Yeast Washing

[Thefatdoghead]

Just been looking into yeast washing and it looks easy enough but all the instructions and videos iv'e found have not said how long the yeast will last in the fridge? Also would it be better to store it in distilled water rather than boiled and cooled water? Anyone know any good links on here that someone has done up before on yeast washing and storing?
cheers

 

[tones0606]

Just been looking into yeast washing and it looks easy enough but all the instructions and videos iv'e found have not said how long the yeast will last in the fridge? Also would it be better to store it in distilled water rather than boiled and cooled water? Anyone know any good links on here that someone has done up before on yeast washing and storing?
cheers

Wolfy has recently done a great how to on yeast washing

 

[Yob]

here is the LINK to Wolfy's wasing thread. Also Ive been listening to Yeast Library on the Brewing Network.

I encourage you to have a listen, there is some AWESOME info there..

Yob

 

[Thefatdoghead]

Just read Wolfys. Very well explained and had all the answers I needed. So he said it will last 6-9 months but wont be viable after a year. Thanks guys

 

[Yob]

Just read Wolfys. Very well explained and had all the answers I needed. So he said it will last 6-9 months but wont be viable after a year. Thanks guys

... depending on the method of storage, it CAN last for years... BN podcast in link above.

 

[Wolfy]

So he said it will last 6-9 months but wont be viable after a year. Thanks guys

That's what I found using the method outlined in the thread linked above and testing with Coopers (bottle) recultured yeast.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Remember, there's a difference between the yeast lasting for 6months or more and being alive.... And the yeast being fine to just pitch into a beer.

You can store yeast under sterile water or beer and it will stay alive, but that doesn't mean the cup of slurry you washed and shoved in the fridge 8 months ago is fine to just swirl up and pitch. Yeast starts going down hill from a viability and vitality perspective immediately, and drops off to quite low levels really quite quickly. You cant expect more from your washed yeast than you would get from a wyeast pack or whitelabs vial. So assume the same sort of viability that say the Mr Malty calculator would give you for a pack manufactured on the same day you washed your yeast, then chop that viability in half because you aren't as good as wyeast, and your viability from a washed Cake would have been lower anyway.

If you wash a yeast cake and intend to re-pitch it directly, do it within a week or two, otherwise you should be making a starter out of it anyway, so you might as well just save a small amount.

You want to store under sterile water, not distilled, distilled will pull salts out of the yeast cells, so will RO.

 

[pdilley]

FWIW, I have revived 2 year expired White Labs yeasts including nearly 3 months in a warehouse non-refrigerated.

Once I pick up supplies from the PO this Friday, I will work on reviving a Wyeast 1728 slurry from 2008. I should know by the 23rd how it goes and will ferment out a cube of stout with it.

Wish me luck

Cheers,
Brewer Pete

 

[Nick JD]

I'm currently trying to revive a 6 month old 3944 bottled trub. Not looking good - there's signs of life ... but it's going to be more bother than $9.80 to step up the 8 live (and probably alcoholicly-challenged) cells left in there.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

I might be wrong, but i get the distinct impression that the OP is mainly talking about washing yeast for a direct pitch, rather than yeast farming. And there is no way in hell you are talking about a 2 year or even a 6 month time frame for that.

As for just managing to reawaken some zombie cells from a packet/bottle of neolithic yeast. Hell, if you are keen, have the patience and the right gear... Then you only need the often quoted 1 viable cell. But is that the best, easiest and surest way to get a pitch of decent healthy yeast that will behave the way the strain is supposed to?? Hell no.

Nick has it to rights... Pay the $9.80

 

[stillscottish]

Just pitched a 2 week old slurry. Didn't think I'd have to do much other than swirl as the last brew used a ten day old one and it fired up straight away.
Day and a half before I saw any activity

 

[winkle]

Just pitched a 2 week old slurry. Didn't think I'd have to do much other than swirl as the last brew used a ten day old one and it fired up straight away.
Day and a half before I saw any activity

Weizen yeast slurry? They can be buggers to start.

 

[stillscottish]

1007 - German Ale. It's making up for lost time now. I'll have to stick it in the ferm fridge to settle it down.

 

[Nick JD]

A few times I've revived really old bottles of trub (more than 6 months in fridge) by making a 500ml "starter" with almost all sucrose and pouring the trub in.

I know this isn't the best for the yeast, going into a sucrose solution - but I discovered by accident that for some reason it creates a huge krausen in the "starter". No idea why.

Thing is, it's then easy to have another proper 1L starter ready, and then Top Crop the old yeast's new activity.

Works well - especially if the yeast is not available from the suppliers when you want it.

 

[Thefatdoghead]

... depending on the method of storage, it CAN last for years... BN podcast in link above.

No worries ill have a listen to the podcast cheers mate. Would be cool to store it for years!