Can you use secondary yeast

[rjconway]

I have heard different thoughts on this. Can you use your yeast again from a secondary?

 

[david_42]

Yes, the downside is you are using the least flocculate yeast in the batch.

 

[AshtrayDinner]

Someone want to explain flocculation? I just read the wiki and found it fairly baffling.

It seems to mean clumping, but I am unclear why this is desirable or not.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeast_flocculation

 

[TipsyDragon]

flocculation is the quality of a yeast to fall out of a brew and settle on the bottom. some yeast form a nice sturdy packing of yeast at the bottom and others are less well packed and get disturbed easy.

 

[niquejim]

Basically you're getting the runt of the litter. It will work.....but maybe not as well as you hoped

 

[malkore]

Someone want to explain flocculation? I just read the wiki and found it fairly baffling.

It seems to mean clumping, but I am unclear why this is desirable or not.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeast_flocculation

yes, the ability to clump and fall out of solution.

on most styles it would be desirable to have good flocculation. however some styles like wit's and german hefe's should be cloudy with yeast so you don't want too flocculant a strain, nor would you want long secondaries with cold crashing, or filtration being used.

that said, many strains designed for 'clear' beers are not highly flocculant...hence our tricks of secondary, cold crashing, and filter plates. sometimes simple additions of fining agents, like super kleer, work well too.