321626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499847887594230746.post-23740316773784733232012-01-28T09:24:20.745-05:002012-01-28T09:24:20.745-05:00I forgot to ask what type of yeast you normally us...I forgot to ask what type of yeast you normally use. "Brew Your Own" just had an article an issue or two ago about how dry yeast doesn't really benefit from a starter and that sprinkling dry right on the wort has almost identical results. I haven't tried it, I normally at least rehydrate dry yeast and often add a touch of LME, but I'm thinking of giving it a shot the next time I brew... which hopefully will be all grain soon (Christmas gifts were largely equipment to do 10 gallon all grain batches).Briannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499847887594230746.post-38712264327823903752012-01-26T20:36:43.709-05:002012-01-26T20:36:43.709-05:00Thanks for the tip Brian. I do measure with a dig...Thanks for the tip Brian. I do measure with a digital kitchen scale, but just hadn't thought to use a carbonation calculator. That is a sweet reference tool that I will definitely be using in the future.Wyatt Fritzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11809669010637321626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499847887594230746.post-87634344877307381442012-01-24T22:46:49.823-05:002012-01-24T22:46:49.823-05:00Good job in the contest! I'm surprised you don...Good job in the contest! I'm surprised you don't use an online carbonation calculator with a scale to measure out your priming sugar. I've done this with very good results (e.g. a highly carbonated hefe and a less carbonated sweet stout). The difference in carbonation between the beers not only helps match style, but I think makes for a better final product. This is the calculator I use: http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html<br /><br />And I use a cheaper(but high quality) kitchen scale from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Kitchen-Silver/dp/B001N07KUE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327463073&sr=8-1Briannoreply@blogger.com