washing dry yeast

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loganb

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would it be a waste of time to wash dry yeast? i have a pale ale fermenting away and was wanting to make a stout right after and i used Notty. should i just quit being a cheap ass and shell out the $2 or give yeast washing a try? thanks
 
I say, give it a try. In fact, I wouldn't even bother washing - just dump your stout on top of the yeast cake. Judging from own experience, of course. I'm sure more experienced brewers here will chime in with some solid facts and better advice. :)
 
I say, give it a try. In fact, I wouldn't even bother washing - just dump your stout on top of the yeast cake. Judging from own experience, of course. I'm sure more experienced brewers here will chime in with some solid facts and better advice. :)

That is correct, no need to wash it. Just reuse the cake.

I haven't bought yeast in quite a while. I either reuse cakes or I wash the yeast cakes from my batches. I have 15 or so jars of washed yeast derrived from dry and liquid strains in my fridge. I even have one that I derrived from the sediment on the bottom of a bottle of a commercial beer.

Wash the yeast, save $$ and get higher pitch rates and shorter lag times.
 
Also, I have found that if I know I am going to be brewing a big beer..I will plan it so I brew a smaller beer of similar style first...so I have a nice yeast cake ready to tear into that high gravity wort. For example, I recently brewed a 1.051 OG nut brown using nottingham ale yeast, after it was done I pitched a 1.075 OG scotch ale onto the yeast cake.....virtually instant fermentation.
 
How do you save your yeast cake? Add water and put it in a jar?

When do you decide to wash it?

How long will either method last in the fridge without needing a starter?
 
I only bother washing the expensive liquid yeasts. But, I have pitched right on top of a clean SA-05 cake now and then when the timing was right.
 
I appreciate the reply. My questions is kind of centered around when the timing isn't exactly right? I've read all the threads on slanting and freezing yeast, and actually started freezing some yeast as it's not that hard.

If I do have a cake, how long will it last? This would save me from making a starter?
 
There's an excellent thread on yeast washing right at top in this forum: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/

If I'm not planning on moving to secondary or bottling the same day I'm brewing, I wash my yeast. 7 to 10 days without a starter, kept in the fridge. I've never dared waiting any longer. In fact, I've never even made a starter at all.

Update: Well, I just missed the train the one time I meant to be of help. :D
 
How do you save your yeast cake? Add water and put it in a jar?

When do you decide to wash it?

How long will either method last in the fridge without needing a starter?
I always use a starter. If I were going to use the yeast within a week, I'd just leave it in the carboy and put the airlock back on. Anything over a two weeks in the fridge is likely to need some rousing. And I like to make the starter anyways to "proof" the yeast, and check for any infection.

1. Leave just a bit of wort in the carboy, and swirl it around to make a nice yeast milkshake.

2. Dump into a sanitized mason jar (I like the quart ones). I usually get two from each carboy.

3. I don't wash the yeast, but you can if you like.

4. When making a starter, pull out the yeast to let it warm before pitching.

5. Flame the edges of the glass jar to kill any bacteria/yeast that may have dried there while in storage.

6. Dump off any "beer" that will naturally accumulate on top. You should have 1/3 of the jar full of just yeast and trub.

7. Dump the remaining yeast into the starter vessel.

It aint fancy, but it works!
 
I think it depends on how much your time is worth, and maybe how much yeast you need for your next beer.
 
With any wash you will want to do a starter culture first to multiply the yeast cells. If you pitch on to your original cake you risk picking up some undesirables. I would wash it first to separate it from the leftovers such as the hops from the fermentation. You wash it soon as you remove your beer off the cake.
 
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