BEGINNER CULTURE KIT INSTRUCTIONS

• Yeast culturing will provide a bacterial-free yeast culture (bacterial contamination is the primary reason for poor quality homebrewed beer).
• Off flavors derived from dried yeasts are eliminated.
• Culturing yeast assures that the yeast are healthy.
• Culturing yeast is economical (and fun).
• A wider variety of unique cultures are available

THE BEGINNER CULTURE KIT INCLUDES

1 Instruction set
1 Inoculation loop (aluminum rod with wire loop)
4 x4 in. Parafilm (tm) (stretchable wax-like paper)
4 Screwtop containers filled with sterile beer yeast media (tan liquid)
2 properly prepared test tube slants with live ale yeast strains. Note: many other strains are available on request from The Yeast Culture Kit Company.

*** Cold break (trub on bottom of tube ) will be present in all beer media. It does not interfere with the culturing.

NOT SUPPLIED WITH THE KIT

• Butane lighter, kitchen gas burner, or propane torch
• Paper clip
• Dried malt extract
• 4 quart or half gallon containers with lids

PREFACE

LOCATION

STORAGE

FREE TECHNICAL SERVICE

TECHNICAL HOTLINE TOLL FREE NUMBER:

INSTRUCTIONS

• Never put the cap to a container or petri dish down on a bench top.
• Try not to breath heavily or work in a drafty area while you perform sterile anipulations.
• Never touch the inside of sterilized media slants or the inside ofscrew-top tubes.
• When using the inoculation loop touch the wire only where intended.

CULTURING YEAST FOR 5-7 GALLONS OF WORT

PROCEDURE

1. Sterilize the inoculation loop
   • Hold your inoculation loop on the thicker aluminum handle near the end.
     
   • Heat your inoculation loop with a flame source where the wire meets the aluminum handle until the wire begins to turn orange. Slowly progress the flame up the wire toward the loop, rotating the wire until it turns completely orange. If the wire accidentally touches anything after it is heated, repeat the process. Hold the sterile loop by the aluminum handle as you do the next step.
     
2. Place the sterilized loop in a portion of the slant containing yeast that does not have yeast colonies to cool the metal. Then pick up some yeast with the tip of the loop. You need only touch the yeast to pick up cells. After the tip of the loop touches the yeast colony DO NOT touch anything with the loop except inside the 35 mL of sterilized wort as described below.
3. Shake a 35 mL container to oxygenate the wort. With the same hand you are holding the inoculation loop, unscrew the cap of the 35 mL container. Place the inoculation loop containing yeast in to the wort of the 35 mL container and shake lightly then screw the cap back on.
4. Poke a hole in the top of the 35 mL container as follows: Unfold a paper clip and heat one end in a flame for 10-15 seconds. Press the hot paper clip against the middle of the 35 mL container cap until a small hole is formed. Try not to press too hard such that the paper clip goes in to the wort. Then wrap the top of the tube with a 1 x 1 square of the provided Parafilm This will keep the yeast pure and allow it to release carbon dioxide.
5. Grow at room temperature out of the direct sun until foam has formed on the top of the solution (1-3 days).
6. Prepare quarts of wort for starter cultures as below.

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   PREPARING SANITIZED WORT FOR STARTER CULTURES

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   • Find four quart or half gallon glass containers. Clean and sanitize them. Mix 3/4 to 1 pound of dried malt extract with 5 quarts of water and 1/4 to 1/2 ounce of hops.
   • Boil rapidly for 30 minutes. The volume should be approximately 1 gallon and the specific gravity should be 1.038 - 1.050°. Fill your sanitized containers leaving at least 2 inches at the top unfilled.
   • Place lids on the containers, but DO NOT TIGHTEN. Place filled container in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes or in a pressure cooker in mason jars. Remove from bath, tighten cap, and allow to cool. Store in the freezer if not to be used immediately.
7. Warm sanitized wort prepared as above to room temperature. Vigorously shake the quart of wort to oxygenate. Add the 35 mL culture from step 5 to your sanitized wort prepared as above. DO NOT TOUCH THE LID OF ANY CONTAINER. Cover with a sanitized airlock or wrap the yeast starter lid with plastic wrap or tin foil and secure with a rubber band.
8. Grow at room temperature out of direct sun until foam forms for at least one day and as many as seven days. Two to three days is optimal for most yeast strains. Temperature of wort should be less than 80°F, preferably 70°F for ale yeasts and less than 60°F for lager yeasts. Ferment, rack, age and enjoy!