Does Yeast Sanitizing Need to be THAT Sterile?

[Iowa Brewer]

Hey all,

A friend of mine showed me how he harvests his yeast.
1. Grabs a mason jar out of the cupboard
2. Uses a 1/3 cup scoop to get trub from the bottom of the fermentation bucket
3. Fills rest of mason jar with tap water
4. Puts it in fridge

He's been doing this for some years without infection, and I did the same thing about six weeks ago after my last brews. The jars look clear without anything funky (that I can see) in there.

Is it safe to brew with this? Should I buy new yeast?
I only ask because YouTube videos all take you through a process of boiling and sterilization. Is that needed? Will I ruin my beer?

As always, thanks!

 

[mongoose33]

If the jar is sterile, the scoop is sterile, the water is sterile, there's nothing that would necessarily infect it.

If.

If it were me, I'd sanitize (dip in Star-San) both the mason jar and scoop; at that point, you should be sanitized. Is he doing that?

My only concern would be the water. Is it chlorinated? If heavily so, would that damage the yeast? Further, the water in the pipes may be ok, but as it come out of the faucet--often through an aerator--is there junk in there the water is picking up as it flows into the jar?

 

[Iowa Brewer]

Great questions/considerations, mongoose33!
I'm pretty sure I sterilized the scoop and jar, and the water is not heavily chlorinated; same water I use to brew the beer.
I think I'll play it safe this round and get new yeast

 

[Miraculix]

Next question, why on earth topping up with water?

Beer is the perfect environment for yeast, inhibiting other nastys. So next time, just store the yeast in a bit of beer, sanitize everything with star san and you'll be fine.

But you also probably will be fine with the stuff you got now, just has higher chances of getting bad results then what is suggested above.

 

[Iowa Brewer]

Next question, why on earth topping up with water?

Beer is the perfect environment for yeast, inhibiting other nastys. So next time, just store the yeast in a bit of beer, sanitize everything with star san and you'll be fine.

But you also probably will be fine with the stuff you got now, just has higher chances of getting bad results then what is suggested above.

Thanks, Miraculix! Great advice!

 

[isomerization]

Nothing (likely) in your house is sterile, let’s just get that out of the way.

Now sanitized, that’s another story.

For me, it’s about cost-benefit analysis. Do you want to risk ruining (at least) one batch of beer and possibly gear, all to avoid spraying starsan and your scoop and mason jars?

 

[Iowa Brewer]

Nothing (likely) in your house is sterile, let’s just get that out of the way.

Now sanitized, that’s another story.

For me, it’s about cost-benefit analysis. Do you want to risk ruining (at least) one batch of beer and possibly gear, all to avoid spraying starsan and your scoop and mason jars?

Ah! Not at all, isomerization
I did sanitize the scoop and jars, now that I recall. My primary concern was that I didn't boil the water.
If there was an infection, would it show in the yeast jar, by now (6-7weeks)?

 

[RPh_Guy]

would it show in the yeast jar, by now (6-7weeks)?

Nope. 10,000 different yeasts mixed together would still be white paste.

Welcome to the risks of saving and repitching yeast.

 

[isomerization]

Ah! Not at all, isomerization
I did sanitize the scoop and jars, now that I recall. My primary concern was that I didn't boil the water.
If there was an infection, would it show in the yeast jar, by now (6-7weeks)?

Your best bet will be to use it to make a starter in the future, you would likely be able to detect aroma/taste issues then. Of course using it to make a beer would accomplish the same thing on a larger scale

I’m a big proponent of overbuilding starters and saving 8 oz mason jars (pre-cold crash so you have “beer” on top of the yeast) in the fridge. Keeps for a year (or more if you step up) easy.

 

[sweetcell]

Next question, why on earth topping up with water?

Beer is the perfect environment for yeast, inhibiting other nastys.

+1 to storing in beer, not water. if you don't have enough beer left (because you racked it all to the keg or bottling bucket), use a commercial beer (finally, a use for BMC!) or use a smaller mason jar and add only trub.

 

[4of7]

I drop the jar and lid in starsan.when the pressure transfer is showing yeast . empty jar and fill jar from pinic tap.There is always risk