Saving Yeast?

New to the site, I have really enjoyed reading all the tips and suggestions here. I seem to always navigate to the fermentation and yeast section.

I have read the posts on freezing yeast and washing yeast. Lately I have been making a yeast starter and while pitching, I pour about a half a vile (White Lab) back into the original vile the yeast came in and saving in the fridge. Is this going to be OK to use for another batch. I'll have to step it up with a starter of course, but does this process make sense?

If so, how long will the yeast be 'good' in the fridge? I am thinking of adding the glycerine and freezing them if they will last longer. How long does frozen yeast last? I can tell a difference since using starters with my fermentation. Between that and my new keezer and controlling my fermentation temps I am moving along with my brewing procedure. All grain may be happening by next Summer!

I just used one of my frozen yeast vials that was about 1 year old. I made a big starter with it and it worked great.

Yeast will only last about 1-1.5 weeks in the fridge. At least, that's about as far as I'd let it go.

As far as what you've got going on... what are you pouring into your vial? Are you decanting, then pouring the actual yeast slurry into the vial? Or are you pouring the liquid from the starter into your vial? Either way, I'd be storing it in the fridge. When I first started saving yeast, all I did was sterilize (yes, sterilize) a canning jar, fill it with yeast slurry from my fermentor, and freeze it. It worked everytime. I only let them go a month or two before using them, so who knows how long they'd last after that.

I do things a bit more professionally now, but everyone has to start somewhere.

I am taking the yeast starter and decant most of the liquid, then I shake it and slosh it and pitch most and pour some of that into the vial. So I have yeast slurry with some liquid. Should I only pour in yeast slurry? And can I freeze any of this yeast slurry and/or liquid with glycerine?

I am thinking this is easier for saving yeast rather than collecting from a yeast cake after a transfer.

It is easier, but you get smaller samples and it takes away from your starter. I do the same thing though. I make a big starter (twice what I usually need) and then steal some yeast from it. It saves me the hassle of washing it and it's fresh.

And yes, you should be decanting as much liquid as possible. When liquid freezes and forms ice, it can puncture the yeast cells and possibly kill them. Having no liquid in the bottle prevents this, but is hard to do. Look up "Yeast Bank" and try buying one. They are very cheap and will get you on the way to storing yeast properly.

So what do you do? Do you use glycerine like in the yeast bank thread? Or can you just freeze the yeast slurry? Thanks!!!

Sorry. I forgot to answer that.

Yes, I use glycerine. You CAN freeze the yeast slurry by itself though (as I said I used to do), it's just not good and can yield poor results.

OK-great. Yeah right now I am storing in frdige with beer on top. I will purchase some glycerine and add that so I can freeze to help extend life and viability.

If I have some yeast thats been in the fridge for about two weeks do you think there is enough viable yeast to go ahead and add glycerine and freeze? I guess its worth a shot right, I can always do a yeast starter to check viability before pitching.

I can't assure you that the yeast is still viable, but I'm sure it'll be fine. Doesn't hurt to try, as you said.

Suthrncomfrt1884 said:

Yeast will only last about 1-1.5 weeks in the fridge. At least, that's about as far as I'd let it go.

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not sure quite how literally you mean this, but yeast will last much longer than that in the fridge. as long as you account for degradation and make an appropriate starter (stepping up, if necessary) you can use year+ old yeast from the fridge.

if you're talking about saving 8 oz of slurry and expecting to pitch it directly into 5 gallons, a couple of weeks is probably right.

BuzzCraft said:

not sure quite how literally you mean this, but yeast will last much longer than that in the fridge. as long as you account for degradation and make an appropriate starter (stepping up, if necessary) you can use year+ old yeast from the fridge.

if you're talking about saving 8 oz of slurry and expecting to pitch it directly into 5 gallons, a couple of weeks is probably right.

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Sorry, I should have specified. I meant that a starter will only last for a week to a week and a half in the fridge. A store bought package of yeast will last much longer.

thanks guys I'll go to wal mart and see if they have some glycerine. is there a certain brand or bottle I shoul dbe looking for. I see online they have Humco: Skin Protectant Glycerin Usp, 6 oz....Active Ingredient: Glycerin 99.5% Anhydrous ... Skin Protectant

Does that look correct?

As long as it says USP on it, you'll be fine.

cool, thats what I got. Yeah they asked if I wanted the supository!! I didnt even try to explain what I am doing.....

colonial said:

I have read the posts on freezing yeast and washing yeast. Lately I have been making a yeast starter and while pitching, I pour about a half a vile (White Lab) back into the original vile the yeast came in and saving in the fridge. Is this going to be OK to use for another batch. I'll have to step it up with a starter of course, but does this process make sense?

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This works great. I don't brew enough sequential batches with the same yeast to do this, but I know of several folks who successfully use this method because they tend to use only a couple of strains. As long as you are super paranoid with sanitation it is IMO safer than washing and re-pitching, which is at a much greater risk of contaminating subsequent batches. (I know this first hand, I have ruined several batches by washing and re-pitching, but have never had an infected batch by splitting a starter or building from a slant)

If so, how long will the yeast be 'good' in the fridge? I am thinking of adding the glycerine and freezing them if they will last longer. How long does frozen yeast last? I can tell a difference since using starters with my fermentation. Between that and my new keezer and controlling my fermentation temps I am moving along with my brewing procedure. All grain may be happening by next Summer!

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2-4 weeks. If you want to hold yeast longer than that look into slanting or freezing yeast. Slants are good 6-12 months, frozen yeast will keep 2-3 years.

thanks again guys, this site has really helped me along.....