Killing Yeast

[jezza79]

hello all

I'm sure i have browsed over this topic before but before i go ahead with cold conditioning just a simple question:

i usually buy new yeast each brew but doing lagers without a yeast starter i have to add more yeast, this time i am going to save and clean the yeast but am unsure as to wether or not cold conditioning will kill the yeast.

Instead of going to secondary i will simply run the whole fermentation in the primary and flick the freezer to -1 to let it all drop down.

can i reuse the yeast after letting it sit at -1 or is it wise collect the yeast after moving to a secondary before cold conditioning?

thanks,

jeremy

 

[seemax]

freezing will kill the yeast... cold wont

you can always top crop at full krausen, make a starter from that... not ideal to let it ferment out and stay idle for ages but it works

 

[QldKev]

I cold condition at 4c for 2 weeks often, and reuse the yeast cake most of the time. I've never tried going to -1c, I think my fermenting fridge would have a heart attack at the thought.


QldKev

 

[jezza79]

thanks i might just stick to the 4 deg mark to be safe.

 

[Bats]

Why not rack to secondary for CC then wash the yeast from primary?

That's what I usually do for Lagers, unless I'm doing it wrong.

 

[thylacine]

re: ' top cropping' with any yeast? Wyeast's thoughts...

"...Specific yeast strains which rise to form a dense head must be used, making top cropping nearly exclusive to ale and wheat strains..." http://www.wyeastlab.com/com-yeast-harvest.cfm

 

[jezza79]

Why not rack to secondary for CC then wash the yeast from primary?

DONE... class dismissed