Im brewing a Belgium Ale and would like to make a yeast starter with the yeast from a bottle of Chimay. Is this possable if so how do I go about it PLEASE HELP!!!
It’s possible.
Combine 40g DME to 800ml water and some yeast nutrient and boil for 10-15 min. Chill that and add directly to the carefully poured out bottle (assuming you are using a 750ml bottle of Chimay). Cover with aluminum foil. Once that settles down from being active (it will take time - the Chimay in bottles here in the states isn’t the freshest possible, pour out into a flask and build the yeast up as usual with standard yeast starter procedures.
It’s easier to just buy the strain.
http://www.whitelabs.com/beer/strains_wlp500.html
http://www.wyeastlab.com/rw_yeaststrain_detail.cfm?ID=127
I’ve stolen the yeast out of many bottle-conditioned beers. You’ll need:
-The beer you want to steal the yeast from.
-A airlock and stopper that will fit the bottle you’re stealing from.
-A 1-gallon (Approximate) fermentation vessel.
-Some dried malt extract (or pre-prepared wort).
Steps:
-
Prepare about a gallon of simple wort using the malt extract. You’ll use a bit of this in step 4 below - and the rest in the subsequent steps.
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Decant the beer from the bottle you want to steal the yeast from into a glass. Do it VERY slowly and in one, long motion (i.e. I one continuous pour).
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STOP pouring when there’s about 1/2" to 1" still left of the beer and/or when you start to see ANY sediment start to leave the very bottom of the bottle.
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Fill the bottle about 1/2 way up with the malt extract you’ve prepared (try to have the wort at proper fermentation temp).
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Attach the stopper w/ airlock to the bottle and wait about 3-4 days. Don’t worry if you don’t see a lot of ‘activity’ in the bottle. Often the small amount of yeast that’s been re-activated and multiplied is too small to detect just looking at the bottle.
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After 3-4 days, fill the 1- gallon fermentation vessel (I just use a 1-gallon glass jar) about 1/2 way with more of the simple wort you prepared. Then swirl the contents of the bottle you’re stealing from and pour it all into the gallon fermenter. Attatch airlock.
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In 2-3 days, you should have enough trub at the bottom of the 1-gallon vessel to either pitch or use as a starter if you want to multiply it more before use.
I hope this simple guide helps. Good luck!
EDIT: I see ryang beat me to the punch. W/ his info & mine you should hopefully be good to go.
Actually, the general wisdom these days is to never use an airlock on a starter. You’re looking for yeast growth which requires oxygen and the airlock limits that. Just cover the top of the bottle with aluminum foil.
Really? I’ve always done it w/ a stopper/airlock on the bottle. Never had an issue. After decanding and only filling the bottle 1/2 way w/ wort, there should be enough oxy. left I’d think.
I guess I’m more paranoid about infection. I’m a clean freak about my brewing.
I think that is more of an issue with a stirplate where the vortex is supposedly pulling in oxygen into the wort. No vortex in an unstirred bottle, thus it probably doesn’t matter.
I’m pretty leery of growing up strains from bottles though - they always (in the handful of times I’ve done it) to overattenuate beyond my expectations - might have something to do with natural selection.
FWIW you are brewing a Belgian Ale … Belgium is a country. You don’t brew an America IPA. 
If it were me, I would skip the nasty old dregs in the bottom of the bottle and go straight to WLP500 - sourced from Chimay, it’s what I use in my brewery and it is a damn fine yeast, though it can get a bit “bananaee” at higher temps. Works best for me picthed around 64 and fermented at 66 and finished out at 68. I brew a Belgian tripel with this strain and reach 90+ aa every time without fail or fuss.
You mean an India Pale Ale? ;D 
Maybe you don’t, but out here we do. These colors don’t run, baby! ;D
You mean Red, White and Blue?
Let see:
Russia, France, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Great Britain…
Shall I stop here of go on.