Reactivating Yeast

[MikeHell]

Have been experimenting with various yeasts, dry and liquid. Have reactivated Coopers Pale and Sparkling Ale yeasts from the bottle dregs after storing it in the fridge for a couple of weeks. I presume I can reactivate pretty much any strain? If this is the case, how long can I store the yeast dregs from my bottled home brews for, and still be able to reactivate them?

Main reason I ask is that I generally brew with the seasons and, for example, I might want to store and re-use a particular yeast strain for a particular style of beer for future use. So how long can it last?

 

[Pickaxe]

+1, been curious about this myself.

 

[Yob]

Slants or glycerine freezing for 6 months+

 

[Pickaxe]

Sorry yob, what you near by slants and glycerine freezing?

 

[Pickaxe]

Sorry yob, what you mean by slants and glycerine freezing?

 

[Yob]

Both Wolfy and bribie did some experiments, have a search for freezing yeast, quite informative.

Cheers

(on phone can't link)

 

[Pickaxe]

Thanks chief. Will do.

 

[lael]

Have you done glycerin freezing Yob? I think that is how I should prob be splitting from now on.

If so - how viable was the yeast afterward and for how long?

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//index.php?autocom=ineo&showarticle=125 is where the article used to be at...

 

[Yob]

Time has become my worst enemy, I've got as far as all the required equipment, it's still something that I want to do... Nay, intend on doing when I get a few spare hours.

Theory and my reading suggests that if done correctly the yeast should be viable for 2 years or so. I believe Wolfy has stock of about this age though he admits they need proofing and re setting about now.

I've had rinsed yeast stored for months and has re activated just fine, it is a good idea to treat them well in the first 2 steps though.. Nothing above a 1020 wort.

 

[lael]

Sweet. Thanks! Any yeasts you've found generally better or generally worse after being harvested in 2nd gen+ ?

 

[Yob]

Mostly better at 2nd use, firing on all cylinders at 3 and 4, 5 is a dream and by 6 or 7 Im generally thinking about a reset and or all my cubes are full, naturally, if there is even the hint of something not being exactly as per expectations on the previous ferment, the whole lot is ditched and the process begins again from a fresh batch. It has to be an outstanding performer to get to 7 uses.

That said, Ive been to a Brewery where he was up to 128 direct re uses. The Franciscan Well Brewery in Ireland from memory.

Labelling of the rinsed yeast has also let me down in the past, always label the type, viability date (FG + 3-4 days) and the harvest date, in my brewery they arent always the same date due to Cold Conditioning etc.

Also on the subject of rinsing yeast, I notice that V8 have gone to plastic, thats a real shame as those bottles made the BESTEST rinsing flasks due to their shape. Though I have a couple, a few more would have been nice.

:icon_cheers:

 

[lael]

Sweet. Thanks! I picked up a few from the reject shop recently on your recommendation from an earlier thread. Might be worth checking?

 

[JaseH]

My last couple of brews I stepped up some 1272 samples which I'd saved in vials stored in the fridge for over 12mths - they worked fine.

 

[yum beer]

I rinse most of my yeast at least once and re-use.
I dont bother going for any further genearations because the cost is not a huge factor, Re-use a liquid yeast 1 = $5 a batch, a like that.
A yeast may sit in my fridge for 4 or 5 months before being reused and I just make sure to restart it gently as YOB said earlier, light wort and give it time.
On the weekend I pitched a slurry of US-05 into a kit beer I am doing for the FIL- took it out of the fridge in the morning, allowed it to come to room temp,happened to be 18c, drained off wort and direct pitched.
Fired up like a beauty, ferment done in 72 hours.

 

[carniebrew]

Also on the subject of rinsing yeast, I notice that V8 have gone to plastic, thats a real shame as those bottles made the BESTEST rinsing flasks due to their shape. Though I have a couple, a few more would have been nice.

:icon_cheers:

Is it the plastic that's the issue, or the new shape?

 

[Yob]

Mostly the shape, the old ones had a particular shape that kept most of the dead cells / shit in a reservoir and let the healthy yeast run off... if you had a steady hand.

Anyway, >HERE< is the freezing Yeast thread done by Sir Wolf A lot.

>HERE< is the other by the G Man

These are the threads I was thinking about.

:icon_cheers: