The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Dry Yeast Starter

ElPanadero's picture
ElPanadero

Dry Yeast Starter

Hi folks

Haven't looked in for some time.  Hope everyone is well and coping with the worldly woes.

Have a question which I instinctively think I know the answer to but this being THE bread forum I feel sure someone will have already done it, got the T-Shirt and can give me the answer.

Question:

If I take a packet of dry yeast, mix with flour and water and keep feeding it in this way like a sourdough starter what do I end up with?

 

My assumption is that over time the constant addition of flour will gradually result in the natural yeasts in the flour overtaking the dry yeast strains that the mix started out with and thus I just end up with a conventional sourdough starter.

 

If so is there any way, domestically, to culture conventional dry yeast or indeed fresh baker's yeast?

 

Cheers and stay safe

 

 

 

 

mwilson's picture
mwilson

Hi ElPanadero,

If I take a packet of dry yeast, mix with flour and water and keep feeding it in this way like a sourdough starter what do I end up with?

A sourdough starter because LAB will grow.

This was discussed not all that long ago: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/63715/yeast-doubling-time

Also relevant:

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/63870/bread-yeast-vs-wild-yeast-vs-brewers-yeast

pages 174-177 extracted from: Handbook on Sourdough Biotechnology (Gobbetti and Gänzle)

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

a pinch will do. There are old recipes for multiplying fresh yeast.  Many use potatoe starch or molasses. You can also make wine with the instant yeast and collect the sediment after the wine has fermented and settled.  Try a search: potato yeast recipe 1800-1900   Or homemade yeast.  Yeast production (Q & A section)

Here is technical info for production but may give you ideas. Maybe too much information.  

https://www3.epa.gov/ttnchie1/ap42/ch09/final/c9s13-4.pdf