How can I dry yeast so that it is stable to use months or years later?

[phoenixcompost]

Hello!

Basically, I am wondering how I can dry out some yeast so I can use it some months later (similar to the dry yeast one can purchase).

I often use different yeasts for different beers, and I do not like keeping 4-5 yeast starters alive for months at a time, until I need certain strains of yeast later on (yes, I know about how to freeze it with glycerine, but I would prefer a dry storage method).

Does anyone know about drying yeast out, so it can be rehydrated and used again later? I realize their might be some concerns with sanitizing, as I imagine the yeast from the store is made in totally sanitary conditions.

However, I would still love to hear about different methods, even if they weren't 100 percent guarenteed to produce a yeast starter without contaminants. Also, I sometimes brew with wild yeast, so I am open to a little contamination to see what happens, in some cases.

Of course, the least contmination methods would be good to know!

Anyway, thanks!

 

[Denny]

Basically, you can't. Sorry.

 

[jeepinjeepin]

Get a masters or better yet a doctorate in microbiology and snag a job at fermentis.

 

[phoenixcompost]

Why not? Does it die when it dries out? I don't understand why it wouldn't work...

The workers at various homebrew stores also tell me that I "can't" culture my own yeast from a brew and use it on another batch, that I need to come buy new yeast from them each and every time i brew a batch. But, I do that all the time, and it turns out wonderfully.

I am not one to believe that I "can't" unless I know why it wouldn't work....

 

[jeepinjeepin]

It all has to do with yeast health. You could spill a glob of yeast and let it dry out, scrape it up, and pitch it to some wort, and likely get beer. There will be some viable yeast in there. There will also be cells with mutations. I don't remember the different types. One is called a dwarf. Some won't metabolize. Some won't reproduce. Some will die and autolyze early. It will likely make beer, but it may not be good beer.

 

[b-boy]

I'm no expert, but I've read that some strains don't dry out well.
Think about it from the point of view of a yeast manufacturer. Liquid yeast is a pain to work with. Shipping, storing and refrigeration, limited shelf life. If you could dry out strains why wouldn't you?

 

[igliashon]

http://www.hyfoma.com/en/content/fo...ng/other-branches/yeast-production/#heading13

 

[MalFet]

Heat based systems seem like a dead end, but I wonder what would happen if you used glycerine and ascorbic acid and then used freeze-drying (behind a sterile filter, of course) to sublimate out the moisture. Might be fun to try, though of course it's a heck of a lot more work than I'm willing to do to try it out

 

[Denny]

Why not? Does it die when it dries out? I don't understand why it wouldn't work...

The workers at various homebrew stores also tell me that I "can't" culture my own yeast from a brew and use it on another batch, that I need to come buy new yeast from them each and every time i brew a batch. But, I do that all the time, and it turns out wonderfully.

I am not one to believe that I "can't" unless I know why it wouldn't work....

You're in OR. Go visit Wyeast and see how it's done. Then think about if you could do that. Culturing yeast from a bottle is child's play. Drying it is not.

 

[Polboy]

like MalFet said lyophilization would be the best way to go, add some glycerin before starting the process, rotate your flask all the way through, vacuum pack or under neutral gas (no moisture), it will work, its just more difficult and costly than freezing

 

[step]

The process of drying inherently introduces contamination... thus the purity of liquid cultures exists...

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

The process of drying inherently introduces contamination... thus the purity of liquid cultures exists...

how do you figure that drying has to introduce contamination?

 

[eastoak]

you could do it and it would ferment a beer but you would probably have lots of other yeasts and bacteria in your beer, sort of like a lambic. if you used a wooden stick to stir the beer after you pitched and it was actively fermenting that stick would probably inoculate future beers, might be interesting.

 

[corax]

The process of drying inherently introduces contamination

No, it does not.

It is very difficult to do properly at home, though.

Doesn't anyone use stabs anymore?

 

[Denny]

No, it does not.

It is very difficult to do properly at home, though.

Doesn't anyone use stabs anymore?

I see and hear about them so infrequently that I think they're pretty much not used.

 

[corax]

I see and hear about them so infrequently that I think they're pretty much not used.

Too bad -- they're easy to make and use, and great for intermediate-term storage.

 

[corax]

Doesn't anyone use stabs anymore?

Of course, right up there in the stickies a thread called "Slanting yeast": https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/slanting-yeast-133103/
which is more or less the same thing. Call me Mr. Observant.

OP, do that instead.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

I've used darn-near countless generations of Wyeast 1028 that I bought 2 years ago. In fact, I just made a cider today using that yeast. (Ok I've probably made 20 batches using the same Wyeast packet).

Have a look at my Yeast Harvesting - a non-Slant Method.

MC

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

No, it does not.

It is very difficult to do properly at home, though.

Doesn't anyone use stabs anymore?

Yeah. If i had access to the right kind of lab equipment, I'm sure i could do it in a sanitary fashion.