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Asked by ian.schimmelfennig ·December 30, 2020 ·20.7k readers

LAB collection: barley, Oat?

Can LAB be collected via alternate carbohydrate sources? Washes of such grains as barley or oats?

lab barley oats

Top answer

From the KNF library

From the KNF library Drafted by Claude from Office Hours and the books · Sep 2026 · 5 sources

Drake's sources collect LAB from starchy rice wash left out on the counter for 3 to 7 days. (KNF Demystified, p. 31) The rinse water is low in nutrients, so milk goes in next as the food source. (Student's Manual, Basic Course, p. 13) Master Cho mixes the liquid with milk at 10:1, then keeps the whey once the curds separate. (Office Hours Ep. 67, 57:15)

Pedro found rice water gave stronger collections than other starches, since rice is nutrient-poor and pushes LAB to work harder. (Office Hours Ep. 149, 30:42) Drake also says LAB is already everywhere. (Office Hours Ep. 62, 30:10)

The library does not cover barley or oat washes. It cannot say how they compare with rice.

1 more answer
suze · Jan 6, 2021
I have never tried with oats but I am sure it'll work, especially since rolled oats have so much starch dust, similar to white rice. brown rice doesn't have nearly enough starch to wash off, and barley is probably similar. But enough theorizing. Let me tell you what I HAVE seen work (besides white rice.) Cassava starch wash, cooked taro, potatoes, and perhaps most surprising of all, mushed up white bread and flour tortillas too. Hey, its got starch, and that is the most important thing next to using real milk.  Let us know how it turns out with the barley and oats!

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