Yeast Cake Preservation

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Moonshae

Moonshae

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I'd like to use a yeast cake, but keep it for a few weeks before actually putting it to use. I've had a little trouble with collected yeast after a brew, so I'm hesitant to just put some of the slurry in a sanitized bottle. I was thinking that once I rack the beer off the trub, I could leave just enough to keep the cake moist, replace the airlock, and stick the whole carboy in the fridge for 2-3 weeks, then bring it out a few hours before I need it to let it warm up a bit, just like a vial of liquid yeast.

Am I way off base with this, or should it work just as well as saving some of the slurry in a bottle in the fridge?
 
Moonshae said:
I'd like to use a yeast cake, but keep it for a few weeks before actually putting it to use. I've had a little trouble with collected yeast after a brew, so I'm hesitant to just put some of the slurry in a sanitized bottle. I was thinking that once I rack the beer off the trub, I could leave just enough to keep the cake moist, replace the airlock, and stick the whole carboy in the fridge for 2-3 weeks, then bring it out a few hours before I need it to let it warm up a bit, just like a vial of liquid yeast.

Am I way off base with this, or should it work just as well as saving some of the slurry in a bottle in the fridge?
Click to expand...

That should work. I think Orfy mentioned he did just that not too long ago.

Have you considered washing the yeast and keeping it indefinitely?
 
YooperBrew said:
Have you considered washing the yeast and keeping it indefinitely?
Click to expand...

I have, but I don't repeat use of the same yeasts often enough, I think. I'm still in the variety phase, brewing all kinds of different things and looking for favorites. Once I settle down and start sticking to a few favorites, I might go that route.
 
I just left 4 carboys from a batch of IRA in my garage with airlocks on them for a few weeks with no problems, just pitched a brown ale on them. No signs of any infections so far.
 
I have never stored the entire cake for extended time but have saved trub from the cake in sterilized mason jars for many months in the fridge. Basically this is the same process. I will use a starter if I leave the yeast in the fridge for more than a few weeks. I usually get 4-6 batches from 1 yeast culture. Charlie
 
balto charlie said:
I have never stored the entire cake for extended time but have saved trub from the cake in sterilized mason jars for many months in the fridge. Charlie
Click to expand...

About how many months can I expect to get out of recycled trub as stated above?
Have a 1/3 bottle of wheat smack pack saved in the fridge from primary back in April. Tried to kick it off in the bottle with a starter yesterday but no gas has bubbled through the airlock yet. I just drained the liquid, added starter, shook it up, and stuck an airlock on top.

Some notes: 70 deg, no stir plate and I'm using apple cider to start it for two reasons...1) I'm making hard cider 2) No DME on hand.

I'm thinking the cider is a bad starter food, since apple juice doesn't foam up like malt based worts will.
 

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