saving yeast

I know there is a thread about how to wash yeast properly, but unfortunately I opted for the lazy mans way of saving yeast and before i go and use the yeast and ruin a batch i wanted to hear your thoughts on if the yeast will still be good.

Once i racked the beer from the primary, i dumped the remaining contents of the carboy into a sanitized large glass jar. I stuck that in the fridge (it was about 3 inches of yeast and stuff) and it settled out into a layer of trub, then yeast, and then a layer of liquid on top. That sat in the fridge undistrubed for about a month (with a lid on it) and then when i realized i still had it i poured off the liquid, scooped the yeast off the top, and put it in a sanitized beer bottle (filled it about half way) and capped it and stuck it back in the fridge.

Will this yeast be okay? How will i know if it is not. its wyeast 1056. what is the worst that could happen if i used the yeast? wouldn't it ruin the batch or just not ferment.

Thanks for the help

Do a starter in advance of your next brew. That's really the only way you'll know without potentially spoiling your next beer.

I'm guessing you'll have zero problems using it.

I agree with danielinva. If the starter takes off you are good. If it doesn't hopefully you have a spare packet of yeast.

When using beer from previous beers, are there and advantages or disadvantages to it compared to getting new yeast from the store? What about all the dead yeast on the bottom and autoloysis (SP) affecting the next batch?

Also is it as simple as ackgod made it out to be... collect the goop, refrigerate it to settle it out, decant then store?

2 issues here -- one as mentioned above is whether the yeast is still viable. Seeing whether the yeast takes off will help that. The second is whether there's anything else growing in your culture besides the original yeast strain. Be sure you smell and even taste what ferments in the starter. This will help reassure you that you don't have anything else funky in there.

what would be a good 'spare' packet of yeast?

ackgod said:

what would be a good 'spare' packet of yeast?

Click to expand...

That would depend on what you are brewing. Since you're using Wyeast's American ale yeast, I think a decent replacement would be a Safale 05 for a dry yeast, or pick up another pack of the Wyeast if you want liquid as a back up. S05 and S04 are many folks' favorite dry yeast depending on if they want American or English style.

If you were planning on using Wyeast 1056, Safale US-05 is the dry equivalent.
In fact, US-05 use to be called US-56.




Edit:
Too slow. ChshreCat beat me.

You stated that the yeast was put into a sanitized jar. I sterilize my mason jars by boiling them for at least 15 minutes. (I just harvested 2 jars of 1056 last night coincedently.) Better safe than sorry.

If it is bad you will know by smelling it.

smells like yeast as far as i can tell, nothing repulsive.

The bad thing about washing yeast is you'll have so much of it you need to brew like mad to use it up...I just don't have enough time to brew!!! I have 4 jars of WLP001 in my fridge and I want to make a APA, but just can't seem to find any time! They've been in there for about a month now, I also have 1 jar of WLP004 so I'm gonna brew a stout on the 15th, maybe I can swing a double batch and do the APA too. AARGGHH, I need to quit my job, and my life, so I can just BREW dammit!!!

Sorry for the rant, but I love to brew and if you couldn't tell I can't find the time to brew as often as I'd like to.

How long can you keep the washed yeast and have it still be viable?

I know that creating a starter will be the final answer but I'm looking for typical examples. 1 month? 2 month?