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agentEhrman · 03-06-2013, 05:25 PM

Thanks Tre!

Stovetop535 · 03-07-2013, 02:34 AM

Bringing this thread full circle again...few places got back to me and once again said no discounts on kegs, only shipping on a large order. All were right at 50 per keg.

I dont really want to spend that much, but if people want too look into it more at 50 plus group shipping I will, otherwise the Mcever route seems like a better option. I dont care if it only has one handle. I would probably just break the other handle off and clean it up that way.

**BigRedHopHead** · 03-07-2013, 12:04 PM

So you are saving yeast from a 1.080 beer Ehrman? If I am reading things correctly that is what you said. From all my research into this subject and experience I have always been under the impression that yeast from high gravity brews is very stressed out, prone to mutations, and has a larger percentage of dead cells. I think you are better served washing and saving yeasts from below 1.060 range.

**tre9er** · 03-07-2013, 05:00 PM

Yes, high gravity brews have a higher percentage of dead yeast, but they're not completely non-viable. That's why I said to increase the pitch rate a bit. an 8% abv beer will be at 50% viability 14 days after reaching final FG, generally speaking. If you hit FG, then immediately pull the yeast, the viability is close 100% of what you'll get on Mr. Malty, based on your non-yeast percentage and a compact, thick slurry (after crashing for a few days).

I don't long-primary very often, so even the higher ABV brews I assume have a high viability. I'd prefer to let the beer age in the keg, off the yeast, so long as it's cleaned itself up and had no significant off flavors going into the keg. Now if a beer is displaying some unpleasant characteristics I feel could benefit from more time on the yeast, I'll rouse, increase temp slightly, and wait another week or two. This is all just my anecdotal experience, of course, but the figures in the first paragraph come from here (which is a great blog regarding yeast)

http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/2013/01/abv-effects-on-yeast.html

agentEhrman · 03-10-2013, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedHopHead

So you are saving yeast from a 1.080 beer Ehrman? If I am reading things correctly that is what you said. From all my research into this subject and experience I have always been under the impression that yeast from high gravity brews is very stressed out, prone to mutations, and has a larger percentage of dead cells. I think you are better served washing and saving yeasts from below 1.060 range.

Yeah, not to mention it was a repitched cake before I saved it. Lol, maybe I picked a bad time to save it. I may try it out on a small, or atleast cheap batch of beer to test my results..

Are there any known negative effects of pitching significant amounts of dead yeast? Since I have so much of the yeast, I would still be able to pitch an adequate amount of viable cells, along with the other half or more of dead cells..

**tre9er** · 03-11-2013, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agentEhrman

Yeah, not to mention it was a repitched cake before I saved it. Lol, maybe I picked a bad time to save it. I may try it out on a small, or atleast cheap batch of beer to test my results..

Are there any known negative effects of pitching significant amounts of dead yeast? Since I have so much of the yeast, I would still be able to pitch an adequate amount of viable cells, along with the other half or more of dead cells..

Yes, you just have less living cells due to high alcohol content, BUT you also made more cells due to higher gravity/more sugars available, so...really it depends on how much time the yeast sat in the alcohol.

**BigRedHopHead** · 03-11-2013, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tre9er

Yes, you just have less living cells due to high alcohol content, BUT you also made more cells due to higher gravity/more sugars available, so...really it depends on how much time the yeast sat in the alcohol.

Which is why you should avoid using higher gravity brews for washing/saving yeast. Not to get preachy! but it is just how I see the subject. AVOID high gravity brews for saving yeast!!

**BigRedHopHead** · 03-12-2013, 12:12 PM

all i am saying is that repitching from a slurry has a lot of variability. Using yeast from lower gravity brews reduces some of that variance.

**tre9er** · 03-12-2013, 03:27 PM

I agree, and the risk of autolysis flavors would be present. I suppose if you washed the yeast and felt that dead cells settled quicker, you could alleviate some of those concerns. Still, the best bet is to harvest yeast from lower gravity beers that didn't sit on the cake for an extended period of time, as exposure to alcohol definitely affects viability. I tend to only leave a beer in primary if it exhibits off flavors that can be cleaned up by it's own yeast. If it doesn't have any, I immediately rack to keg (if not secondarying on fruit/other) and cold condition it until serving. It's better for the beer and the yeast if you're saving it.

agentEhrman · 03-17-2013, 12:53 PM

So what's everybody brewin up with your discounted grains?

I just brewed up a vienna lager that I need to do a diacetyl rest on, then move lager. (Since this was a smaller beer, I'm discard the lager yeast I saved from the dopplebock, and save this yeast instead.)

Next up, an imperial sweet stout with Creme Brulee from southern tier in mind.