Pitch, Wash or Start Over?

[mobrewdude]

About a month and a half ago, I grew up a yeast culture from yeast harvested from the bottom of a commercial beer. It was a slow start initially because the starting quantity of yeast was so small, I worried about contamination outrunning the yeast in the smallest starter. Somehow, miraculously, it worked out and after stepping up the starter several times I ended up with a pitchable quantity of yeast. The resulting beer is in the top 3 of all the beers I've ever brewed.

So now the question:

The day I kegged the beer, I needed the fermentor quickly for another beer so after kegging, I transferred the entire yeast cake and a small amount of remaining beer into a clean and sanitized (but not sterilized) 1/2 gallon jar with the intent of washing the yeast the following day for later brews using the same yeast. Long story short, this got pushed to the back of the fridge and I forgot about it until today, about a week and a half later. The jar is about 3/4 full of yeast/break/hop matter and has a couple inches of beer atop. So now I have 3 options:

1 - wash the yeast as initially intended
2 - brew up a quick easy-drinker beer and use a small quantity of the saved yeast in this (and harvest/wash fresh yeast from this beer instead, assuming the resulting beer has no off-flavors)
3 - dump the entire yeast cake and start over re-growing a new batch of yeast.

I know it is generally accepted that yeast should be washed or re-used within a relatively short time of being placed in the fridge. Have I passed this window for option 1 or 2? If not, which would be better?

 

[JonM]

Don't bother washing it - it'll be fine the way it is. Use an appropriate amount of it in another batch whenever you get around to it.

 

[progmac]

try to brew in the next month or so. i would just pitch about 1/3 directly at that point (assuming the jar contains the entire yeast cake). some would advise rousing it with a bit of wort and a bit of time and room temperature.

 

[JonM]

After you use a portion of the cake, open a beer, top off the jar, and drink the rest. Cheers!

 

[mobrewdude]

try to brew in the next month or so. i would just pitch about 1/3 directly at that point (assuming the jar contains the entire yeast cake). some would advise rousing it with a bit of wort and a bit of time and room temperature.

Ok, I'll give it a try, I've done this a number of times but had always planned my re-use within a day or so of the harvest. My procedure has been as you described, bring back up to room temp, swirl everything together and pitch an appropriate quantity. I just wasn't sure I could do the same with the week and a half delay. I'll have a fresh brew going tomorrow!

 

[mobrewdude]

After you use a portion of the cake, open a beer, top off the jar, and drink the rest. Cheers!

That sounds umm... tasty! Can't wait to hear from the first person who reads and does this!!

 

[mobrewdude]

oh, you meant drink the rest of the beer, not the jar... my bad, hehe

 

[JonM]

oh, you meant drink the rest of the beer, not the jar... my bad, hehe

Heh - I suppose I could have phrased that a little better. Yep, drink the beer not the yeast.