Expert: Keith Patton - 11/2/2007

Question
Hey,  
Id love to brew more beer and wine but due to the area that I live in brewing yeast is not readily available.  So here’s my question, is there anyway to take packages of regular Red Star Dry Active Bread Yeast and change it into something that will live through the alcohol caused by fermentation.  I don’t know too much about yeast but everything iv read says that the bread yeast dies cause it can’t handle the alcohol.  Also, if I can get some brewing yeast (or make some) how do I keep it and make it grow?
                              Thank you for ur time, Josiah


Answer
Josiah:

It will make a small beer, that is, weak beer. Since it won't ferment out all the way, you might get a sweet beer as well.  There are yeasts you can order via the internet.  You can get a number of ale yeasts in dry form.
Another alternative is to culture yeast from a bottle conditioned beer.  The Belgian ales, like Duvel, Chimay and some from Quebec are all have live yeast in them that forms a sediment in the bottom of the bottle.
If you can find these, let them sit till the sediment settles, carefully pour the beer out reserving the last 1 inch or so.  If you want you can grow it in the bottle or you can do in in another container.  The container should be able to vent.  If you have an airlock and a stopper that will fit the bottle you can do it there, or a plastic container with a loose fitting top will work.  Heat some water to boiling or use fruit juice or anything with sugar, add it to the yeast sediment from the bottle.  This will increase the volume and keep the yeast alive.  You can refrigerate this stuff for a few months.  Treat it like sour dough starter. Use some but keep some held back and keep it fed.  This stuff will ferment out to between 8-12% alcohol.  It will produce a bit more esters than in a lager but it will work if you don't have anything else.

Keith