Bootleg Biology Yeast Wrangling Kits, Now Available

Kits now available at Siciliano's

By Max Spencer

Whether we know it or not, microbes impact almost every aspect of our existence upon this rock we call home. Most people go about their daily lives never giving a thought to the tiny microscopic critters all about and within them. As homebrewers, we must forego this ignorance in favor of understanding and utilizing the metabolic processes that yeast provides us. Yeast, that holiest of microbes, is what enables us to make the beer we love so much. Without yeast our brewing efforts would amount to unpalatable hop soda. On the flip side, adding hops to beer and our preoccupation with sanitation techniques are designed to prevent other microbes from finding their way into our beer, though they need not always be excluded. Microbes are at the core of our hobby.

As a lover of all things biology and homebrewing, I am thrilled that we will be carrying Yeast Wrangling Kits from Bootleg Biology™. The Wrangling Kit allows you to capture wild yeast and other microbes from a variety of environmental sources with three main methods: open air capture, putting fruit, flowers and so on into test tubes, and using cotton swabs. It also contains everything needed to then culture and isolate microbes from these wild fermentations. The kit and methods involved are very approachable and do not require a science background to undertake. Additionally, if you’re a little nervous using wild microbes the kit is also capable of isolating microbes from the bottle dredges in your favorite beers!

The components of the Wrangling Kits

The Bootleg Biology website has useful articles in the DIY section on how to capture, cultivate and isolate wild yeast using the materials provided in the kit. This section is worth glancing at before and after making a purchase as it breaks down the methods involved into clear and easy to understand steps. Jeff Mello, Chief Yeast Wrangler, also takes the time to respond to any questions sent his way via his email in the contact section on the company website.

We carry the Yeast Wrangling Kit for $60.00 + tax and agar plate and agar blend refill kits for $30.00 + tax.

INCLUDED IN THE KIT:

• ½ Gallon mason jar (for open air capture and making starters)
• 4 Cheesecloth covers for the mason jar
• 10 Agar plates (for culturing / isolating)
• 18g Agar blend
• 1’ x 2” Parafilm (seals agar plates)
• 6 Test tubes (for collecting from fruit, flowers, etc.)
• 6 Plastic pipettes
• 4 packets of 2 sterile cotton swabs
• 1 Paper clip
• 2 Fermetrics™ stickers (fermentation trackers)
• One pre-paid contributor pack (to submit yeast to the database)

Be sure to keep an eye out for Part II of this blog post (coming soon) to read about Jeff’s inspiration and his advice for homebrewers looking to use the kit. Until then, happy wrangling!