Working in a real ale pub...yeast out of barrell.

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guest5234

Working in a real ale pub...yeast out of barrell.

Post by guest5234 » Mon Jul 16, 2012 1:34 pm

I work in a pub that has a good selection off at least 3 different cask beers in a month...we have at the moment Purity mad goose, Timothy Taylor Landlord and Youngs best bitter.
Question...these barrelss come live and we have to vent and condition before sale, at the end of a barrell there are some hops and the yeast or just yeast left in the cask...can I use this yeast in my brews?

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Re: Working in a real ale pub...yeast out of barrell.

Post by timbo41 » Mon Jul 16, 2012 1:36 pm

would certainly think so, obviously commercial quality strains
Just like trying new ideas!

guest5234

Re: Working in a real ale pub...yeast out of barrell.

Post by guest5234 » Mon Jul 16, 2012 2:08 pm

timbo41 wrote:would certainly think so, obviously commercial quality strains
Wonder if I need to wash it or just bunk it straight into wort.

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stitch
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Re: Working in a real ale pub...yeast out of barrell.

Post by stitch » Mon Jul 16, 2012 3:02 pm

Does fresh air get drawn into the barrel as the beer leaves it - so will there be an issue with contamination from the various beasties floating around?


stitch
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guest5234

Re: Working in a real ale pub...yeast out of barrell.

Post by guest5234 » Mon Jul 16, 2012 3:36 pm

stitch wrote:Does fresh air get drawn into the barrel as the beer leaves it - so will there be an issue with contamination from the various beasties floating around?


stitch
yes, as a pint is drawn off a pint of air goes in....but if the beer is protecting the yeast and the beer stays fresh till it is empty i should think the yeast is ok.

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Re: Working in a real ale pub...yeast out of barrell.

Post by kebabman » Mon Jul 16, 2012 6:18 pm

A pretty risky idea I think, if the cask took any longer than 3 days to be emptied I wouldn't try to harvest the yeast. You are relying on the cellarmanship in your pub being topnotch to avoid oxidation and infection problems.

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Re: Working in a real ale pub...yeast out of barrell.

Post by Befuddler » Mon Jul 16, 2012 6:55 pm

Oxidation isn't going to be a problem for harvesting yeast, but there is a possibility of infection from the air drawn in. Cask beers are usually drunk within a few days - well before any infection would become apparent, but if they're left on too long, they can get pretty nasty.

You'd be better off taking slants from fresh casks as soon as they go on. That way you'll be able to see if they're infected before use. It's not very practical to make decent, sterile slants at work though.
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Re: Working in a real ale pub...yeast out of barrell.

Post by trucker5774 » Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:06 pm

It will usually be fine be fine. A sample from a new barrel would be better. What you need to be sure of is that anything you get it from barrel to container must be sanitised to the highest standard. I have done it a few times, but I wouldn't trust anyone to tip it from the barrel if I gave them a jar, unless I knew they were going to be sanitary. A good way may be as the barrel ends, give it a swirl to re-suspend the yeast and pull it through on the beer engine (not sure how this would go down with the landlord though) If the lines are due for cleaning or a different beer going on next it shouldn't bother anyone as they will be pulling cleaner or water through after changing the barrel anyway.
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Drinking/Already drunk........ Trucker's Anti-Freeze (Turbo Cider), Truckers Delight, Night Trucker, Rose wine, Truckers Hitch, Truckers Revenge, Trucker's Lay-by, Trucker's Trailer, Flower Truck, Trucker's Gearshift, Trucker's Horn, Truck Crash, Fixby Gold!

Conditioning... Doing what? Get it down your neck! ........

FV 1............
FV 2............
FV 3............
Next Brews..... Trucker's Jack Knife

greenxpaddy

Re: Working in a real ale pub...yeast out of barrell.

Post by greenxpaddy » Mon Jul 16, 2012 11:47 pm

Are they not fined those barrels?

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Re: Working in a real ale pub...yeast out of barrell.

Post by trucker5774 » Tue Jul 17, 2012 11:13 am

greenxpaddy wrote:Are they not fined those barrels?
Different breweries and different customers will specify either way. I'm not sure which I have salvaged from, but all have worked :D
John

Drinking/Already drunk........ Trucker's Anti-Freeze (Turbo Cider), Truckers Delight, Night Trucker, Rose wine, Truckers Hitch, Truckers Revenge, Trucker's Lay-by, Trucker's Trailer, Flower Truck, Trucker's Gearshift, Trucker's Horn, Truck Crash, Fixby Gold!

Conditioning... Doing what? Get it down your neck! ........

FV 1............
FV 2............
FV 3............
Next Brews..... Trucker's Jack Knife

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Re: Working in a real ale pub...yeast out of barrell.

Post by Steve1262 » Fri Jul 20, 2012 9:20 pm

About 300ml of isinglass finnings per 9 gall cask (Allkleer A)

http://www.murphyandson.co.uk/BrewingAr ... Bright.htm
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guest5234

Re: Working in a real ale pub...yeast out of barrell.

Post by guest5234 » Mon Jul 23, 2012 5:48 pm

Steve1262 wrote:About 300ml of isinglass finnings per 9 gall cask (Allkleer A)

http://www.murphyandson.co.uk/BrewingAr ... Bright.htm
does that kill the yeast?

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Re: Working in a real ale pub...yeast out of barrell.

Post by Steve1262 » Mon Jul 23, 2012 7:16 pm

Good question..... Its purpose as you no doubt know is to gather up the yeast cells and make them weighty enough to fall to the bottom of the cask but if they harm the cells I'm not sure.
The yeast we harvest from the fermentation process is given an acid wash prior to re-using it but we have to keep checking samples under the scope to look out for mutated or corrupted cells. However this is a task our brewers perform and not one I get involved in myself as my job is more to do with transfering the finished beers and preparing them for bottling.
I haven't tried harvesting yeast as yet and just re-hydrate dried yeasts as most do as home brewers..... Might give it a go in the future.
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