Bob Brewer (yes, that’s his real name) answers your questions about the world of beer & brewing.

John: What should I look for on a bottle if I want to take a yeast culture?

Bob: John, almost all bottled beer these days does not contain any yeast. It’s all removed during the filtration process. There are, however, a very few beers that are “bottle conditioned” which do contain recoverable yeast.

Bottle conditioning is a process where the final fermentation of the beer actually takes place in the bottle after it has been filled and capped. A small amount of yeast is injected into the bottle of beer before it is capped, usually along with a bit of sugar to provide “priming.” The beer will ferment, or “condition,” for a time in this sealed environment, creating some additional carbonation and finishing, but will also leave yeast sediment in the bottle. These beers are unusual these days but are usually labeled as bottle conditioned. Coopers Ale from Australia is one example I can think of.

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