Harvesting and reusing yeast?

[gewehr43sniper]

Yeast is cheap, but I still think this would be a fun project to do. I like using nottingham ale yeast, never had a problem with it and it starts making bubbles in the blowoff tube after 24 hours from a dry yeast packet.

I use a 7 gallon spike flex+ fermenter for 5 gallon brews, and after transferring, there's always several cups worth of yeast cake at the bottom of the fermenter. I was thinking about sanitizing a large spoon and mason jar, and then scooping up the yeast into the mason jar and putting the lid on and place in the fridge for a few days to let the residual beer to settle to the top and the yeast to the bottom, then pour off the beer to have a jar of mainly yeast left. Then in my next brew dump in a cup or 2 of the yeast and let fermentation take off. Is this a good idea, and how long will the yeast surive in the mason jar in a fridge?

 

[Alan Reginato]

Yeast is cheap, but I still think this would be a fun project to do. I like using nottingham ale yeast, never had a problem with it and it starts making bubbles in the blowoff tube after 24 hours from a dry yeast packet.

I use a 7 gallon spike flex+ fermenter for 5 gallon brews, and after transferring, there's always several cups worth of yeast cake at the bottom of the fermenter. I was thinking about sanitizing a large spoon and mason jar, and then scooping up the yeast into the mason jar and putting the lid on and place in the fridge for a few days to let the residual beer to settle to the top and the yeast to the bottom, then pour off the beer to have a jar of mainly yeast left. Then in my next brew dump in a cup or 2 of the yeast and let fermentation take off. Is this a good idea, and how long will the yeast surive in the mason jar in a fridge?

I pitched once a 6 months old, there was a 24 hours lag phase, but took off in the end. A suggestion, leave it with some beer. So you can taste the beer, it will have a strong yeast character, but if it's ok, it's good to go. If it's acid or spoiled, you will know it, throw out. Happened once, in my last brew. Was acid, an infection for sure. Have a package of dry yeast for backup, in this case.


Good luck!

 

[kevin58]

Leave the beer on top. It acts as a protective layer preventing bacteria or anything wild from getting to your yeast. You can decant the beer off just before pitching.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

See this thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/simple-yeast-storage-procedure-with-photos.579350/
Nottingham is a cheap enough dry yeast that I am not sure it is worth the extra effort, but I guess I have harvested and repitched S-04 before.

 

[aceluby]

I just swirl the slurry and pour into about 4 mason jars. I store those in the fridge until brew day. 1 jar for ales, 2 for lagers, if it’s been a while I might make it into a starter. Decant before using and they are good to go. Free yeast is free yeast.