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Edit: this is closed, no trial run as there were not enough people interested.
Hey CHAOS'ers, let's talk about a Yeast Bank. Please read the following, let me know your thoughts on this issue, and vote! I will also need 10 volunteers to do a trial run of this project, starting mid-November.
The goal of the Yeast Bank (YB) would be to afford members the opportunity to grow their own yeast starters from the club's bank of yeasts, for an additional monthly fee.
How it would work:
* You agree to pay an additional monthly fee (likely $7 or less) to access the YB. This fee will cover the costs of consumables.
* YB members would be required to take a mandatory training on the higher levels of sanitation and cleanliness required in order for this to be successful.
* YB members get access to yeast plates, (500 - 5000ml) Erlenmeyer flasks, stir plates and canned wort to produce yeast starters for small and large batches.
* All YB equipment and yeast would be under combination lock and key, accessible only to those who are qualified to access the bank. Sign-in sheets for use of equipment.
* YB members will participate in the periodic making/streaking of new plates and canning wort as needed. Cleaning and sanitizing the yeast bank at regular intervals is also required.
Potential issues:
* General uncleanliness and equipment misuse
* Infection of plates
* Limited access to stir plates and flasks
* Not enough interest
I would like to hear your thoughts, both positive and negative on this topic over the following week.
Trial run
If you are interested in participating in a trial run of this program, please sign up here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HazVbakP-MJe-hCXXwA7VqRq0k3BhjEZV5iprbiZemw/edit?usp=sharing
If we get around 10 people, the trial would run from mid-November to the end of 2015. Any costs for consumables would be split among the participants.
If we do something similar to what we discussed, I'd be in. Will happily propogate, decant, and harvest as well whenever possible. If however it's only storing as slants, and propogating from that then I'm out as that's a lot of work and requries meticulous sanitiation control and should not be attempted in a brewing environment.
I have wyeast 1028, wlp 540 platinum series abbey IV, belle saison, belgian abbaye, all available for sharing. Harvested from starters using a similar method to brulosopherthere's a member of CHBG that I will be sharing some yeast/bugs with as wel so might have access to more to help get us started.
If however you meant keeping slants for long term storage that would be a good idea, or storing in test tubes (can provide) with glycerin and freezing in an insulated container to minimize temp swings and keep defrosting cycles to a minimum.
I'm assuming you're Mark, and I don't think we've personally had a conversation about what your plans are but thanks for offering to do some propagation.
I hear what you say with sanitation at the brewhouse, that's why we're going to do a trial first.
Sorry, you're right I had talked to ken about it not you, reading is hard.
To expand on it then,
I suggested that rather than storing slants/agar/etc etc which are great for single individuals and long term storage. That large starters are done and yeast slurries are harvested by decanting then pouring into cleaned and sanitized containers of a certain cell count be stored in the appropriate container. 45B cells would well in small plastic tubes, larger volumes could be done in mason jars etc etc. This is particularly useful if we have more than a couple members using the slurries to get them moving in a good rotation and will minimize viablity and vitality lossses. Also this is a lot less work since you'll only need to do 1-2 starters to re-propogate rather than the handful of starters necessary to get a good growth rate out of the much smaller cell counts associated with plates/slants.
My 2cents.
I'm excited about yeast culturing. I've got three in my fridge right now (expensive cider yeast, abbey yeast, and natural ferment yeast). I've been toying with buying a microscope for awhile. There are some good 200 dollar ones that are powerful enough and have the ability to accept a camera to display.
Culturing yeast is a 3-5 day process to pitch for me, and I don't live close. So having to come down, culture up, and then come back down to pitch is not really worth it. So, I don't know if I'm excited enough to pay extra. But, I support all of this, and if you guys kick this off I'd love see/support what you are doing.
@Kriss, do you culture from slants/plates? That's a long propogation time for typical yeast starters, or do you do 2-3 stage starters and large batch sizes?
I agree though about the visit, propogate, then come back not being really ideal, if the final consensus is to have culturable sources available then I don't think it's worth it. If it's pitchable containers however than I think that would be pretty cool and useful for a lot of people. Grab container when you start your mash, pitch it when your done chiller. Big beer? Grab two, or grab one regular and one small.
Anyone else with the no way vote want to expand on it? What part aren't you interested in? Don't trust other peoples sanitiation practices? Don't want to pay an extra fee (even though if you use it once it's about the same cost as buying a new vial...)?
Don't want to have to repropogate? If so, what if we had pitchable volumes like I suggest and discussed with ken? Instead of a vial/smack pack, you're pitching an already made and decanted slurry from a container that's labelled with strain, approximate cell count, and date.
My concerns are not only sanitation (and sterilization) but also keeping all equipment in working order and also avoiding bottlenecks in the process. If we have 10 members even to test it out, but only 2 stirplates, it's a first-come-first-serve basis. I wouldn't pay any extra $$ if I can't be guaranteed access to what I need. Even with a sign up sheet, I'm not guaranteed anything.
But really #1. No offense to the brewhouse, but it's no where to culture and keep yeast, IMO.
Priceless, I have pint mason jars that I size up. Ill use half a pint and size up to quart,or 2 (cold crash, drain fluid,repitch, regrow), then pitch. I do same and re ferm the original . Sometimes I pitch all and grow from slurry. I know at some point I will end up with lacto and have to start again, but so far so good. Makes an expensive yeast (I have a special cider yeast) go a long way. Paying extra at club nixes that. Im more interested in the science of it. Ill be excited to help those who are doing this on next level, and see what they are doing.
Yea i'm in Kris' camp. Its a super cool idea but as I don't live close I couldnt to go the house to build up my cell count then come back a few days later to brew. If we had a bank of yeast ready to pitch maybe I'd use it but I always make starters now. Its also just easier to culture yeast at home, and i've now got about 6 different yeasts stored in my fridge. As I dont live close .
Unfortunately, this does not seem to appeal to general membership. I will close the voting one week from today (10/30) and if we don't have a general "yes", I will end the project and not start a trial. boo.
I closed this thread. If anyone is interested, I am going to start putting this together myself.