Reusing dry hopped yeast

[JaymzMF]

Hello all. I want to be able to reuse yeast that is currently making a Blond ale which was just dry hopped with 1 1/2 oz of Mosaic. Actually had 1 oz dry hopped of Mosaic 4 days ago in a hop sock, then removed and then another 1 1/2 oz were added free. No hop sock.

I've only ever added a RIS directly to my fermenter onto of yeast cake. I've never harvested yeast before. This method was as easy as it gets.

If I went that same route, I think that will be too much yeast for my next beer (Rye IPA 7% ABV) and there are 1 1/2 oz of hops mixed in there which will most likely affect my next beer.

I use a Spike Flex. No dump valve.

Here's a crazy thought. Once I package this current Blonde, I will be ready with the next beer the following day. Maybe even the same day. Should I try to scoop out some and wash it? OR, a crazier thought, can I just scrape off the top layer, removing most the hops hopefully, and then just dump my next beer right onto the remaining cake? Just like I've done before with a RIS? I realize I won't know how much yeast is left. I'd be guessing.

What would you more experienced brewers do? I want to reuse it mainly because my LHBS is out of this yeast type and I want to brew this weekend. Need to get a starter going Wednesday or Thursday and don't want to order online, plus an ice pack and 1-2 day shipping. Plus, if this is easy enough why not?

 

[couchsending]

What yeast is it?

It’s not ideal but for one generation you should probably be fine. And it wasn’t a ton of dry hops. Don’t worry about washing it, not really worth it.

What I would do is remove as much yeast as possible with a sanitized spoon and put it in a sanitized mason jar or some container.

Clean out the flex and then add yeast from the mason jar when you’re ready to pitch.

There’s a yeast slurry calculator on brewers friend and Mr Malty has one as well. Yeast should settle out if you give it enough time so you’ll know sort of how much you have.

 

[kh54s10]

You may get some hop flavor from what is left in the trub. If you are brewing an IPA, I would not worry about it. If it were me, I would just save the cake in well sanitized jars and do nothing more than repitching a third to half of the cake. I would probably risk an over pitch with a 7% IPA and pitch 1/2.

I don't think you will only skim off trub and hops. I would think it would be pretty well mixed so I would not make that attempt.

For reusing yeast it is usually best to go from lightly hopped and low gravity - to higher gravity and/or more hoppy.

 

[JaymzMF]

That's great. Yeah, it will be an IPA with different hops, but should be ok. The yeast is WLP001 California Ale. I like the idea of collecting it until needed. I'll boil a couple mason jars along with a stainless spoon to be sure fully sanitized and collect as suggested.
I'll be brewing the following day. Any starter needed, or just pitch direct?

 

[kh54s10]

No starter needed. You will not even need all of the slurry. Check out the yeast calculators mentioned earlier.

 

[Day-Day]

I know this isn't helpful for your current situation, but moving forward if you overbuild your starters you can harvest a portion of it before you pitch... If you need a 1.5L starter, build a 2L starter, save 500 ml then pitch. If you do this every time you brew and or purchase a new yeast, you'll have a nice little stash in your fridge. Whenever you want to brew just build a new starter with the portion you saved from your last starter. It's a lot easier for you and your yeast this way... instead of harvesting and washing a yeast cake... just a thought.

 

[tennesseean_87]

I know this isn't helpful for your current situation, but moving forward if you overbuild your starters you can harvest a portion of it before you pitch... If you need a 1.5L starter, build a 2L starter, save 500 ml then pitch. If you do this every time you brew and or purchase a new yeast, you'll have a nice little stash in your fridge. Whenever you want to brew just build a new starter with the portion you saved from your last starter. It's a lot easier for you and your yeast this way... instead of harvesting and washing a yeast cake... just a thought.

And then start freezing it!

I like repitching slurry because you don't need to make/step up a starter. This is especially helpful with lagers where even bigger starters are needed, so I often brew a session beer and ferment it warm (one packet is plenty), then jar up some of the cake and ferment an average gravity lager, then use that cake to ferment a stronger Bock or Baltic Porter or whatever. But overbuilding starters is how I keep glycerine-frozen samples of chico yeast, saison yeast, a belgian yeast, a lager yeast, now a kveik yeast, and Fullers yeast around at all times. That pretty much covers everything I brew.

 

[eric19312]

I reuse dry hopped yeast all the time and with much higher rates of dry hop. Typically I dry hop with a pound of hops in a 16 gallon batch. Usually two additions, first during active fermentation and second as fermentation slows down. The next batch is going to get similar hopping rate just with different hops. First pitch was US-05 and pretty sure I'm on about generation 6 now and yeast still doing its job.

 

[jfolks]

The yeast is WLP001 California Ale.

I’m just confused as to why a homebrewer in Reno is unable to easily get Chico yeast. Is the home brewing scene really that bleak in Reno?

I’m sure you can reuse it, but I seriously doubt ANY homebrew store would be out of this strain (WLP001, WY1056, US-05, Imperial Flagship - the list goes on and on).

 

[JaymzMF]

It's true. We have a great Homebrew store Brewchatter. They have a big turn around on a lot of products. So, they run out of things and replenish often. I've used this yeast countless times and this is the first time they were out of it. But, I did find it at another store I thought had closed down years ago. They just moved locations.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I’m sure you can reuse it, but I seriously doubt ANY homebrew store would be out of this strain (WLP001, WY1056, US-05, Imperial Flagship - the list goes on and on).

Yeah...but it is still $8 a pop for White Labs/Wyeast vile and $11 for an Imperial pouch. Why pay $80 for 10 batches made with WLP001 when you can get 10-20 batches for $8? For many batches, yeast is the 2nd most expensive ingredient. On top of that, havesting yeast means you can pitch a large amount of yeast without even messing with a starter. Save time, save work, save money....and make great beer?? Seems like a no brainer to me.

 

[jfolks]

Yeah...but it is still $8 a pop for White Labs/Wyeast vile and $11 for an Imperial pouch. Why pay $80 for 10 batches made with WLP001 when you can get 10-20 batches for $8? For many batches, yeast is the 2nd most expensive ingredient. On top of that, havesting yeast means you can pitch a large amount of yeast without even messing with a starter. Save time, save work, save money....and make great beer?? Seems like a no brainer to me.

Can’t argue with that!