beer brewing waste

[Nick S.]

This may be wishful thinking but, is there a way to use the spent yeast and waste of brewing beer to feed bees? Seems a waste to wash it away in two weeks when I bottle.

[Jacobs]

Dried spent brewers yeast can be fed to the bees. I mix it 8 parts yeast, 1 part soy flour, 1 part powdered sugar that I powder myself (no corn starch). The bees will collect it like pollen when there is not a source of natural pollen available. Two seasons ago, hundreds of bees visited my bowls of this mix. Last year, the red maples bloomed early and the bees showed very little interest in the brewers yeast. This year, they have shown a small amount of interest, but when they stop coming to the bowl, I know I can look and see the bees bringing in natural pollen.

I have heard of the yeast being used in pollen substitute patties, but I don't haven't tried that.