Don't Wanna Waste the Yeast...But....

[AJinJacksonville]

So I am taking a corny keg with me to a beach vacation tomorrow, so I transferred from the fermenter to the the keg...rapid force carbed it, yadda yadda yadda. I had intended on either 1) rinsing and reusing the yeast from the fermenter in my following batch (which I had hoped to have brewed the same day as the keg transfer) or 2) dumped the newly intended wort directly on top of the yeast cake (same day). With my inability to brew this week, I am now disappointed that I am 'wasting' perfectly good yeast.

My question is this...I left over some liquid atop the cake and resealed the fermenter. I then placed the fermenter back into the fridge (@ about 37 degrees). In a week when I get back, is that still going to viable for rinsing or pitching with a new wort? Looking for feedback to see if it is worth using it.

 

[Joshua Hughes]

Either. I’ve left fermenter in fridge a few days and used the yeast with no issues. Did the cake that way as well

 

[AJinJacksonville]

Good deal. I'll give it a shot. Did you let it warm back up to pitching temps from 38 degrees when you added the wort (which would obviously then be lowered to pitching temp)?

 

[Joshua Hughes]

I always let to warm to room temp while I’m brewing.

i am not super experienced just letting you know what I've done.

 

[RM-MN]

My question is this...I left over some liquid atop the cake and resealed the fermenter. I then placed the fermenter back into the fridge (@ about 37 degrees). In a week when I get back, is that still going to viable for rinsing or pitching with a new wort? Looking for feedback to see if it is worth using it.

Yes that yeast will still be viable for rinsing or pitching in a month or 2. Yeast doesn't go bad nearly as quickly as we often think. The biggest danger you have is that you left it in the fermenter with a lot of oxygen available for spoilage organisms to get started. Better would be to stir it up and then transfer to a much smaller vessel like a quart jar filled nearly to the lid. Leave the lid slightly loose to allow some CO2 to escape.