Washing & Reusing Yeast - Feedback Please

[SOB_OCDAVE]

Listed below is my most recent method for washing and reusing yeast. What do you think?

- brewed IPA w/ White Labs American Ale WLP 060 on 1/23/10
- racked to secondary on 2/8/10
- resealed primary fermenter and left it in fridge at 65 deg F for 20 days
- swirled and poured yeast cake into sanitized 1 gal plastic pail
- made up 2 sanitized mason jars with sterile water and washed yeast
- made 1 liter starter and stepped up to 2 liter starter after 2 days
- placed in fridge after high krausen
- will rest at room temp over night and decanting liquid above yeast

Anybody see any reason not to reuse yeast using these steps?
My main concern is pitching a bad batch of yeast into a fresh pot of wort.
Any method known to detect bad yeast before use?
Thanks...SOB

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

I'm not sure I see a need to keep the fermenter for 20 days. I just wash immediately after racking the beer.

Otherwise, as long as your yeast weren't used for a big beer, they should be great for reuse. If you get fermentation in the starter, you should be fine to pitch the slurry.

 

[SOB_OCDAVE]

20 days in the fermenter is probably not the best practice but sometimes I get a bit lazy and forget to take care of it. The yeast did stay cool and it was sealed from air and light exposure. Just looking for a little reassurance.

 

[KUbrew]

If it was cool and sealed for the 20 days you should be fine.

I wash mine immediately after racking but other than that it's identical to my process and I wash my yeast from every batch with great results. It's the best money saver I've found so far.

 

[SOB_OCDAVE]

I agree, KUbrew. It is a great way to reduce the cost of each batch. Especially if your making a session beer or similar styles with the same yeast profile each brew day.

Have you experimented with splitting up your 1st starter into multiple smaller containers, like mason jars (5 to 6), and storing them away (fridge) until you need them? (And make a starter from each mason jar with 1st generation yeast.)

 

[damdaman]

Otherwise, as long as your yeast weren't used for a big beer, they should be great for reuse.

can I ask why this is? I'm going to start reusing yeast/pitching on to yeast cakes and am collecting as much info as possible on the topic.