Making yeast starter from secondary yeast cake?

Madvillain · 01-19-2007, 10:50 PM

Hey everyone, hoping to brew an oatmeal stout this weekend. I currently have a stout in secondary that I will be bottling this weekend as well. I'm hoping to reuse the WL004 Irish Ale yeast from my first stout, it looks like there is a good amount sitting on the bottom of the carboy.

Being very careful about sanitation, can I just pour this yeast into my starter jar with a pint or so of boiled/cooled wort, let it sit a day and use this as a starter? Recommended/not recommended?

Thank you and have a great weekend everyone!

Dr Malt · 01-19-2007, 11:49 PM

If you are going to use yeast from a previous brew, it is best if this yeast comes from the primary fermentation as yeast in the secondary has been stressed with higher alcohol levels and limited carbohydrates. Yeast out of the primary are more active and healthier so to speak.

In terms of collecting and reusing yeast, I collect my yeast from the primary, rinse once with boiled and cooled sterile water and then pour suspended yeast into my starter vessel containing boiled and cooled wort. I attach an air lock and let in ferment for a day or so before pitching into my fresh wort made on brew day.

Dr Malt

Madvillain · 01-20-2007, 12:12 AM

Cool...maybe I'll try that as well. I have a fat tire clone sitting on a WL001 California Ale yeast cake in my primary right now. This weekend will be bottling the stout, racking my fat tire clone into secondary, and brewing a new batch. Maybe I'll try the method you described with the WL001 yeast and make an IPA instead. Thanks! :-)

doobliebop · 04-30-2010, 07:26 PM

I thought I had read the opposite on here a few times... that ale yeast in suspension was healthier because ales are top-fermenters, and that collecting from the secondary would give you more healthy yeast (not to mention less trub). I could be wrong, and am having trouble finding the threads I read this in... would be interested in your thoughts.

**Malticulous** · 05-01-2010, 03:54 AM

It will select the yeast with the lower flocculation. It's not a real big problem. I've done it a few times with no ill effects.