Reusing Yeast Directly From The Fermenter

[pdfarrell]

Exactly the way I do it except collect as much as possible into empty 450g black olive jars with screw lids then can save 2 or 3 in the fridge for later. They last for months.

I did read that 6 generations was the recommended maximum as the yeast mutates on each new generation. I usually don't go more than about 4 myself as I usually brew such a wide variation in beer styles you don't really want to be using stout yeastcake in an APA.

You don't wash/farm whatever the terminology? Just pure fresh swirled crud/trub into the jar? And it last months?
Things are looking up. Would make sense to have 2 or 3 of the first generation saved.

 

[RdeVjun]

BC, that degree of re- use sounds feasible to me. That would ground you fairly well in the method before, or if ever, you decide to use other more expensive or exotic strains.
Top cropping is another which could be utilised if you pitch frequently enough (there's only a fairly brief window of opportunity) and the strain is suited to that method (I'm sure someone will tell us if not).

 

[pdfarrell]

I only have 1 fermenter.. sorry I tell a lie... room for one fermenter in my temp controlled fridge. So not frequently pitching.
Would just be kegging one batch... then refilling the fermenter with another on the same day.

I guess I can plan a run of light to dark beer if the concensus is "once you go black you can't go back".

 

[Wolfy]

How many times can this be done using this simple method ? How many batches or 'generations' ?

In a normal home-brew type situation, after about 5 or 6 reuses, bacteria and other infections start to become an issue so that is generally seen as the upper limit depending on your sanitation and procedures.

I've reused washed yeast (always with a starter) after storing it in the fridge for about 9 months, however the storage-limit (for what I have done) seems to be about a year, after that there is not enough viable yeast left.

I guess I can plan a run of light to dark beer if the concensus is "once you go black you can't go back".

Since you will be washing the yeast, I don't think there is any issue re-using yeast from a dark beer, the issue hinted at earlier is that yeast from high gravity beers is usually in poor condition and is not always suitable for re-pitching.

 

[haysie]

Why cant you pitch yeast on a dark beer into a light beer? Maybe because your not only pitching yeast but a heap of trub as well. Surely your flask would show you the creamy yeast and if chilled and decanted.......its yeast not some of the last beer you are pitching.

Yeast1.. faark this is dark beer, I dont like anything less anymore
Yeast2.. get me out of here, i cant see anymore.

 

[pdfarrell]

Why cant you pitch yeast on a dark beer into a light beer? Maybe because your not only pitching yeast but a heap of trub as well. Surely your flask would show you the creamy yeast and if chilled and decanted.......its yeast not some of the last beer you are pitching.

I was wondering the same thing. You would think that half a cup (125ml) of black trub in 23000ml of light wort wouldn't make a hell of a difference?

Don't get me wrong.. I'm not that much of a tightarse that I would rip open a new $6 packet of US-05 if there was a valid reason.

 

[pdfarrell]

Since you will be washing the yeast, I don't think there is any issue re-using yeast from a dark beer, the issue hinted at earlier is that yeast from high gravity beers is usually in poor condition and is not always suitable for re-pitching.

Ahh.. high gravity leaves the yeast tuckered out. Makes sense. I wasn't going to be washing the yeast, that was the crux of my original question.

 

[pdfarrell]

Yeast1.. faark this is dark beer, I dont like anything less anymore
Yeast2.. get me out of here, i cant see anymore.

Gold!

 

[mwd]

I just collect the crud from the bottom of the fermenter by leaving about 1/2 litre of the original beer give it a good swirl round and collect from the tap get about 3 or 4 jars with about 200ml in each when settled. Cannot be bothered rinsing the yeast just leave the beer on top and it still works fine after 6 months no problems at all so far. I would probably consider rinsing a stout yeast into a light beer but you are probably right in it would not make any difference.

I use US-05 and Nottingham yeasts not got around to using liquids yet still pretty happy with results.

 

[outbreak]

So there isn't an issue if there are large amounts of pellet hops in the yeast/trub?

 

[Wolfy]

So there isn't an issue if there are large amounts of pellet hops in the yeast/trub?

That's the reason/idea for washing or rinsing the yeast, you remove any trub, hop debris and other unwanted gunk and keep only the clean yeast ready to re-use and re-pitch.

 

[timryan]

Hey guys thanks heap Ive just started using us05 yeast and would mind getting a bit more for my buck... I worry about infection with just collecting it off the bottom of the vessel is this not the case? And is it as simple as you guys are making it out.. 500ml of beer left and just half fill a jar with the mixed about trub.. Then just pour it in the next batch? What gets me is that I added an 11.5g packet of yeast how can collecting half a jar of beer contain enough yeast to actively ferment a 23L batch?

Cheers Tim

 

[MattC]

Hey guys thanks heap Ive just started using us05 yeast and would mind getting a bit more for my buck... I worry about infection with just collecting it off the bottom of the vessel is this not the case? And is it as simple as you guys are making it out.. 500ml of beer left and just half fill a jar with the mixed about trub.. Then just pour it in the next batch? What gets me is that I added an 11.5g packet of yeast how can collecting half a jar of beer contain enough yeast to actively ferment a 23L batch?

Cheers Tim

The yeast in the packet alone will not effectively ferment the wort, what happens is the yeast multiply through asexual reproduction and grow in numbers to a point where there is enough to ferment the batch. By the time the wort has been fermented there will be much more yeast on the bottom of the fermenter than you actually pitched to begin with. It is this yeast growth phase that is the principle behind yeast starters...

cheers

 

[timryan]

Tanks mate that explains alot.... So can it increase the chances of carrying infection?

 

[pdilley]

For what it is worth, I resurrect yeast well beyond 2 years past its use-by-date.

I'm going to try my hand at the above plus 3+ months in a hot non-refrigerated storage unit next when my spare fish tank heaters from China arrive (I thought I had 3 but I have only found one since moving so my stir plate and fermenters must swap between the heat source during this winter so yeast farming is currently on hold until I'm done with the next few batches, or the China fish tank heaters arrive).

Those heaters are now coming in stainless steel bling instead of glass if anyone is into that sort of thing.

Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[MattC]

As yeast grows so do any beasts you dont want, so taste the beer that has fermented to be sure. When i make a yeast starter I build it up to the volume I need and then chill it to drop the yeast out, then I pour the fermented beer off the yeast into a glass and have real good sniff and taste. If I am in any doubt about the starter I will not pitch it. It is heart breaking when you pitch an infected starter into 23L of hard work....

Cheers

 

[Dazza88]

Who reuses s-189 in this way?

 

[Bribie G]

If you sanitise a bottle well (PET bottle is good, you don't need labware or anything flash) and when you have finished bottling or kegging or transferring to a second vessel for cold crashing etc etc , give the fermenter a good swirl to turn the trub into runny cream, and pour off through the tap into the PET - and a second PET if you have enough - leaving a few cm headspace, then squeeze the bottle to expel all the air and cap firmly. Give bottle a good washdown then store in a cold fridge, where it will keep for months, settling out typically to a half a bottle of trub and half a bottle of what is effectively beer. It will outgas some CO2 and the bottle will plump up again so the headspace will be pure CO2.

I saved a bottle of Danish Lager yeast in early March and got round to pitching it three days ago, so it was almost bang on 4 months in the fridge. I let it warm up gradually and by the time it was at around 18 degrees it was just about crawling out of the bottle. If it had been an ale yeast I would have pitched there and then (after pouring off the excess "beer") - but did a starter with a couple of litres of left over wort and it's hammering away now in the ferm fridge.

Even though US-05 is not too expensive I usually run mine for two or three generations before going onto fresh stock.

Daz, basically it works with any yeast. The thing is that by the time you get to reuse the yeast, by that time you are probably drinking the beer it produced. (edit: as Matt says) If the beer is good then you would have to be very unlucky indeed to have an infected yeast bottle, especially if you did it as part of the bottling / kegging process right there on the spot. Never happened to me.

 

[timryan]

I've never tasted off beer so am I looking for a sour taste? I'm really keen to try and reuse my us05 on my next batch of apa.. I just want to get my head around the reusing idea first...


I will be using mine on the same day so I guess I won't need to bottle it.. Bribie do you then pour off the beer and add the straight trub?

 

[Tanga]

If you're putting a new batch down as soon as the old one's done you can pitch it straight into the fermenter. Least chance of infection that way. Make sure you don't add hot wort straight on the cake, low 20s if you can, as heat will kill the yeast. Do that taste test first though. If it's at all sour don't reuse.