first time re-using yeast, have some ?s

Hey everyone,

I would like to re-use my yeast (Safbrew WB-06) from a simple hefeweizen I had made about a week and a half ago. I would like to re-use the yeast for cost savings (yes, I realize I'm only saving slightly more than $3 using this yeast, but I view this as practice for when I would like to start re-using Wyeast strains and other more costly strains).

Anyway, I have read through the sticky on yeast washing, and I also see that the general view is that it isn't the wisest decision just to dump a new batch of wort on a yeast cake. I have also viewed Mr. Malty's calculator.

Here are my questions. I am not sure on if I am using Mr. Malty's calculator right. I'm assuming I pick the "repitching fro slurry" tab, but do I leave those two sliders where they are? I am also not very clear on the technique of washing. I know to add already-been-boiled and cooled sanitized water to the cake, rinse it around, let it settle and then pour off the remaining liquid into the mason jars? Do I just pitch one of these jars straight into my next beer? If I am trying to follow Mr. Malty's calculator, how do I know how much yeast is actually in the liquid I recover from the carboy?

I guess I'm just looking for a little clarification. I want the hefeweizen racked out of the carboy and my new batch of wort (that I will be making this saturday) in the carboy, re-using the yeast.

Lastly, the current brew was half 2-row, half german pale malt with 1 oz of hops. What kind of beer should I plan on brewing where the flavors won't conflict? Another wheat beer I'm assuming?

Thanks for the help.

When I reuse yeast I rack out of the fermenter, dump about half of the cake out of it and then dump the new batch right on top. You can make it more intensive than that if you want but besides saving the 3 bucks per, you also don't have to clean the vessel or mess around with any yeast washing or handling.

General rule of thumb is to go bigger and darker on next beer as opposed to smaller and lighter. I have never had a problem.

If you want to try and reuse yeast use the yeast washing instructions from the sticky at the top of this section of the forum. The instructions are really easy to follow. Here is a link. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/

Any wheat beer would be in line for this yeast. Personally I would not wash and reuse a dry yeast due to how cheap dry is but if it's there and you want to learn go for it.

I think the answer to your question is to make a starter from one of the jars you saved...this way you're calculating your pitch rate from your starter volume. As you hinted,you may not know the exact yeast count or viability from saved slurry.

My take in that option in Mr Malty is that it referred to volume of fresh slurry (although I've never understood clearly whether or not this took into account any of the volume used to wash the yeast.)

Toga: I understand the tutorial, I just don't like how you really don't know how much yeast you are pitching with that method. Or at lease I don't know how to measure how much yeast you would be re-using.

BendBrewer: As far as you can tell, does the quality of the beer suffer with your method?

Nope. Just watch the temps. Pitching on a cake can take off like a rocket and drive temps up fast. I pitch a little cooler, mid 60s when doing so. You'll see activity within a few hours. I have never been able to tell the difference between doing this or using new yeast in the final product.

BendBrewer: another question. Do you worry about anything bacteria up towards the top of the carboy when dumping the yeast? Obviously, some of the yeast will go up to the neck of the carboy and then stay in the carboy when you are done dumping. I hope my question makes sense...

Jamils show said that there its a flavor benefit to repitching yeast. And a few generations in it really "hits its stride"

Zeppman said:

BendBrewer: another question. Do you worry about anything bacteria up towards the top of the carboy when dumping the yeast? Obviously, some of the yeast will go up to the neck of the carboy and then stay in the carboy when you are done dumping. I hope my question makes sense...

Click to expand...

If the beer that you just took out of the carboy isn't infected than there is nothing in the carboy to worry about right?

I just put the airlock back on while my new brew chills.

Ok, I will plan on boiling and cooling about a gallon of water, pour it in the carboy, swish it around, pour a little more than half out and add the new wort. hope it works!


Should I be worried about the krausen "stain" at the upper portion of the carboy? From the previous fermentation?