Re-using Yeast

[glaab]

Hi guys,

I've saved some yeast from my fermenter and it has a green tinge from the hops,
will it be ok to use or is it gonna cause problems? Unless someone tells me they've used yeast like this with no probs I'll have to spring for another smack pack I think, better safe than sorry.
It was a fresh smack pack for this last batch. Danish Lager Yeast.

Thanks for any replies, Cheers

 

[PhilA]

Hi Glaab I have used yeast that had a hop color to it but i wash it 2 or 3 times and store in the fridge till I need to make a starter I normally start with 3 jars of cooled boiled water ,yeast slurry tip of liguid top up with cooled boiled water then leave several hours then repeat 3 times , then when ever you are ready make your starter that's what I do any way and never had any problems
Cheers Phil
p.s hope it helps :icon_cheers:

 

[Brewman_]

Hi guys,

I've saved some yeast from my fermenter and it has a green tinge from the hops,
will it be ok to use or is it gonna cause problems? Unless someone tells me they've used yeast like this with no probs I'll have to spring for another smack pack I think, better safe than sorry.
It was a fresh smack pack for this last batch. Danish Lager Yeast.

Thanks for any replies, Cheers

Hi,

I have reused 1st gen Wyeast smack packs yeast before and none of it really looks good. The main thing I note is the smell and taste. Have a good smell of the fermented beer and taste it. look for off taste and flavour.

I normally store the remaining yeast in 5 or so stubbies for later use, but again before using smell and taste it.

The only time I went wrong, was I noticed a smell that I did not recognise, and it was not "bad" but just different. As it fermented the smell just got worse - sour! I should have erred on the side of caution.

So I think if the fermented beer is OK, the yeast should be OK. If in doubt get another yeast pack.

Steve

 

[loikar]

I recently used 150ml US05 slurry straight out of the fermenter from a brewcraft Golden ale kit that was dark and full of hop grit in an all extract version of the great doctors Golden ale.
The latter tastes a whole lot better than the former!

BF

 

[Bizier]

I reckon you are fine so long as you are brewing a similar or darker beer. The Danish Lager will probably do well having a larger population and might result in a cleaner beer despite the hops.

For what it is worth though, I have been going back to dry yeast because of major changes in my brewery. I recently had some funky batches of beer from re-used yeast, so I am going back to basics to make sure I keep my beer in check while I focus on my hot side process. Always err on the side of caution.

ED: and I mean fresh dry yeast from the packet, not re-used from a batch using dry yeast.

 

[QldKev]

As already said
Yes ok to reuse if breing same or darker beers.
Always taste it, if anything is not 100% dump it.

Either wash it (as above)

Or mix up the yeast / trub and tip most of it out leaving about 1 cupful.
This is what I do for about 3 - 4 brews. I always have a cube ready to go straight back into the fermentor so it never sits unconvered for long.


QldKev

 

[matt white]

Chuck it in mate, it should be fine. I have been using yeast slurry for a few years now with no problems. As long as you put it in a jar fresh and keep it in the fridge for no longer than a few weeks it'll be fine. Anywhere between 200-400mls will have you bubblin in hours.

 

[chucke]

Yeah, just use the slurry.

YAC-YAT (You Ain't Cheatin- You Ain't Tryin)

If you want to be kinda accurate on the amount of slurry to add, http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

 

[Bribie G]

After weird and wonderful schemes using lab bottles, jam jars etc to save yeast cake, what I nearly always do nowadays is at the end of the bottling session, swirl the vessel a bit and do an additional bottle or two, prime and cap and mark the lids and just store it away with the other beer in the batch. Then after a few weeks if the beer turns out good then I know I have a 'breeding' bottle or two available should I wish to do a similar style of beer again.

I culture it up exactly the same as a Coopers bottle, and of course by that time the sediment has packed so I always get a pint of drinkable out of it as a last minute check :icon_cheers:

Currently I have a couple of Wyeasts, a W-43/70 in stock with a good supply of Coopers commercial yeast coming up this week. The only time I actually pitch yeast cake nowadays is if I am bottling or transferring to secondary and am ready to pitch that day or the next day. For example I'm kegging an Aussie Pale made on Coopers Sparkling yeast and will immediately throw a big scoop into the Aussie Dark that is currently in the cube.

I wouldn't worry about hop trub, it's pretty neutral by this stage.

 

[Swinging Beef]

...at the end of the bottling session, swirl the vessel a bit and do an additional bottle or two, prime and cap and mark the lids and just store it away with the other beer in the batch. Then after a few weeks if the beer turns out good then I know I have a 'breeding' bottle or two available should I wish to do a similar style of beer again.

Awsome... I have a new process.
I like the method to this madness alot.
I like the idea of separating my beers into Workers and Breeders.