# I think I'm Going to Stop Trying to Reculture Yeast



## Fat Bastard (28/8/14)

Honestly, I think it's a waste of time and a pain in the arse.

I love the variety afforded by liquid yeasts and plan to continue to use them, but trying to recover and reuse them is a bloody pain.

I'm currently trying to precisely target my starter sizes and nearly every time I've tried to recover, rinse and reculture, it's caused some minor drama with the taste of my beer. The rinsed slurry calcs seem a bit hit and miss and at least with an aged vial from white labs you can have a much better guess at how many of the '100 Billion Cells" are still viable and calculate your starter steps from that, without having to resort go the guesswork of the rinsed slurry calc and it's attendant questions of is it thick or thin and how much of it is trub/break material/crap.

I'm not a frequent brewer and to be honest, the guesswork involved in recovering and reculturing seems like false economy to me (unless you're a microbiologist), given that my average brew constitiutes a full day and a bit of my labour on my rig that cost me heaps of time and a bit less money and 2/3/4 weeks of waiting time due to my limited fermenter space to brew less than awesome beer.

Please feel free to discuss my hypothesis here.

Cheers,

FB


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## Lecterfan (28/8/14)

I also gave it away and am much happier and more satisfied for it. It's a fun part of learning the hobby/craft etc, but I'll not bother with it again. My experiences echo what you have written, although I'm sure it's not everyone's experience and plenty will bang on in the contrary position (which is, of course, fine).


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## philmud (28/8/14)

I'm with you FB, I threw out my yeast vials that were in my fridge just last week. Even splitting packs doesn't work out for me as I just don't brew often enough. I may revisit, but for now I'm keeping it simple.


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## manticle (28/8/14)

I stopped yonks ago. Was a fun idea and I bought test tubes, made my own tt rack etc but I'm always making different styles, using different yeasts and the price of liquid is not high enough to warrant the extra effort. At most, I'll take a bit of slurry from a batch for another when appropriate or do an ocassional top crop but mostly it's new packs each brew.


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## Blind Dog (28/8/14)

Apart from Bedford I've pretty much given up, but blowed if I don't love that yeast. So until the bar stewards at white labs make if full time I'm stuck with splitting and / or saving to reculture. Bar stewards


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## peas_and_corn (28/8/14)

Yeah, I looked into the whole keeping a yeast bank thing and decided that it just wasn't worth it. I would rather just spend the extra money and save the hassle, really. It's a nice idea to have a decent yeast bank of 10 or so yeasts that I like on hand, but... eh.


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## Blind Dog (28/8/14)

OT

Plus, FB, you need to post more

Just seeing a pic of Alexei brings back memories of the young ones and 'hello John'. Only prize I got in school was for translating that song into German. Happy daze


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## Fat Bastard (28/8/14)

Blind Dog said:


> OT
> 
> Plus, FB, you need to post more
> 
> Just seeing a pic of Alexei brings back memories of the young ones and 'hello John'. Only prize I got in school was for translating that song into German. Happy daze


Remnds me of my high school German lessons where I asked the teacher what the German word for "Melons" was, to use in a free writing exercise. "Ich mochte auf Ihrer Melone pissen" I got in trouble for that one!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels ths way about yeast.. I'm looking for minor improvements to my beer here, and the hobby has gone well beyond making cheap drinkable beer. I'm looking for an extra point or two from the pointy heads judging the 2015 NSW homebrew comp, without carpetbombing the bloody thing with 2 entries in every category.

Anyone want to buy a bunch of autoclavable plastic vials?


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## Blind Dog (28/8/14)

Barry had 33 entries apparently thus year (in another thread. I'm anal but not anal enough to count so done else's entries).

I reckon 4 or 5 yeasts will cover just about every style. 1 fruity ale, 1 clean ale, 1 lager, 1 belgian and maybe 1 hefe. Now just to find them


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## Fat Bastard (29/8/14)

Heh, 33 beers is pretty close to my my total amount of brews over 3 years of all grain brewing. I'm sure Barry runs his own race like the rest of us though and brews to his capabilities and available time, and given that I got to taste some of the beers from guys who scored highly last year's comp in the 2013 Xmas in July lotto, I'm certain his beers are very, very good!

That being said, I've never brewed a beer specifically for a competition, and I probably never will. I'd just like to cut the variables down where I can. I know my gear is good, I can now ferment in stainless, and I trust my taste enough to know my recipes are for the most part, good 'un's


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## Blind Dog (29/8/14)

Reckon your right. You either brew for comps or for yourself. If what you like happens to fit a comp style that's a bonus. Right now drinking an American brown that scored 68 in the states but is a gorgeously complex beer. Interested to hear what the judges think, but personally reckon I'd gave to dial back roasted malts and hops to fit an arbitrary style and end up with an emaciated beer


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## Blind Dog (29/8/14)

But I'm entering 35 next year


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## Midnight Brew (29/8/14)

There is always the option of freezing yeast at minimal effort in the "Lets Freeze Some Yeast Thread". It does rely on calculations of stepping up but so far in my experience you take the vial out of the freezer and let it thaw then into a 50ml starter for a day or 2 and shake as you walk past it then into a 500ml and then 1L. Does the job every time but it depends if you want to make all the starters for it. Its a great option for yeast you cant get all year round.

Might be just as much hassle if that is what you are looking to avoid but worth a read to consider it.


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## Yob (29/8/14)

Not to mention, you can select the most perfectly performing yeast to bank, which often isn't a first pitch from a fresh pack/vial.. 

While I agree with the op in that it can take a bit of work understanding the slurry settings, all the info is there, compact yeast = settled compact yeast, non yeast percentage = well rinsed or lazy rinsed. 

I think I'll keep freezing too, I've not had results less than expected and in most cases far beyond my expectations, is frightfully easy and the yeast will keep for years. 

Each to their own though, I see it almost like a second hobby.


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## menoetes (29/8/14)

I'll fly in the face of popular opinion and say that I am doing it and will continue to do so. I'm a bit cheap and get a special little shiver of delight when I think about the fact I've used a $14 yeast over 8 times and am still going... 

...but I will also admit that it can be a pain in the ass. I have to remember prepare the yeast-starter days in advance of my brew-day and the same thing with prepping to harvest etc. Like someone else once on here commented 'I sometimes feel like I am becoming a slave to my yeast'. 

Edit: I was flying in the face of popular opinion until Yob beat me to it & decided to be so darn supportive too... Now I don't feel like a rebel anymore :blush:


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## dago001 (29/8/14)

I have been farming yeast for a while, and just said to Mrs LB the other day that I am going to stop. After dumping 36 litres of beer the other day because of the yeast, I have had enough. If I can't reuse the yeast immediately, im dumping it from now on.


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## contrarian (29/8/14)

While the idea of saving and storing yeast is compelling I really don't have the time, equipment or inclination to do it. I try to get a run of brews out of a liquid pack which will be 4-8 depending on style but just use a scoop of trub and yeast cake into a clean fermenter. Certainly not best practice but quick and easy and I've been happy with the results.


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## mje1980 (29/8/14)

I wrote a big reply but my shit hole internet fucked up me posting it, so here's the short version.


I'm also an infrequent brewer, and quite lazy. I'd always end up throwing out older yeast samples, because it always seemed a bit of a lottery to try to revive them. 

But then I got a stir plate. Since then my success rate has been 100%. I revived a 6 month old slurry of saison yeast. I wanted to get some consistency to my yeast handling, so despite having a big whack of slurry, I added 80g ( put the flask on a scale ) of it to a 1.5 litre slurry, and let it rip. Came to life just fine and I pitched it into a saison, which finished at 1.004. 

Just the other day I got an 11 month old top crop of wyeast German ale out of the fridge, and added it to a 1.5 litre starter. Took 36+ hours but had a nice thick krausen, so I pitched to a 1.062 ale, and overnight at 16c, it had a nice thick krausen. 

I don't mind if I only get 2-3 uses out of a smack pack, or white labs tube, but now with the stir plate, I'm much more confident about reviving old yeast.


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## warra48 (29/8/14)

contrarian said:


> While the idea of saving and storing yeast is compelling I really don't have the time, equipment or inclination to do it. I try to get a run of brews out of a liquid pack which will be 4-8 depending on style but just use a scoop of trub and yeast cake into a clean fermenter. Certainly not best practice but quick and easy and I've been happy with the results.


This is what I do. I reuse it twice after the initial pitch, then dump it.
I always build up a new pack/tube to give me a decent initial pitch.
I brew 25 litres only on average once every 3 to 4 weeks, so I see no point in me building up a large yeast library.


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## smokenmirraz (29/8/14)

I have a couple of lunch boxes full of yeast vials in the fridge going on probably 12+ months old now. I don't drink or brew enough to use them all that often. Occasionally, I'll crack one vial and step it up for a brew each month or so.


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## yum beer (29/8/14)

Being stuck in a home brew vortex with the only way for ingredients being post it can get a little pricey always buying yeast.
So I collected and rinsed and stored my yeast, I bought a stir-plate and a drug lab sized flask, and all was good.
Now I'm brewing once every 3-4 weeks at most and rotating styles so stocks are getting old and less viable all the time.
No more....
I've found reliable supply of cheap liquid yeast...and a good supplier of grain...
now I just buy in what I need fresh for each batch and don't worry about the extra dollars......

If I was brewing more regularly, or making repeat batches.... for sure.


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## fletcher (29/8/14)

i think it's a great thing to do to get familiar with it, and then adjust it based on your brewing (which is what i can see a lot of people here in this thread seem to be doing). eg, if you only brew once in a blue moon, why bother, of if you brew every now and then and really love a particular strain, then why not?

i've got a bunch in the fridge i haven't used for a while, or that i've been given, and i know i'll get to them, but i'll agree with a stir plate it's much easier. without one, i wouldn't be assed.


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## Kingy (29/8/14)

When I get liquid yeast I collect 3 vials from the packet to stow away for later. then make a starter with the rest to use now. After that's finished fermenting I rinse some of the yeast and collect 2 jars of about 75gms. Make starters with them on stir plate and use them for the next couple brews, similar style. Then start me vials as needed also. Stir plate is the go but.


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## Screwtop (30/8/14)

Went through the whole yeast bank/reculturing/washing/splitting/everything many years ago and agree with FB and others. Have tasted many beers over the years from other brewers with "that yeast issue taste". When you ask what yeast they have used the reply is always the same - something other than fresh liquid or dried yeast. The sterile environment, equipment and techniques required to get it right are not always available or adhered to by the average home brewer. 

I want much more than cheap beer, I want good beer with no hint of yeast issues. Have settled on M44 for most pale ales, easier than liquid, pitched at the correct rate it produces very clean beer. 

Screwy


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## Weizguy (30/8/14)

Well, excuse me dear yeast culture naysayers.

I like to have the option to grab the yeast I want from my collection, when I want it.

Having said that, I have some yeast that I have cultured, that otherwise may not be available too. King & Barnes festive ale, Matilda Bay Real Ale, maybe a few others.

On the other hand, I agree that some yeast varieties are a lot of work, like the wheat varieties that I prefer for my weizens. Always interesting to try and predict the results of fermentation.

For me, it's a no-brainer, but you guys do what you want.

FB, what size are your autoclavable vials, and how much are you gonna need from me to part with them? 

Les out


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## mje1980 (30/8/14)

Really, I see both sides of the argument, and have gone through periods of just buying fresh yeast, when I could have recultured. The stir plate gives me enough consistency to be confident about reviving old yeast. But, yeah, when brewing infrequently it's not a bad idea to just buy fresh and do a "run" of similar styles.


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## Fat Bastard (2/9/14)

For me, it's just about controlling the variables. I'm happy with making starters on the stir plate, I'm happy using somewhat aged yeast from a facility that is equipped to ensure a reasonably accurate cell count to begin with and I'm somewhat happy to split a vial or smack pack for multiple use.

Where it falls down for me is the process of estimating the cell count in washed slurry. I can rinse the yeast in clean boiled water, but it's beyond my capability to get an accurate estimate of the number of yeast cells in the washed slurry. I get dodgy, yet non quantifiable tastes in most brews I've done this with and I've kept notes, so I've got some sort of empirical evidence for it too. This is despite using the calculators online.

I'm not at a stage in my brewing career where I brew lots of different beers with lots of different yeasts, I'm more or less targetting a handful of recipes using a limited number of yeasts so I'm probably noticing subtle variations where the more catholic brewer wouldn't. I'm also at a stage where repeatability is probably more important to me than anything else bar the standard new brewer mistakes with sanitation and process.

As an aside, I'm fairly flabbergasted to find how many of my fellow brewers agree with me. I thought re-using yeast was pretty universal!


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## Blind Dog (2/9/14)

Fat Bastard said:


> As an aside, I'm fairly flabbergasted to find how many of my fellow brewers agree with me. I thought re-using yeast was pretty universal!


Don't see why you'd be flabbergasted. It's a kerfuffle with limited reward unless the yeast is hard to come by or you enjoy doing it. I can see the attraction, have done it for a while, but won't be doing it much for a while at least.


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## carniebrew (2/9/14)

I don't bother with slurrys or top cropping any more. When i get a new yeast pack of something I reckon I'll use again, I tend to build the starter so that it's about 100b cells over what I need, e.g. if I need 180b I'll use Yeastcalc to calculate a starter that'll be 280b. Then I'll split off the extra 100b into a sterile vial and put that away for next time. I find it a lot easier and more accurate than collecting/rinsing/estimating from a fermenting/fermented beer.


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## black_labb (2/9/14)

I reculture in the form of top cropping yeast from one brew to the next. I'll get a few cubes ready to ferment on the same yeast and topcrop the yeast, usually onto ~1L of wort (collected from what's left in the whirlpool settled overnight in a tall vessel and then sterilised). I'll usually get 2-4 beers from one yeast that I will have go through the fermentation cycle soon after each other and bottle/cask 2 batches at once saving time. I don't brew often but when I do I'll do a few batches at once to take advantage of the simplicity of top cropping. I brew mostly english ales and some belgians meaning it is easy to choose a suitable yeast for flavour and ability to be top cropped. 

But storing and reculturing yeast? fageddaboudit

One thing I don't understand is why people insist on doing starters in small vessels unless using a stir plate. My starters are all done in the fermenter and the final beer pitched on top saving on sterilisation and the risk of contamination during transfers.


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## Yob (3/9/14)

FB, while I dont dispute the results you seem to be experiencing, getting an accurate count is pretty damn simple and repeatable,

Different strokes though and all that, maybe ill change my tune in years to come but I really enjoy the freezing and stepping up (on a plate of course)

25ml compact frozen yeast to 500ml to 2000ml always gives about 100ml compact yeast, that yeast is fresher than any vial or smack pack and while more time consuming (by such a small factor) is pretty rewarding and repeatable


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## mje1980 (3/9/14)

Oh man top cropping is IMHO the best way to do it. Especially uk ales. However it needs a bit of planning. If I had a fermenting room, that's all i'd ever do.


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## Forever Wort (3/9/14)

The system I have used for the last few months is similar to some of the posters here. I will split a purchased yeast into three or four vessels and get the cell count up. Then into the freezer. When I want to use one, I take two out of the freezer, warm one up to pitch, then split the other into the now empty vessel, get the cell count up on both, again freeze. This way I always have a few vials of my two house yeasts. Tastes have been consistent thus far and I don't fart about mad scientist-like with the numbers.

However, when it comes to experimenting with new yeasts (and most of them are still new to me given I have only been brewing for a year) I will split the packs but not keep the generations going. I have enjoyed a lot of the yeasts I've tried but I only need regular access to the ones I regularly brew with.


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## MastersBrewery (3/9/14)

I think best practice is to use a starter where and when ever possible, so with this in mind, splitting a liquid yeast pack, and freezing them seems to me a logical step. Stir plates, flasks and such aint cheap why not use them to their potential. It would seem a day or two of planing ahead of the brew is required and most of us are not brewing on the spur of the moment. I could be brewing today, but can't be arsed chasing up some yeast and I've known for a week today would be free to brew if I wanted to brew.

ATM I don't have my shit sorted enough to split, freeze and step, but it's in the plan.


MB


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## Eagleburger (3/9/14)

I split a pack like so; 

1 X 50ml for immediate use and subsequently wash and reuse a few times.

5 X 10ml in fridge for when the first portion is discarded.

10 X 750ul that are placed in freezer for the future.

Just got a 10L pressure cooker off gumtree for 20bux and have my aeration sorted.


I am keen to try step fermentation. Instead of making a huge starter for 50L of Lager, start off with a 50ml yeast slurry into say 5L of wort. ferment at 10degC then after 2 days dump it into 45L at 10degC. Any comments?


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## QldKev (3/9/14)

Nothing wrong with yeast farming, but I'm another ex-yeast farmer. It was fun while it lasted, but for the effort it wasn't rewarding. I still reuse yeast cakes, and when I want a new yeast I pitch a fresh one. Makes my brewing life easy for me.


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## fletcher (3/9/14)

yeah i don't see it as being an argument, it's just whether you want to or not. there's no wrong or right. i think it's fun to understand and learn the process but i find it too time consuming


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## dicko (3/9/14)

I live 600 odd kilometers from any brew shop that sells liquid yeast and the dried yeast in our town that is available is stored on a hook on a shelf in a hardware store so, at this stage i have little choice but to reculture or yeast farm at times.
With the new range of dried yeasts that are becoming available my need for farming may drop off as I try the different varieties but there are yeast varieties that I have come to like and these are the ones that find a spot in my "tuppaware" farm.

I intend to follow Yobs instruction and store some under glycerine in the near future as most of my failures with yeast have come from reculturing split packs that are getting a bit long in the tooth.

Apart from incorrect storage, sanitation is the hardest thing to comply with for yeast farming.

I split packs make starters and co ordinate my brewing so that I may re pitch slurry from a recent previous brew.

I have given away yeast washing as it is relatively risky as far as contamination is concerned and it is time consuming.
What I do now is swirl the slurry in the fermenter with the absolute minimum amount of beer left on the top and decant 400mls of that into a 500 ml schott bottle, label it and store it in the fridge for generally no longer than 14 days. I then pitch this slurry directly into the next brew that is suitable for that yeast variety.
My fermentations have improved out of site since I went 02 injection in my wort at pitching time.

Horses for courses, if I lived close to a HB shop that could supply quality liquids then I may not bother with most of the above. While I have to pay freight on a packet of yeast I am committed to the above due to the cost savings.


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (3/9/14)

For me it isn't the farming that annoys me (in theory) but the stepping up. I couldn't be bothered.

I'll take slurry and repitching if I'm brewing a similar style and I have top cropped an AIPA onto an IIPA with excellent results. But if it's not immediate (or within a couple of months), I wouldn't be bothered.

Having said that, I am fairly stylistically narrowed and there are only about 3 wet yeasts that really I need regularly and with me finding a sweet spot for T58, that may go down to two (once a side by side is done).


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## menoetes (4/9/14)

Hot damn Carniebrew, that's a good process! Kinda wish I had thought of it myself. Classic K.I.S.S. principle.

It would sure save all that harvesting and washing mess. A fair portion my recycled yeast is still hoppy trub when I throw it into my new starter as I don't like washing the harvested crap more than twice (I fear I lose too much yeast that way). It can give me quite a dark krausen while on the stir-plate.


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## manticle (4/9/14)

I don't really consider top cropping 'reculturing'. I love the results of top cropping.
Instant, fresh active starter.

I love active starters too - almost every brew gets one.


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## rehabs_for_quitters (4/9/14)

I was going to get a lab separating funnel thing to make it easier I have been freezing yeasts and using washed yeasts for a while, 

Then I just thought why not bottle 12 stubbies and put them aside from each brew, I sanitise then purge the bottle with CO2 then fill with beer and leave them in a nice dark out of the way spot, when I need a yeast I drink the beer and chuck the yeast from the bottle in a flask and away we go again, easiest way ever less risk than washing and way less stuffing around


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## Yob (4/9/14)

rehabs_for_quitters said:


> I was going to get a lab separating funnel thing to make it easier I have been freezing yeasts and using washed yeasts for a while,
> 
> Then I just thought why not bottle 12 stubbies and put them aside from each brew, I sanitise then purge the bottle with CO2 then fill with beer and leave them in a nice dark out of the way spot, when I need a yeast I drink the beer and chuck the yeast from the bottle in a flask and away we go again, easiest way ever less risk than washing and way less stuffing around


cleaning, sanitising and purging 12 bottles is less work than rinsing/freezing? 

...Bollox to that


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## rehabs_for_quitters (4/9/14)

When you take into account total time taken, if you clean bottles properly and store in a clean place after use after use, quick splash of no rinse sanitiser quick blast of CO2 bobs yer uncle no time at all compared to waiting for trub to settle when washing

and the most important part you get to drink the beer to liberate the yeast from its malty captive to go about doing more fermenting goodness :kooi:


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## DUANNE (4/9/14)

I'm another quitter. I don't brew enough anymore to bother with reculturing and with the price of yeast coming down as much as it has I usually just pitch two vials instead of farting around with a starter unless I'm doing something big or a lager.working between 50 to 60 hours a week spare time is at a premium so it works for me, less time wasted and next to no chance of accidentally introducing an infection to a beer I've spent a full day brewing.


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## SnakeDoctor (4/9/14)

Dry yeast for the win!


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## manticle (5/9/14)

No


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## klangers (24/9/14)

I've had a go at bottling the slurry left over from a ferment (is this "top cropping"?) and it worked very well on the brew I made 1-2 months after that.

Generally though I won't bother because refrigerated space is at a premium and I rarely make the same style consecutively.


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (24/9/14)

That's more a classic slurry repitch.

Top cropping is scraping (sanitary of course) from the active krausen (the happiest most buoyant yeast) and pitching it into a fermenter of wort waiting to be inoculated.

BRY97 (another classic lagger) takes off like a flamin rocket when you do this.


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## mje1980 (24/9/14)

Yep, top cropped pitched yeast gets going quickly and violently !!


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## klangers (24/9/14)

Ah thanks, makes perfect sense!

I guess it's most used for splitting batches or for those who have multiple fermenters.


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (24/9/14)

As a side point. With Bunnings having the plastic water drums for $15-$20 for a 20-30L drum, there is no excuse for even the tightest brewer (like me) to not own multiple fermenters.

I didn't use it for splitting a batch, I had an APA in the fermenter going off, I brewed an an IPA and needed it to be done fast, and with top cropping I can get two batches from the one packet, before I even need to look at taking the trub. In this instance it was part $$, part healthy yeast (I wanted no major esters in a high grav beer) and part time (I shaved about 4 days off, I reckon, given it was a very high grav beer).

2 batches from the one packet - at $5 a packet, you only need to do it 3 or 4 times to pay for that extra fermenter. If it's liquid, even less.


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## carniebrew (24/9/14)

klangers said:


> Ah thanks, makes perfect sense!
> 
> I guess it's most used for splitting batches or for those who have multiple fermenters.


Not only. You can top crop into something like a sanitised jar/container, and keep it in the fridge for your next batch. I do this a lot with 3068...wait until fermentation is about 50% complete (doesn't take long on a properly aerated & pitched 3068 batch, often less than 2 days) then top crop (skim) once and discard (the "dirt" skim), wait half a day or so, then skim again and put it in the fridge. Once it's settled, I decant most of the wort, and transfer into a 50ml test tube, which helps me work out (roughly) how many cells I have. Less important with something like American Pale Ale yeast, where pitch rates (within reason!) don't appear to have the same effect on the end flavour, but critical IMO for weizens.

Good reading on it here: https://www.wyeastlab.com/com-yeast-harvest.cfm, which includes a pic helping you estimate cell count by the volume of the yeast solids:


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## hoppy2B (28/9/14)

carniebrew said:


> Not only. You can top crop into something like a sanitised jar/container, and keep it in the fridge for your next batch. I do this a lot with 3068...wait until fermentation is about 50% complete (doesn't take long on a properly aerated & pitched 3068 batch, often less than 2 days) then top crop (skim) once and discard (the "dirt" skim), wait half a day or so, then skim again and put it in the fridge. Once it's settled, I decant most of the wort, and transfer into a 50ml test tube, which helps me work out (roughly) how many cells I have. Less important with something like American Pale Ale yeast, where pitch rates (within reason!) don't appear to have the same effect on the end flavour, but critical IMO for weizens.
> 
> Good reading on it here: https://www.wyeastlab.com/com-yeast-harvest.cfm, which includes a pic helping you estimate cell count by the volume of the yeast solids:
> 
> ...


You're not meant to aerate if you want esters from your 3068. At least that's the general consensus. From my understanding though, aeration produces a greater amount of yeast and rapid yeast growth is responsible for ester production.
Do you aerate your 3068 batches Carnie, and what sort of results do you get?


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## carniebrew (28/9/14)

hoppy2B said:


> You're not meant to aerate if you want esters from your 3068. At least that's the general consensus. From my understanding though, aeration produces a greater amount of yeast and rapid yeast growth is responsible for ester production.
> Do you aerate your 3068 batches Carnie, and what sort of results do you get?


I hadn't heard that one hoppy, which surprises me given all the reading I'd done chasing a true Weihenstephaner clone. I have always aerated all the batches I pitch liquid yeast on. 

My current process certainly works for me, I love how my hef's come out. I'm already chasing ester production by under pitching (about 75% of what Yeastcalc tells me to use), then limiting those esters by fermenting low, so maybe the extra esters gotten by aerating are also helping?

Actually re-reading your post now...you're saying you're *not* meant to aerate if you want esters, but then you go on to say that aeration produces greater amounts of yeast, and that leads to more esters. So aren't those two statements contradictory? Aeration will produce more yeast, more rapidly, leading to more esters?


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## hoppy2B (28/9/14)

There are conflicting reports on whether aeration increases or decreases ester production. That's why I was wondering what your results were like.

Most of the advice is not to aerate, but some evidence and the fact that rapid yeast growth and the fact that aeration increases the quantity of yeast produced, both suggest that aeration might increase esters. Go figure.


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## ashley_leask (8/10/14)

I gave up trying to rinse yeast post fermentation, but I do still culture my own by growing a volume through stepped starters, then splitting into 4 or 5 test tubes and freezing with glycerine. I hated the rinsing process, could never seem to get it right and like you, wasn't really happy with the results. Other people manage it fine, but not me it seems. 

The way I do it now, I'm working with yeast that has never fermented a full beer, no worries about hop material, large volumes of trub to rinse but I can still maintain my own library of the yeasts I use without having to worry about buying them every time I brew.


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## antiphile (8/10/14)

G'day all

Please take note that any suggestions mentioned here are designed purely for beginners thinking about harvesting yeast. Almost everyone here is a lot more experienced than me and have much better techniques, but if you've wondered about trying it for the first time and want a simple way, this may be worth considering. I did this with one of the newer types of the Coopers fermenters, but should also work with most other types of fermenting vessels with a tap.
Yeast Harvesting for Dummies.

Cheers


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## mckenry (12/4/15)

Another quitter as of today. Fucked around for hours trying to separate WLP820 nicely. Plenty of cold break separation, sweet **** all white yeast. Did over 1.5L from the conical, so diluted in varying tests from 25% to 12.5% and still not seeing anything resembling a good yeast layer. 
Maybe there's too much yeast in the cone, which doesnt come through. Its different to swishing around a plastic fermenter. My beer is now cold conditioning, (I'd hoped) without sitting on yeast cake. Not so sure now. I'd not be confident stepping this up to make another lager, thats for sure. Regardless, the farking effort is nowhere near worth it for me. If I was charging for my time, the amount of yeast I get back costs $240. Bullshit argument anyway I know, but I could have been kicking the footy with the kids, out riding my bike, cooking something, or maybe even sampling a few brews!

For $8 I'm going new each time from now on. I step up for 50L anyway, so a new vial works out at less than 7c / schooner.


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## Midnight Brew (12/4/15)

Depending on the styles you're brewing Mckenry, could always select a few top cropping strains and keep them going quiet easily.


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## mckenry (12/4/15)

Midnight Brew said:


> Depending on the styles you're brewing Mckenry, could always select a few top cropping strains and keep them going quiet easily.


Thats right Midnight Brew. I'm also brewing for the seasons, so I rarely get to use the stored / rinsed yeast in an acceptably short timeframe. Ive just lost my mojo for this part of homebrewing. I'm enjoying subtle differences between the strains too.
Hopefully this loss of mojo doesnt spiral into brewing itself.... Next thing I'll have a homebrand can and 1kg sugar....


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## BJB (12/4/15)

mckenry said:


> Another quitter as of today. Fucked around for hours trying to separate WLP820 nicely. Plenty of cold break separation, sweet **** all white yeast. Did over 1.5L from the conical, so diluted in varying tests from 25% to 12.5% and still not seeing anything resembling a good yeast layer.
> Maybe there's too much yeast in the cone, which doesnt come through. Its different to swishing around a plastic fermenter. My beer is now cold conditioning, (I'd hoped) without sitting on yeast cake. Not so sure now. I'd not be confident stepping this up to make another lager, thats for sure. Regardless, the farking effort is nowhere near worth it for me. If I was charging for my time, the amount of yeast I get back costs $240. Bullshit argument anyway I know, but I could have been kicking the footy with the kids, out riding my bike, cooking something, or maybe even sampling a few brews!
> 
> For $8 I'm going new each time from now on. I step up for 50L anyway, so a new vial works out at less than 7c / schooner.


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## Mardoo (12/4/15)

mckenry said:


> Hopefully this loss of mojo doesnt spiral into brewing itself.... Next thing I'll have a homebrand can and 1kg sugar....


After that...VB.


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