Can someone give a complete breakdown on how I can save money on yeast. I currently have a breakfast stout in the primary that contains Irish ale yeast. What steps should I take to be able to reuse, save, freeze, or whatever to keep from buying smack packs as often?
Reusing yeast
- Thread starter henson
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WoodlandBrew
Well-Known Member
Freezing is useful if you are space limited, want to save yeast for years and want to spend more time doing brewing activities. I just pour the slurry into sanitized mason jars and put them in the fridge. It seems most people recommend "yeast washing" before storage.
the thread is here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/
Before you start your next brew you can get even cleaner yeast by pulling some from your starter. Details here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/entries/yeast-harvesting-novel-approach.html
the thread is here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/
Before you start your next brew you can get even cleaner yeast by pulling some from your starter. Details here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/entries/yeast-harvesting-novel-approach.html
jerrodm
Well-Known Member
There are LOTS of good threads on this already.
Look up:
Havesting yeast from bottles.
Freezing yeast
Yeast slants
Yeast washing (There is a sticky) EDIT: Beat me by moments!! Look at post above this ^^
Your easiest solution is to just pitch on top of a previous batch. Bottle or keg a batch and brew that same day to pitch onto the cake.
Or washing yeast will give you a LARGE amount of yeast. Save some for later batches in a sanitary jar in the fridge, and pitch the remainder into a just-brewed batch.
Freezing and making slants requires a starter to be build, but in general allows the yeast to be stored for a longer period of time, and has a smaller footprint for storage as well. Good for when you might not be ready to use now, but might want to use it again down the road.
Most yeast handling procedures require a high level of attention to sanitation, if not sterile packaging. It's all doable on the homebrewer level with fairly common equipment.
Look up:
Havesting yeast from bottles.
Freezing yeast
Yeast slants
Yeast washing (There is a sticky) EDIT: Beat me by moments!! Look at post above this ^^
Your easiest solution is to just pitch on top of a previous batch. Bottle or keg a batch and brew that same day to pitch onto the cake.
Or washing yeast will give you a LARGE amount of yeast. Save some for later batches in a sanitary jar in the fridge, and pitch the remainder into a just-brewed batch.
Freezing and making slants requires a starter to be build, but in general allows the yeast to be stored for a longer period of time, and has a smaller footprint for storage as well. Good for when you might not be ready to use now, but might want to use it again down the road.
Most yeast handling procedures require a high level of attention to sanitation, if not sterile packaging. It's all doable on the homebrewer level with fairly common equipment.
Doed
Belching Dog Brewery
I have a couple of questions along the lines of washing yeast. How do you know how much yeast you actually have after washing? Should you always make another starter from washed yeast?
Example: I washed the yeast from a batch on 10/14. I want to use the yeast on the same recipe. Using Mr. Malty, I entered fermentation type ALE, OG 1.057, U.S. gallons 5.5. On the "repitch from slurry" tab, the web site calculates I need 218 billion cells and 456 milli-liters of yeast. The sliders I left in their default position. The 456 ml is the figure I'm having trouble with.
How do I know if I have that much yeast?
EDIT: Ok, I think I may have found the answer. Starting at post #1629 of the Washing Yeast sticky thread is this exact discussion. So from what I read, I will probably have to do a 2 step starter to get to the number of yeast cells I will need. I figure I have about 40ml of yeast in my jars. This is a total guess so some form of math will be required to get a little closer figure.
Example: I washed the yeast from a batch on 10/14. I want to use the yeast on the same recipe. Using Mr. Malty, I entered fermentation type ALE, OG 1.057, U.S. gallons 5.5. On the "repitch from slurry" tab, the web site calculates I need 218 billion cells and 456 milli-liters of yeast. The sliders I left in their default position. The 456 ml is the figure I'm having trouble with.
How do I know if I have that much yeast?
EDIT: Ok, I think I may have found the answer. Starting at post #1629 of the Washing Yeast sticky thread is this exact discussion. So from what I read, I will probably have to do a 2 step starter to get to the number of yeast cells I will need. I figure I have about 40ml of yeast in my jars. This is a total guess so some form of math will be required to get a little closer figure.
My suggestion is forget washing yeast. Like you said, you never really know how much you have, plus it's all gunked up from the trub.
The better way (in my opinion) is propagate the yeast (from a fresh yeast pack) by making a large starter, splitting it, save part and pitch some. Continue starting and splitting every time you brew. The process is practically the same, except without the washing, and you know exactly what you have.
Also, if you're an AG brewer, save some of the wort for your next starter, or use the end runnings and that way you're not spending money on DME for the starter.
The better way (in my opinion) is propagate the yeast (from a fresh yeast pack) by making a large starter, splitting it, save part and pitch some. Continue starting and splitting every time you brew. The process is practically the same, except without the washing, and you know exactly what you have.
Also, if you're an AG brewer, save some of the wort for your next starter, or use the end runnings and that way you're not spending money on DME for the starter.
kingwood-kid
Well-Known Member
+1 to acidrain's comments.
Ghetto version of yeast reuse: Take an empty water bottle you would have otherwise thrown away or recycled. Fill it with diluted bleach for 5-10 minutes, dump and rinse. Make sure you sanitize the cap too. Pour yeasty trub into bottle about 3/4 full and cap tightly. Write strain # and date on bottle with sharpie. Stick bottle in back of fridge until needed. I usually forget the date; since you'll be making a starter anyway, it's not a big deal.
Ghetto version of yeast reuse: Take an empty water bottle you would have otherwise thrown away or recycled. Fill it with diluted bleach for 5-10 minutes, dump and rinse. Make sure you sanitize the cap too. Pour yeasty trub into bottle about 3/4 full and cap tightly. Write strain # and date on bottle with sharpie. Stick bottle in back of fridge until needed. I usually forget the date; since you'll be making a starter anyway, it's not a big deal.
For storing starter collected from end runnings or leftover wort, I bring it to a boil, and stick it in a sanitized canning jar.
Put it the fridge (label first like Kingwood said) and when it cools it will contract and self seal the lid, and since it was boiled, it's sterilized (the same process as canned goods). It will last a long time this way (6 months - 1 year easily)
Then, when you need it, pull it out and allow to warm, then pitch.
Put it the fridge (label first like Kingwood said) and when it cools it will contract and self seal the lid, and since it was boiled, it's sterilized (the same process as canned goods). It will last a long time this way (6 months - 1 year easily)
Then, when you need it, pull it out and allow to warm, then pitch.
Doed
Belching Dog Brewery
I like this idea and may do that next time, but this time I'm going to have to use what I washed.
Thanks for the advice.
