yeast washing and sodium metabisulphate

[Beil]

I wanted to have a go at washing and saving yeast, it was only US05 but it fermented like a beast and plus if I can save $5-10 per brew that's good too.

The only thing was;instead of using boiled/cooled water to mix the yeast bed into solution, I used the remains of my 25L Jerry can with my water/ 1/4 camden tab solution I used for brewing the day before.

I've got 4 jars, with my yeast in them in the fridge now, but have since learnt that wine/cider makers actually use Camden tabs to kill the yeast and stop fermentation.

Has anyone used Camden tab water instead of boiled water, I figured that since I use the Camden to sterilise/remove chlorine/chloramine the water, and that it's fine for using in the brew, that it would be OK for this... but can't find any literature on it

So I've probably killed the yeast, but I suppose I won't know until I make a starter and do/don't see any action.

Any thoughts? Just give a starter a go and learn from this 'mistake'

 

[lfc_ozzie]

Some people who make wine add this to hault fermentation, but i have heard of cases where the yeast kept going. So your yeast could be fine, or 90% of them might of been killed. Id make a starter and see how you get on.

Wait for it to settle out, see how much creamy white yeast you have, then build a appropriate sized starter (1.040 or below) as well as not too large volume wise, and see how you go

Least it waa after the beer had fermented, so you wont loose too much i guess if its all dead.

 

[peteru]

If it was just US-05, don't bother storing the potentially compromised yeast. It's easy and cheap enough to pitch another packet of US-05 and have another go next time you brew. It'll give you a chance to prepare a little better too.

 

[seehuusen]

I personally just flush with boiled/ chilled water.
First into the fv, then pour that into a sanitised large jar.
Then i add water and stir all of it up.
Non-yeast and dead stuff will drop out first. So after 10-30 mins, i decant the milky water and do the process again another couple of times (fill with yeast, top with water, shake, decant)

After this, i add the washed yeast to small sterilized glass jars. These are marked with what it is and then chucked in the fridge.
2 days prior to brewing, I'll make my starter wort and put it on a stir plate.
On brewday, I'll take the erlenmeyer flask off the stirer, chuck it in the fridge. After 3-4 hours of brewday, ill decant as much as i can and pour the rest into my chilled wort.

Ive had nearly 100% success with this method. Only once did i have an issue, and it was due to the jar i used to store the yeast in.

Hope this helps

 

[Beil]

Seehusen; yep, apart from not getting to making a starter yet and using camden treated water, that's how I did it. Been in the fridge since the 26/2. Nice layer of yeast at the bottom and no signs of mould etc.

Lfc_ozzie: going to make a 1L starter tonight. See how it goes.
I bought some test tubes to store my next load in, so I can wash the yeast well and store as much slurry in each one and just make a starter everytime I'm going to brew for no $$

Peteru; I think I'm going to make a starter with it anyways, I will be able to see if its worked and if not I have some packets I can use instead.
Either way it's all about learning.

 

[bigmunchez]

I'm pretty sure that the metabisulphite dose used to remove chloramine/chlorine (1/4 tab per 20L) is way less than the dose used to halt yeast activity. Not to mention that most of the metabisulphite you added will actually already have reacted with chlorines and become harmless. Bottom line - your yeast will be fine.

 

[Let's Brew Beer]

I often add half a campden tab to my strike water to dechlorinate (if thats a word) my water, never had any fermentation issues.