Trying to split a packet dry yeast

[indica86]

I do that and get three brews from one $5 packet now.

 

[balconybrewer]

Wouldn't imagine freezing yeast is great for its overall viability

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

My yeast needs to be purchased over the net, and lives in the freezer until I am ready to rehydrate and pitch.

 

[Nizmoose]

Anyone got any info to help out with my earlier question?

"are there not problems with throwing a bunch of dead yeast cells into a fresh batch of beer? Assuming a fair amount of the cells at the bottom of the fermenter are dead couldn't you be throwing in cells that are close to lysis and therefore potentially ruining your fresh batch you pitch the old yeast into?"

 

[Yob]

Wouldn't imagine freezing yeast is great for its overall viability

why not? Dried yeast has no water to crystallize and as long as you use Glycerine on slurry it can be effectively frozen, I just thawed and started a tube after 4 months frozen solid

 

[Yob]

Anyone got any info to help out with my earlier question?

"are there not problems with throwing a bunch of dead yeast cells into a fresh batch of beer? Assuming a fair amount of the cells at the bottom of the fermenter are dead couldn't you be throwing in cells that are close to lysis and therefore potentially ruining your fresh batch you pitch the old yeast into?"

its gotta be pretty old man, odds are that you wouldnt be pitching yeast that is eating itself, it'd smell pretty rank by then

Ive done a shit load of Rinsing and using slurry (always rinsed though) and never had any issues, other folks will tell of less anal approaches with no 'meaty' off tastes.

 

[indica86]

why not? Dried yeast has no water to crystallize and as long as you use Glycerine on slurry it can be effectively frozen, I just thawed and started a tube after 4 months frozen solid

Pretty normal to store dried yeast in the freezer, bakers do it. In fact I used to store that fresh yeast (you know, the blocks) portioned in the freezer, and it worked.

Anyone got any info to help out with my earlier question?

"are there not problems with throwing a bunch of dead yeast cells into a fresh batch of beer? Assuming a fair amount of the cells at the bottom of the fermenter are dead couldn't you be throwing in cells that are close to lysis and therefore potentially ruining your fresh batch you pitch the old yeast into?"

Nutrient value?
I have not had an issue.,

 

[Nizmoose]

its gotta be pretty old man, odds are that you wouldnt be pitching yeast that is eating itself, it'd smell pretty rank by then

Ive done a shit load of Rinsing and using slurry (always rinsed though) and never had any issues, other folks will tell of less anal approaches with no 'meaty' off tastes.

Rinsed? (sorry :/ ) as in just adding some beer/ keeping some in and swirling and bottling?

 

[bradsbrew]

Anyone got any info to help out with my earlier question?

"are there not problems with throwing a bunch of dead yeast cells into a fresh batch of beer? Assuming a fair amount of the cells at the bottom of the fermenter are dead couldn't you be throwing in cells that are close to lysis and therefore potentially ruining your fresh batch you pitch the old yeast into?"

No more than you should be worried about this when making a starter. What you have is a large amount of healthy yeast which will counter any dead yeast which as has been mentioned will provide nutrient. Obviously if the yeast cake had been poorly managed and left at a temp that would encourage growth then autolysis could be a problem.
In your situation of starting with a small batch then using it for a larger batch is ideal.
Another thing to consider when doing this is the type of yeast your doing it with, the OG of the brew ie using a smaller alc brew to build the yeast for a stronger alc second brew.
You could also look up wolfies yeast cleaning thread if you want the ideal method of yeast collection.

Cheers

 

[Nizmoose]

No more than you should be worried about this when making a starter. What you have is a large amount of healthy yeast which will counter any dead yeast which as has been mentioned will provide nutrient. Obviously if the yeast cake had been poorly managed and left at a temp that would encourage growth then autolysis could be a problem.
In your situation of starting with a small batch then using it for a larger batch is ideal.
Another thing to consider when doing this is the type of yeast your doing it with, the OG of the brew ie using a smaller alc brew to build the yeast for a stronger alc second brew.
You could also look up wolfies yeast cleaning thread if you want the ideal method of yeast collection.

Cheers

Thanks very helpful I'll definitely have a look at that thread as I'd like to know as much as possible before I do it!

 

[Yob]

for convenience

>LINK<

 

[Lincoln2]

And if I can add to that I can't fathom why someone would feel the need to come into a conversation with a post that is neither helpful nor friendly especially considering I have not once had a go at anyone in any of my posts on this forum and absolutely everyone here but you has been helpful from the day I made an account on this forum. Why be a dick? The end.

Dear Nizmoose, I'm genuinely sorry my comments caused you to feel upset. When I stated "no offense" it was literal. It was an attempt at light-heartedness that obviously fell flat. I was reading the thread because it sounded interesting. I partially blame the Hook Nortons I had consumed before posting. Best of luck with your yeast management.

 

[mosto]

Harvesting yeast, like most things when you start brewing, sounds a lot more daunting than it is. It's literally sanitizing a jar, swirling the yeast cake to mix it up with the little bit of remaining beer and pouring some of that slurry into the jar. Put the jar in the fridge until you're ready to brew again. Google the Mr Malty calculator to give you an idea of how much of that slurry you need to pitch. I don't rinse the yeast at present, but I'm going to start giving that a go as well soon. I'd also look into making starters. Again, it sounds harder than it is and there's something about growing the yeast that's just cool. I enjoy making starters as much as I enjoy the actual brewing.

 

[rehabs_for_quitters]

One other option that you could try and it's good an simple, boil the life out of some water a few times, put in a jar to chill to the same temp as your brew, while its chilling get a spoon and sanitise it and everything your about to come into contact, spray bottle of no rinse sanitiser just beacame your friend, then use the sanitised spoon to scrape off the brown crud on your krausen, wait a day then with feshly sanitised spoon scrape off the nice white fluffy yeasts into your jar of sterile water, and bobs your uncle you've top cropped clean yeast ready for your next brew, half fill the jar and you'll be close to enough yeast for a 23L brew,

this way you don't have to rinse your yeast either and i've stored it for a few months in the fridge and its taken off like a rocket, good way to get your confidence up and realise these yeasts aren't all that hard to deal with, you can only do this with top fermenters like us-05 and if your doing a few brews in a row on the same yeast its bloody easy

 

[Nizmoose]

One other option that you could try and it's good an simple, boil the life out of some water a few times, put in a jar to chill to the same temp as your brew, while its chilling get a spoon and sanitise it and everything your about to come into contact, spray bottle of no rinse sanitiser just beacame your friend, then use the sanitised spoon to scrape off the brown crud on your krausen, wait a day then with feshly sanitised spoon scrape off the nice white fluffy yeasts into your jar of sterile water, and bobs your uncle you've top cropped clean yeast ready for your next brew, half fill the jar and you'll be close to enough yeast for a 23L brew,

this way you don't have to rinse your yeast either and i've stored it for a few months in the fridge and its taken off like a rocket, good way to get your confidence up and realise these yeasts aren't all that hard to deal with, you can only do this with top fermenters like us-05 and if your doing a few brews in a row on the same yeast its bloody easy

This is brilliant thanks so much, how do you distinguish between the fluffy yeast and the crud?

 

[mje1980]

If it's on the top, and thick tan coloured mousse like. That's the best shit ever. Pitch half a cup ( yes, half a cup ) into another standard strength beer, and it'll take off quick. It's very healthy yeast. Uk strains are very good for this.

 

[Nizmoose]

Good info, definitely going to give this a crack

 

[Gavo]

As you can see a lot of people here re-use and culture yeast, its one of the easiest ways of saving some more coin per brew. I will was yeast from time to time, but mostly these days I split a smack pack into five splits and make a starter when needed. If i am fermenting with the same yeast back to back I will use the yeast cake for up to three generations/ferments.

As said by others, sanitize a bottle, and swirl the yeast at the bottom of the fermenter and drop into the bottle then pitch the bottle into the next batch.