# Growing up an alien wild yeast from scratch **URL:** \ **Category:** Ingredients\ **Created:** [October 31, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679 "2010-10-31T01:24:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![1vertical](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/1vertical/32/740_2.png) [@1vertical](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/1vertical)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/1 "2010-10-31T01:24:01Z")
anybody done this or have a process that works well?? I have a culture that I want to try to build up to beer fermentation levels It is on the stir plate and I have been slowly trying to build the numbers of yeasties by doubling the pitch rates over and over…cept I got side lined and forgot to proceed and the yeast sat a long time in the fridge…I am trying to give it a start again…we will see…I have minimal activity in a quart of starter wert. ---
**Author:** ![pyrite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@pyrite](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/pyrite)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/2 "2010-10-31T01:49:12Z")
Alien? Do you know what type of wild yeast it is? What’s it smell like? ---
**Author:** ![hopfenundmalz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/hopfenundmalz/32/11193_2.png) [@hopfenundmalz](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/hopfenundmalz)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 1:52am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/3 "2010-10-31T01:52:29Z")
Do you live near Roswell?  ;D ---
**Author:** ![1vertical](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/1vertical/32/740_2.png) [@1vertical](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/1vertical)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 1:56am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/4 "2010-10-31T01:56:17Z")
> [@hopfenundmalz](#): > > Do you live near Roswell?   ;D 1K miles from roswell…ha ha ha No this was a yeast that started in a bottle of V8 Peach Mango Fusion in the fridge at 40 something degrees…but Now it is on the stirplate and is demonstrating top fermentation characteristerics…little round colonies…I pitched it into a quart starter and prolly did not have many viable cells to begin with. Alien because I do NOT know what it is…ale or lager  or Brett…I drank some of the last starter that was with this yeast that had completed. It tastes like chanterelle mushrooms smell kind of fruity…like apricot but different.  Maybe it is a Brett I do not know, but I am gonna brew with it if I can get it going… It is really pleasant ---
**Author:** ![pyrite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@pyrite](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/pyrite)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 2:09am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/5 "2010-10-31T02:09:47Z")
wish I could help, but I’ve only fiddled with the brett series and the sour mixes.  I’m curious to find out how your wild stuff turns out. ---
**Author:** ![tschmidlin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/tschmidlin/32/3857_2.png) [@tschmidlin](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/tschmidlin)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 5:35am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/6 "2010-10-31T05:35:40Z")
Feed it slowly with low gravity wort, use some yeast nutrient, and be patient.  If it’s going to have to sit again, once it settles dump off the media and add some distilled water.  It will stay happier longer. But what do you mean by “little round colonies” when it is on a stirplate?  :-\ ---
**Author:** ![1vertical](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/1vertical/32/740_2.png) [@1vertical](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/1vertical)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 5:47am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/7 "2010-10-31T05:47:54Z")
Tom, I ran the stir bar for 24 hours and saw nothing…so I figured the wort was full of O2… So I turned it off to see if I could detect anything…then you know how when a carboy is done with primary and sometimes those little round colonies of yeasties are on the surface??? Well that is what this looked like only in a quart size carboy…lol… I now am seeing a good amount of foam covering the surface and think that the thing is gonna be good to go…I will try and get a photo… Edit: looking fairly normal now with activity beginning. Just got off to a slow start methinks its gonna be alright ![WildStirplate.jpg](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/original/2X/f/f5eaeb5fc046bf7d3b7ae771dc1d44fa03dae2aa.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![tschmidlin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/tschmidlin/32/3857_2.png) [@tschmidlin](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/tschmidlin)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 6:25am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/8 "2010-10-31T06:25:55Z")
> [@1vertical](#): > > Tom, > I ran the stir bar for 24 hours and saw nothing…so I figured the wort was full of O2… > So I turned it off to see if I could detect anything…then you know how when a carboy is done > with primary and sometimes those little round colonies of yeasties are on the surface??? Cool, I get it.  I don’t think of that as a colony, but that doesn’t mean you can’t call it that. To me a colony grows from a single cell on a plate, so I was just confused.  No worries.  :) You are most likely culturing a mixed culture.  Without isolating colonies, it will be hard to know what it is exactly.  If you look at it under a microscope you might be able to spot the yeast and bacteria that are likely present, if only to confirm that there is a mix.  Even if you see only yeast it is likely a mix of yeast. If you isolate colonies, you can inoculate them in media containing cycloheximide at 5-10 ug/ml.  If it grows, it is probably Brett.  If it doesn’t grow, it is probably Sacc.  If you inoculate a mixed culture and get growth then there is probably some Brett, but maybe not only Brett, but if it doesn’t grow it is probably only Sacc. Taste it as you go, because since it is likely a mixed culture it is probable that one strain will dominate at different points and eventually it might not be to your liking. HTH fixed typo ---
**Author:** ![1vertical](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/1vertical/32/740_2.png) [@1vertical](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/1vertical)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 6:37am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/9 "2010-10-31T06:37:44Z")
My microscope is a stereo 40X at best. i use it for mineral examining. Not enuff umph for yeast and bacteria. As for the cyclohexamide, i have none laying around and no avenue to obtain any…this is part of the process that will best be served by someone else.  I will if this is decent, part with a quantity for such purposes. That flavor was simply amazing and good…hope it stays with the organisms. ---
**Author:** ![tschmidlin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/tschmidlin/32/3857_2.png) [@tschmidlin](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/tschmidlin)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 7:04am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/10 "2010-10-31T07:04:34Z")
If it turns out well and you like it and want to know more, send me a sample.  I’ll see what I can do. ---
**Author:** ![bluesman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@bluesman](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/bluesman)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 3:59pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/11 "2010-10-31T15:59:21Z")
This is interesting. Again…how did you get the wild yeast? It was spontaneously started in a V8 product? ---
**Author:** ![1vertical](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/1vertical/32/740_2.png) [@1vertical](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/1vertical)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/12 "2010-10-31T16:29:26Z")
> [@bluesman](#): > > This is interesting. Again…how did you get the wild yeast? It was spontaneously started in a V8 product? Yep, I had a jug of V8 Peach Mango Fusion…not to be confused with the other V8 product with a similar name that reverses the order of the fruit in the title…It was open in the fridge for a LONG time and I went to get a glass noticed the jug was rock hard…thought…hmmmm…cracked it open PSSSSSSSST… CO2 exited the container …thought…hmmmmmm…poured into a glass…fizzy bubbly … thought hmmmmmm…tasted…thought WOW GREAT flavor. So good in fact, now I carb up 2 liter bottles with my carbonator just to have carbed V8 peach mango fusion over a bit of ice… ;D ---
**Author:** ![bluesman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@bluesman](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/bluesman)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 2:05am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/13 "2010-11-01T02:05:27Z")
> [@1vertical](#): > > > [@bluesman](#): > > > > This is interesting. Again…how did you get the wild yeast? It was spontaneously started in a V8 product? > > Yep, I had a jug of V8 Peach Mango Fusion…not to be confused with the other V8 product with a similar > name that reverses the order of the fruit in the title…It was open in the fridge for a LONG time and I went > to get a glass noticed the jug was rock hard…thought…hmmmm…cracked it open PSSSSSSSST… > > CO2 exited the container …thought…hmmmmmm…poured into a glass…fizzy bubbly … > thought hmmmmmm…tasted…thought WOW GREAT flavor. > > So good in fact, now I carb up 2 liter bottles with my carbonator just to have carbed V8 peach mango fusion > over a bit of ice… ;D That’s groovy man.  ;D Never would have thought of that but hey…you might be on to something. I’ll be curious to know your findings. Keep us posted.  😉 ---
**Author:** ![majorvices](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/majorvices/32/12825_2.png) [@majorvices](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/majorvices)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 12:06pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/14 "2010-11-01T12:06:58Z")
> [@tschmidlin](#): > > You are most likely culturing a mixed culture. Exactly, so don’t be surprised when it changes drastically over the next generation or so, even so much as to change and sour while the finished beer is conditioning. The character you are probably picking up is probably from a wild yeast strain which can sometimes be surprisingly clean. But wild strains never travel alone so all other type of beer souring critters will be along for the ride. I have tried to culture wild strains in the past and have come up with some initially interesting results that all failed during the conditioning period. Usually ended up with a “vomit” flavor in the final beer. ---
**Author:** ![1vertical](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/1vertical/32/740_2.png) [@1vertical](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/1vertical)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/15 "2010-11-01T14:31:42Z")
All this tends to make me want to do a 3 gallon trial beer for the 1st go round… This starter has that mango/apricot/chanterelle mushroom aroma. I think the behavior is very Brett like.  I should make an apricot beer for this methinks.  That way vomit flavors will have texture too!  ;D Update; Today Kreusen has dropped on the starter Edit: this is the third iteration ---
**Author:** ![ryang](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/ryang/32/13062_2.png) [@ryang](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/ryang)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/16 "2010-11-01T15:53:09Z")
lurking and watching from the stands as a very curious and excited spectator…  (here and BBB) ---
**Author:** ![1vertical](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/1vertical/32/740_2.png) [@1vertical](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/1vertical)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 4:19pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/17 "2010-11-01T16:19:57Z")
Ok all you followers of alien wild yeasties…updated photo. I turned off the stir plate and now you can see those little round colonies…kind of…thru the condensate.  The chunks around the outside periphy are pieces of hop cones. The yeast/brett is settling out and when It does, I will try to remember post taste notes… ![colonies.jpg](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/original/2X/f/fcfadad1da384858bf4dcc51ff918cbf2721190c.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![bluesman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@bluesman](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/bluesman)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 4:22pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/18 "2010-11-01T16:22:45Z")
> [@1vertical](#): > > All this tends to make me want to do a 3 gallon trial beer for the 1st go round… …or even a one gallon.  :-\ ---
**Author:** ![1vertical](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/1vertical/32/740_2.png) [@1vertical](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/1vertical)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/19 "2010-11-01T16:51:16Z")
> [@bluesman](#): > > > [@1vertical](#): > > > > All this tends to make me want to do a 3 gallon trial beer for the 1st go round… > > …or even a one gallon.  :-\ This becomes my chance to do a brew in a bag…thing…ahhhhh…the hobby kicks in… ---
**Author:** ![1vertical](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/1vertical/32/740_2.png) [@1vertical](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/1vertical)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679/20 "2010-11-04T17:13:32Z")
Update; Starter activity has ceased and I tasted the liquid despite my apprehension. Oxygen for sure…dang it…But beyond that, It is fruity …some unknown…apricot …pluot…plum…mangoish. To me nailing it down is this, It tastes like chanterelle mushrooms smell… and that is NOT a bad thing. I put those other fruit words up there for those of you that have not had the chanterelle experience. Finish is light and as if It has some carbonation…tho it does NOT. Next iteration is a 3 gallon beer I hope. [Next page](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/growing-up-an-alien-wild-yeast-from-scratch/3679.md?page=2)