Yeast cake storage

I just racked my kolsch into secondary so it can get happy with the watermelon essence. I'm going to brew another batch on Sunday so that if I need to, I can blend the two batches if the watermelon flavor/aroma is too strong.

My yeast is s-05, and looks really good in the bottom of the bucket. Can I just put the lid/airlock back on it and re-pitch on top of it Sunday? Just store it at room temp until then?

I really don't want to go through the hassle of washing it and then using it again in 2 days...

Its best to wash it!! but am sure it will be fine by just putting a airlock and leaving it at room temp.

bratrules said:

Its best to wash it!! but am sure it will be fine by just putting a airlock and leaving it at room temp.

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Cool. Thanks. I'll still probably grab some fresh s-05 @ the LHBS just in case it stalls, though.

you would definitely be better off washing it. currently you'd be pitching on top of a bunch of trub, plus the spent wort on top of the yeast. you beer would come out better if you cut down on the amount of unnecessary junk you throw in to your next batch.

also, the full leftovers from a batch is too much for a new batch. you'd be over-pitching. that too will result in less than ideal flavors.

it'll certainly work without washing, at a minimum consider tossing out some of the old stuff. i believe that a quarter to a third of what's there would be plenty, hopefully someone else can confirm.

If you are goin to pitch on top you should have waited till the day of to rack off of the yeast....but you should be fine. Next time wait till the day of or leave a small amount of beer on top of it protecting it.

Well, I went ahead and put the new wort right on top of the old yeast in the fermenters. WOW! I was almost worried it was going to blow the airlock out of the lid! Made the most vigorous fermentation I've ever had. I am now a devotee of starters, if that's the kind of difference they make!

Cool am glad it worked out for you!!! next time take the time to wash it and just use the slurry you need that way you don't over pitch. and that way you will have more yeast for more brews :rockin:

Just FYI, I save my yeast cake in sanitized mason jars. I don't wash it, but I do make a starter before I re-use it. Been doing this for a long time.

Airborneguy said:

Just FYI, I save my yeast cake in sanitized mason jars. I don't wash it, but I do make a starter before I re-use it. Been doing this for a long time.

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Same here. Washed some, but didn't see much difference so usually just as Airborne put it.

Airborneguy said:

Just FYI, I save my yeast cake in sanitized mason jars. I don't wash it, but I do make a starter before I re-use it. Been doing this for a long time.

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What's the procedure you use to make a starter from yeast cake? I saved the slurry from a recent batch put it in a growler with an airlock stored at the same temperature as fermented (68-70 F).

When I rack a beer, I seal a full mason jar of the cake and store it in my fridge (40ºF). When the time comes to make the starter, I warm it to room temp while I prepare my starter wort, then pour about 1/4 of the jar into the starter. Simple as that. I use a stir plate now and see massive yeast growth from my starters this way.

When the time comes to brew, I cold crash the starter overnight in the fridge and decant the spent wort before pitching. I leave the bottom-most layer of the slurry behind (careful pour). I'm sure there's a lot of dead yeast since I don't wash my cake, but whatever makes it into the new brew will become nutrient anyway, so no big deal.