Yeast Farming

[puffer555]

Hi guys,

I just wanted to get a feel for what most people use on this site.
Basically I want to start saving money on yeast by storing/re-using some.
I have read the sticky post, but the problem is there is a lot of info, and people use many different methods, each with their pro's and con's, ie.

Spilt from fresh yeast pack.
Make starter then split.
Harvest from yeast cake, wash and store
Repitch onto yeast cake.
Store in fridge under distilled water.
Store frozen with glycerine.
Sore in yeast slants.

Currently, I am just looking at splitting the main yeast pack into 4 smaller lots as described in the OP of the sticky yeast farming thread.
This requires minimal effort, minimal equipment, and maintains 1st generation yeast.
Anyway, what are peoples thoughts on the pros and cons of this method.

Cheers
Tim

 

[JonnyAnchovy]

This is exactly what I do, basically for convenience.

I split an unsmacked pack into vials, top up with sterile water (Some recommend distilled water, but I'm worried about what the osmosis pressure of this would do to the yeast), and store in the fridge.

This way, one smack pack lasts 4 batches. I sometimes build up a second generation starter and split again, but by that stage I'm often bored of the yeast and ready to move on to something new.

 

[wobblythongs]

Hi I'm a newbe but I've been following this guy for help as well.


Cheers

 

[haysie]

This is exactly what I do, basically for convenience.

I split an unsmacked pack into vials, top up with sterile water (Some recommend distilled water, but I'm worried about what the osmosis pressure of this would do to the yeast), and store in the fridge.

This way, one smack pack lasts 4 batches. I sometimes build up a second generation starter and split again, but by that stage I'm often bored of the yeast and ready to move on to something new.

What Johnny said....... Split, how you do that is easy as long as sanitation is paramount. Reuse the slurry of the 1st gen? why not..... i often do, some yeasts taste better 2nd gen (1084).
After splitting and slurrying and washing, I cant be bothered anymore. At about a buck fifty per batch its great value, but dont overdo it i.e store slurries for periods of time.

 

[beerdrinkingbob]

I have used Batz's biuld up your starter and split and chillers how to wash yeast, they all work well, you can find them in common ground.

Good Luck :icon_cheers:

 

[MaltyHops]

I use/have used several methods.

Spilt from fresh yeast pack.

Bit of a Freudian spill there? Did this when I needed/wanted a new yeast I
didn't have - also used a bit to inoculate some yeast slants.

Harvest from yeast cake, wash and store
Store in fridge under distilled water.

Might as well do this in case the yeast could be used again in the near future for
another brew. I just let the recovered trub settle in several containers, pour off
some of the beer in the top layers so there's a high percentage of yeast, shake
them all up and put into one or two containers to keep up to a month or two.
Certainly much easier to restart with this than stepping up from slants.

Sore in yeast slants.

When I first started, I made a batch of blank slants about triple number what I
needed and just put away in fridge. When I got new yeasts, used these blank
slants to inoculate with - very convenient. I'll probably need to reactivate and
transfer my collection into new slants in about 6 months' time.

Repitch onto yeast cake.
Make starter then split.
Store frozen with glycerine.

Haven't tried these but might be worth looking into at some stage.

T.

... and since you're in Adelaide, I posted a tip on a good bottle to use for storing
yeast fudge here (don't know if you've seen it) - get from some Foodland stores.

 

[haysie]

Store frozen with glycerine.

This has merit with the 1.5ml vials, saves slanting and you can freeze it out of the way.

 

[manticle]

Whenever I get a new type of yeast, I smack and pitch most of it into my starter. I reserve a small amount and put it under boiled cooled water in test tubes which have been boiled for half an hour, then sanitised. Refrigerate.

I also sometimes top crop into clean, sanitised longnecks and store under boiled cooled water in the fridge. I rarely re-use yeast cake. My main reason for re-use is less saving money, more making sure I have various strains on hand at any given time.

All reserved yeast grown where necessary and made into active starters then smelled/tasted before pitching into wort.