Reusing Ball/Mason Jar Lids for Yeast Harvesting - Yes or No?

Hey all! I've been brewing for a little over a year. Started with small extract batches, moved to full-boil, then partial mash, now I'm an all-grain brewer (kind of wish I'd done that from the start, lol).

Anyhow, most of my brews up until the last few months were using dry yeast, or liquid yeast starters that I would pitch once and be done with. Over the past few months, though, I've begun playing around with different yeast strains to perfect recipes, etc, and I've been brewing a LOT more often than when I started. So, as you all probably know, the cost of using liquid yeast only once can kind of put a dent in your wallet. Because of that, I've started "overbuilding" my starters by around 100 million cells so that I can reuse those yeast cells as I would a whole new vial for a future brew (for more on that or my method, See this article from brulosophy.com.

It's been working great, and I basically have started my own tiny collection of yeast strains (White Labs' tend to be my favorites), but now that I'm reaching the end of the cases of fresh Mason jars I bought, I'm in a spot where I'll need to start reusing old jars.

The glass and neck bands I'm not concerned about, as they are good for as many reuses as necessary - as long as they don't get warped/cracked - my question is whether or not I can reuse the seal-lids for storing yeast.

The manufacturer, of course, says only one use per lid, and I've read that for canning and long term warm storage of foods that makes sense... But, for the purpose of harvesting yeast which will be refrigerated and used in a short time period, will the seal that the lid provides be ample enough to keep the storage environment sanitary?

I'm thinking it will be, as long as the lids don't begin to look worn/dirty/etc, and I'm going to try doing it anyway for at least one batch, but I figured I'd see if any of you folks had experience on the subject...

Cheers!

It'll be fine. We're not exactly pulling a vacuum on these like regular canning and needing the perfect seal anyways.

I've done it with no problems. Just make sure they're sanitized like everything else with brewing.

iijakii said:

It'll be fine. We're not exactly pulling a vacuum on these like regular canning and needing the perfect seal anyways.

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That's pretty much what I figured, but it never hurts to ask. Thanks!

Zekk said:

I've done it with no problems. Just make sure they're sanitized like everything else with brewing.

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Yeah, I sanitize everything on the cold side pretty obsessively. So far, I haven't lost a batch, and I don't want to in the future *knock on wood*

I used to do that and run them through the dishwasher after use. Seemed to work okay, but I hated how sometimes I'd open a jar and see the rust on the underside of an old lid. They always looked good when I'd put them on, so the old lids must have deteriorated somehow in the fridge.

So I started using a new one every time.

Lids are something like $1.50 for a dozen.

ETA: and you can get them at every grocery store everywhere and at Ace.

I re-use Mason jar lids all the time. When I harvest yeast, I just make sure the jar, lid and ring are clean and sanitized. Before putting the lid on the jar, I give it one last shot of star san and shake off the excess. Then I hold down the lid while spraying star san around the threads on the jar. When screwing on the ring, I tighten it very lightly, so any built up pressure can escape.

You've had rust on the underside of the lid? Isn't there a coating covering all of it? I've definitely had the rings rust, always make sure to dry them well now.

Can't say for sure it was rust, but it was a rust-colored stain on steel, so into the recycling they go.

JonM said:

Can't say for sure it was rust, but it was a rust-colored stain on steel, so into the recycling they go.

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I get rust on mine occasionally. Those ones get tossed. I re-use them until they show me a reason not to.

JonM said:

I used to do that and run them through the dishwasher after use. Seemed to work okay, but I hated how sometimes I'd open a jar and see the rust on the underside of an old lid. They always looked good when I'd put them on, so the old lids must have deteriorated somehow in the fridge.

So I started using a new one every time.

Lids are something like $1.50 for a dozen.

ETA: and you can get them at every grocery store everywhere and at Ace.

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Dish washer detergent is rather harsh for the coatings on the lids which were meant for single use. I hand wash the lids I will reuse and then sanitize the same as other equipment.

If your concerned about reusing the lids, try finding plastic lids in your cupboard that will work. I use black plastic kids from Marie's dressings on my mason jars.

TBC said:

If your concerned about reusing the lids, try finding plastic lids in your cupboard that will work. I use black plastic kids from Marie's dressings on my mason jars.

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Does the plastic survive the pressure cooking operation to sterilize the wort initially?

GNBrews said:

Does the plastic survive the pressure cooking operation to sterilize the wort initially?

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No, that would not work well, but the subject of this thread is saving yeast, during which no heat is added.

I use THESE with good success. Usually available wherever they sell all the other canning supplies...

MerlinWerks said:

I use THESE with good success. Usually available wherever they sell all the other canning supplies...

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I love those white plastic lids for some things, but it's worth knowing they aren't airtight.

Yes, not completely air tight, but for this application I think it helps in case your harvest isn't finished off-gassing. I haven't experienced any kind of contamination issues from it, not to say that I never will, but I've been using them for more than a year. I do tend to use my harvested yeast within a few months though...

You can reuse the lids because you are not trying for a shelf stable seal like when you are jarring to leave it on the shelf. More than likely if the seal looks reasonable reuse it. Also you don't want to screw the lid on tight because you want to allow the lid to popup in case enough gas pressure builds in the jar to release that pressure.