Starter "jar"

[Sammy Garbett]

Really just wondering if anyone has ever made one or even are using one at the moment. Like you would for beer or even bread making come to think of it, but for mead. It dawned upon me that it would save a lot of money in theory.


Just testing the waters to be honest.

Thanks guys

Peace

 

[Squatchy]

If you mean a jar to continue to use old yeast I wouldn't advise it. Beer brewers do this. But, mead making is pretty hard on the yeast. I don't think you will want to continue to reuse your lees when making high gravity meads. Honestly it's such a small cost at $2 a packet I wouldn't consider it at my house.

 

[Sammy Garbett]

Thanks buddy, I have so many questions, I will probably be making loads of threads haha

 

[Squatchy]

Thanks buddy, I have so many questions, I will probably be making loads of threads haha

Welcome to the forum. Where here to help. Just know this,,,, everything you want answers for have already been discussed on here so use your search window. Also,,, don't resurect old threads. Start a new one if yo must. Most people don't even bother to do a google search before they ask. Part of the fun in this is learning by reading like back in the day

 

[58limited]

I have a couple of yeasts archived in the fridge - a wild cider yeast from California, Vierka Dry Mead Yeast (hard to find and usually costs $3/pack plus shipping) and DV10 - not expensive but can be hard to find.

I reconstitute the yeast in 1 quart mason jars and keep them in the fridge. I feed monthly and take a little from the jar to make a starter for a mead - kinda like using sour dough cultures. I do not recycle the lees from a mead batch except to make Skeeter Pee. I buy new yeast once a year (except for the wild cider yeast) and start the process over although I did use a Vierka culture for three years in the past with no noticeable mutations.

 

[bernardsmith]

Coincidentally - and I don't believe in coincidence - I adapted Loveofrose's model to extract and cultivate wild yeast in a batch of raw honey I bought from my local farmer's market. Just this morning I added a tablespoon or so of honey to the culture to see a) if the yeast is still viable and b) to reactivate the yeast after a month in near hibernation as I was planing on using this wild yeast to inoculate a hopped mead (Galaxy hops with clover honey) I was planning on starting tonight or tomorrow.

 

[Sammy Garbett]

I have a couple of yeasts archived in the fridge - a wild cider yeast from California, Vierka Dry Mead Yeast (hard to find and usually costs $3/pack plus shipping) and DV10 - not expensive but can be hard to find.

I reconstitute the yeast in 1 quart mason jars and keep them in the fridge. I feed monthly and take a little from the jar to make a starter for a mead - kinda like using sour dough cultures. I do not recycle the lees from a mead batch except to make Skeeter Pee. I buy new yeast once a year (except for the wild cider yeast) and start the process over although I did use a Vierka culture for three years in the past with no noticeable mutations.

Ok so when you replace do you scrap the lot then get it started over? Cause this side of the pond I am finding it hard to get some of the good mead yeasts so I would like to keep them. Almost like little pets haha

How much water and sugar at a time to start and also you mentioned "lees" what do you mean by this?

Also do you just take the mixture from the fridge and pitch it into the carboy?

 

[58limited]

Lees is the yeast and debris that settle to the bottom of the primary fermenter.

When I replace I do scrap the old culture and start over. But as I said I have kept some alive for years.

When I feed I use a mixture of honey, water, and Malto which is an unfermented beer found at the grocery store with the Mexican foods (you may not have it oversees). I take the jar from the fridge - the yeast will be settled on the bottom. I pour off the clear fluid leaving the yeast, let it warm to room temperature and then add the water, honey, Malto mixture and swirl the jar to mix the yeast and put back into the fridge.

To use for a mead, I take the jar out of the fridge and feed as above but do not put back into the fridge. When it is fermenting I swirl to mix and pour half into another sterile jar. Feed the first jar again and place back into the fridge. To the second jar add a honey water mixture and a little nutrient - fill almost to the top of the jar. When it is fermenting vigorously I pour it into the mead.

 

[Sammy Garbett]

Lees is the yeast and debris that settle to the bottom of the primary fermenter.

When I replace I do scrap the old culture and start over. But as I said I have kept some alive for years.

When I feed I use a mixture of honey, water, and Malto which is an unfermented beer found at the grocery store with the Mexican foods (you may not have it oversees). I take the jar from the fridge - the yeast will be settled on the bottom. I pour off the clear fluid leaving the yeast, let it warm to room temperature and then add the water, honey, Malto mixture and swirl the jar to mix the yeast and put back into the fridge.

To use for a mead, I take the jar out of the fridge and feed as above but do not put back into the fridge. When it is fermenting I swirl to mix and pour half into another sterile jar. Feed the first jar again and place back into the fridge. To the second jar add a honey water mixture and a little nutrient - fill almost to the top of the jar. When it is fermenting vigorously I pour it into the mead.

Nice man, thanks buddy. You mentioned "malto" what on earth is that haha.

I don't think we have this over here.

What could be used instead. Also what's your quantities you use when feeding your jar?

Also pal, you said you add the mixture when it is already fermenting, might be silly but have you already added a yeast pitch to your mead before adding the jar yeast?

 

[Farmboyc]

Nice man, thanks buddy. You mentioned "malto" what on earth is that haha.

I don't think we have this over here.

What could be used instead. Also what's your quantities you use when feeding your jar?

Also pal, you said you add the mixture when it is already fermenting, might be silly but have you already added a yeast pitch to your mead before adding the jar yeast?

Instead of Malto ou can also use Spray Malt. Should be avaliable at almost any brew shop.

 

[Sammy Garbett]

Instead of Malto ou can also use Spray Malt. Should be avaliable at almost any brew shop.

Ok buddy, thank you, I shall be investigating when we get to the weekend.

When you add the yeast mixture then, have you already pitched our just go into your honey mixture in the carboy?

 

[Farmboyc]

When you add the yeast mixture then, have you already pitched our just go into your honey mixture in the carboy?

He was saying that he uses the Malto/Honey mixture to feed his yeast so that they don't starve and will begin to multiple. This is know as a Starter.

You would then add some of this starter to your mead must after the starter has begun to ferment vigorously and keep the rest of the starter in the fridge for future batches.

 

[58limited]

Yes, I meant when the starter is fermenting vigorously then add it to your mead must. I usually begin making my starter a day or two before I put the mead together. That way I can pitch the starter as soon as I've blended the honey and the other ingredients.

"Malto" is unfermented beer popular in Latin and Caribbean countries. You could simply use malt and water - if you brew beer just take some out of the boil pot and let it cool otherwise mix some liquid or powdered beer malt with water to a specific gravity of 1.045-1.055 and boil it in the microwave or on the stove to sterilize (be careful and go slow - it likes to boil over).

I really don't measure anything when feeding my yeast cultures. I just use a small amount of honey, mix with 5-6 times the amount of water, and add to the culture jars - usually the jars are about 1/4 full at this point. I then add about 1/2 bottle of Malto to each jar (it comes in 7 oz. bottles).