Canning Wort for Starters in Pressure Canner

General Homebrew Discussion
1

I am cooking a bunch of quart jars of 1.030 wort on the stove as I type this.
I also put some water into pint jars and process them as well. That way,
I can have both starter wort, and sterile water on hand for yeast processes.

I use the sterile water for re-hydrating dry yeast.
I use the sterile wort for propagation of liquid and or other yeast cultures.

Anyone else use this method?

Disclaimer:  I do not endorse trying the above mentioned methods until you
fully understand the risks and methods involved in PROPER home canning.
For proper methods, see your food canner instruction sheets AND visit your
local university extension office.  Also your extension office is a great place
to physically take your canner/cooker and have it pressure checked for accuracy,
and safety.

2

Haven’t ever done it but it’s on my list of things to research and try out at some point in time.

3

Tygo, it is so good to be able to decide that you wanna make a starter ahead of time…and to go
get a jar of prepared wert… put it into your starter vessel and innoculate it on the stirplate…
and have your starter ready in 24 hrs or so…

The thing of concern is botulism spores that need to be killed… this is done by pressure canning
where the spores are rendered impotent and do not propogate. The spores are killed by keeping
the media at certain parameters for a length of time…the parameters are dependant upon your
physical altitude…which is the determining factor of the boiling point of water where YOU are.

4

Yeah, I’ve looked into the science behind it and done some reading on the canning procedure.  I need a pressure cooker and some other supplies for yeast ranching but there are a couple other projects in line ahead of that.  I do like the idea of having canned wort for starters on hand.

5

I’ve done it but got away from it.
Really need to get back at it as its SOOOOOO convenient to have wort at the ready.

We pressure can fish stock, venison stock, turkey, red gravy etc as well.

6

I do it all the time. The sterile water idea is a good one.

The problem is deciding which canner to use, I have 4 ;D

7

I have an Old National #7 I think it holds like 16 qts of liquid…but it will hold 7 quart jars…and that is several
batches of starter… :wink:

8

Absolutely!  Also pressure can a few 12ml vials of wort at the same time to use for the first step in propagating from a yeast slant.  Heck, even the slants were created with the pressure canner.

9

I don’t really see the benefit of sterile water, but you may.

I’ve been pressure canning (you must pressure can) for years. I actually make a full batch of pale malt mash and after the sparge can the wort. It’s on my page www.ipass.net/mpdixon

10

I just canned 2-1/2 gallons of 1.030 wort after brewing on Sunday. The only problem is my pressure cooker will only hold 4 half gallon jars. The pressure canner gets up to temperature fast using a SQ 14 instead of the stove top.

11

Yep, and don’t you love it when the first thing you see when you open the box for your new pressure canner is a big warning thing saying “Do not use with an outdoor propane burner”.  Despite what they say, it works great with my SP-10

12

To quote from the Fermentis data sheets “Pitching instructions: Re-hydrate the dry yeast into yeast cream in a stirred vessel prior to pitching. Sprinkle the dry yeast in 10 times its own weight of sterile water or wort at 23C ± 3C.”

and to clarify why,  I clearly see benefit from using Sterile Water, It is to prevent  
the contamination vector that is present in non steralized water.  I believe that
non sterile water Is probably fairly high in contaminants that could be very
detrimental to brewing.

Also, in washing yeast as from a yeast cake, it just offers a media for washing that is devoid of worries.

13

Sweet…

14

vert - I always boil my water for rehydration (only takes 1/2 cup) in the microwave and let it cool to ~100 before rehydrating. Sure I could easily can a quart, but then I’d have to figure out what to do with what remains. No real need to reuse yeast when using dry yeast. :wink:

15

MDixon, true true. I guess I use both and am just now realizing the ease of Dry Yeasts. I do so like the
variety of liquids that are out there…and have made so many great beers with that vector.  When using
liquid, it is not a bad thing to wash the cake with some sterile water and use the yeast again…and again…
etc…( I am some what retentive when it comes to sterile/sanitary methodolgy)

16

I am considering reusing dry yeast as the price is now about $4. I don’t understand what changed but the price doubled in the past year in my local shop and internet sites I’ve seen.

17

What changed was the acceptance of their dry yeast. And the price went to what the market will bear. Other dry yeasts are still a buck or less a pack.

18

Stout_Fan  I think you are right.

Along with this thread. I made a high gravity beer and I sparged extra when done for starter wort. I sanitized a gallon plastic container and filled and froze it. Anyone freeze fresh wort before and how long did it hold up without souring?