How long can yeast sit in the fermenter

[redrocker652002]

OK, for those of you who have been following my reusing my yeast thread, I have thought about a change of plans. I might bottle today and leave the yeast in the bucket until tomorrow when I brew my new batch. Or, I can split the yeast up into smaller jars today and leave it on the counter or in the fridge. I guess my question is, can I leave the yeast in the fermenter bucket for the day and pitch the new beer on it tomorrow? I have done a bit of reading and I think it will be ok, but just thought I'd ask. I am still getting my stuff together and can bottle later today if the yeast will stay good. Any input is welcomed and appreciated.

 

[Broken Crow]

I know some folk do just that, but; How confident are you about the sanitation issue? An open bucket full of trub and yeast is an open invitation to contamination...unless your bucket is set up to do closed transfers. I've been thinking about doing that with my closed fermenters..just haven't gotten around to it yet. Maybe it's time for a new mini-project: Adapt your bucket for closed-transfers.

 

[fluketamer]

so i have done this. obviously the ideal situation when pitching on yeast cake is to rack off dregs then pitch wort ( or must , or grape juice etc) directly onto cake seal up FV and let her rip ( be prepared for massive blowoff at times) . however we dont always have the time to brew and bottle in the same day.

other option is to save yeast in mason jars in the fridge (repitching the top liquidy layer or the whole jar with trub and all)

but i got to thinking why the extra mason jar step is this really necessary.
if i rack beer off cake and then have fermenter sealed from closed transfer or even just reseal the lid that should work.

theres co2, alcohol, and lots of yeast in there . none of those things are conducive to bacterial infection. so i dont feel thats a risk

oxygen exposure on the other hand is a different story and the oxidation of the fv contents will begin as soon as exposed.

so long story short i have done this successfully ( repitching onto cake in fv up to 2 days after resealing FV with cake in there without any ill effects. )

i have not tried to see how long i can leave exposed cake in an FV without harm.

pitch away

 

[redrocker652002]

I know some folk do just that, but; How confident are you about the sanitation issue? An open bucket full of trub and yeast is an open invitation to contamination...unless your bucket is set up to do closed transfers. I've been thinking about doing that with my closed fermenters..just haven't gotten around to it yet. Maybe it's time for a new mini-project: Adapt your bucket for closed-transfers.

Thank you for the reply. My fermenter is a bucket style with a seal ring on the lid and I would leave the airlock on for better sealing and less O2 exposure. At some point, my end goal is to do the freezer bank with new yeast, but I have not the space or the approval of the Vice President in charge of everything (wife) to purchase the needed pressure cooker and supplies. So, for now, the best I can do is to just use what I have. But, thank you for the input, I do appreciate it and will do a bit more research.

 

[redrocker652002]

so i have done this. obviously the ideal situation when pitching on yeast cake is to rack off dregs then pitch wort ( or must , or grape juice etc) directly onto cake seal up FV and let her rip ( be prepared for massive blowoff at times) . however we dont always have the time to brew and bottle in the same day.

other option is to save yeast in mason jars in the fridge (repitching the top liquidy layer or the whole jar with trub and all)

but i got to thinking why the extra mason jar step is this really necessary.
if i rack beer off cake and then have fermenter sealed from closed transfer or even just reseal the lid that should work.

theres co2, alcohol, and lots of yeast in there . none of those things are conducive to bacterial infection. so i dont feel thats a risk

oxygen exposure on the other hand is a different story and the oxidation of the fv contents will begin as soon as exposed.

so long story short i have done this successfully ( repitching onto cake in fv up to 2 days after resealing FV with cake in there without any ill effects. )

i have not tried to see how long i can leave exposed cake in an FV without harm.

pitch away

Thank you for the reply. I would bottle today, reseal the bucket and pitch tomorrow. The idea of putting the yeast and trub into mason jars is simply for measuring. I have been told on another forum that using the full cake might be too much yeast and that half is more than sufficient for a 5 gallon batch. I guess if I can separate the trub from the yeast that is a bonus. I always thought that the yeast is the bottom layer and to pour off any of the clearer liquid from the mason jar? Either way, the jars have been run thru the dishwasher and will be sprayed with Starsan prior to anything being done with them. Thanks again for the input.

 

[mac_1103]

Adapt your bucket for closed-transfers.

Which is a pretty simple thing to do. Spigot, jumpers, done. No pressure needed; gravity does the work.

 

[fluketamer]

Thank you for the reply. I would bottle today, reseal the bucket and pitch tomorrow. The idea of putting the yeast and trub into mason jars is simply for measuring. I have been told on another forum that using the full cake might be too much yeast and that half is more than sufficient for a 5 gallon batch. I guess if I can separate the trub from the yeast that is a bonus. I always thought that the yeast is the bottom layer and to pour off any of the clearer liquid from the mason jar? Either way, the jars have been run thru the dishwasher and will be sprayed with Starsan prior to anything being done with them. Thanks again for the input.

full cake is a lot but i have done it with no harm at all. someone on here said that overpitching really is not an issue for us homebrewers only commercial breweries. and half prolly is sufficient prolly even a third.

the solution seperates into three layers . clear liquid on top ( the supernatant- or sup). and then one layer in suspension ( likely the highest concetration of live yeast cells) usually light cream or beige color.

then the bottom hard "pellet" - which is slightly darker beige. contains mostly dead yeat truba nd hop matter.

technically you want the creamy liquidy yeast. btu i almost always pitch the whole thing maybe leavig behind a littlle of the trub layer

i didnt describe this image exactly but you get the point. this picture is much better than my explanation.

 

[redrocker652002]

Which is a pretty simple thing to do. Spigot, jumpers, done. No pressure needed; gravity does the work

Which is a pretty simple thing to do. Spigot, jumpers, done. No pressure needed; gravity does the work.

How would I get that to work for a mason jar? Seems that the open mason jar is going to invite some O2 in it. I have seen most just pour it from the fermenter into the jar and that seems to work out ok?

 

[mac_1103]

How would I get that to work for a mason jar?

You won't. It's for transferring beer out of the bucket without opening it and exposing it to oxygen or contamination. Like the man said,

I know some folk do just that, but; How confident are you about the sanitation issue?

If you're using the yeast cake within a day or two, why do you want to use a mason jar? Is it just to avoid over-pitching? If you put a little thought into it, I'll bet you can come up with a way to put some fresh starter wort into your bucket after you transfer the beer out (again, without opening it). Then you can swirl it around to mix the yeast and the wort and pour half of it off into a mason jar.

 

[redrocker652002]

You won't. It's for transferring beer out of the bucket without opening it and exposing it to oxygen or contamination. Like the man said,

If you're using the yeast cake within a day or two, why do you want to use a mason jar? Is it just to avoid over-pitching? If you put a little thought into it, I'll bet you can come up with a way to put some fresh starter wort into your bucket after you transfer the beer out (again, without opening it). Then you can swirl it around to mix the yeast and the wort and pour half of it off into a mason jar.

Short answer is yes. I was told a full cake of yeast at the bottom of the fermenter would be too much for a 5 gallon batch. So, my thought was, pour it into a mason jar, pitch half into the new wort and save the rest. I would do the pour into the mason jar tonight, put the jar in the fridge and then pour half into the new wort tomorrow afternoon after I brew.

So after rereading your post, you are saying, add some new wort to the yeast cake in the bucket, swirl it around, jar about half and leave the other half for the new wort? Hmmm, I guess that would be good, but it still does not answer my question of how long I can keep the yeast in the bucket. If I leave it overnight is it going to cause an issue? That is mostly what I am trying to find out, but your suggestion of pouring a small amount of the new wort into the bucket and then doing the transfer into the jar is a good one. Thank you.

 

[McMullan]

I was told a full cake of yeast at the bottom of the fermenter would be too much for a 5 gallon batch.

That’s a myth. As long as the yeast cake is fresh and primarily the yeast you pitched, it’s fine to use as much as all of it. It’s true that if underpitched, it risks a relatively unbalanced beer due to the yeast profile standing out like a sore thumb, but the opposite - ‘over pitching’ doesn’t produce enough of the yeast profile - isn’t true, because the yeast profile isn’t simply determined by cell division. It’s a consequence of the whole fermentation process, how it was managed and condition of the yeast. Some home brewers have reported good results using a batch fed-like system where they just keep transferring wort on top of the yeast cake in the same FV for months. I’ve only managed to do 2 repitches (3 ferments) like this before running out of space for the beer (lager fermented with Diamond and ales with WLP007), but it seemed like a viable approach, if managed well enough. Longer term, I’d want to promote some yeast growth to rejuvenate the slurry, but there’s always going to be some going on regardless. It’s just not possible to over pitch as a brewer. Professionally, not using the whole cake, cone or whatever has more to do with serious business decisions re costs and wasting yeast programmed to ferment like monsters.

 

[fluketamer]

That’s a myth. As long as the yeast cake is fresh and primarily the yeast you pitched, it’s fine to use as much as all of it. It’s true that if underpitched, it risks a relatively unbalanced beer due to the yeast profile standing out like a sore thumb, but the opposite - ‘over pitching’ doesn’t produce enough of the yeast profile - isn’t true, because the yeast profile isn’t simply determined by cell division. It’s a consequence of the whole fermentation process, how it was managed and condition of the yeast. Some home brewers have reported good results using a batch fed-like system where they just keep transferring wort on top of the yeast cake in the same FV for months. I’ve only managed to do 2 repitches (3 ferments) like this before running out of space for the beer (lager fermented with Diamond and ales with WLP007), but it seemed like a viable approach, if managed well enough. Longer term, I’d want to promote some yeast growth to rejuvenate the slurry, but there’s always going to be some going on regardless. It’s just not possible to over pitch as a brewer. Professionally, not using the whole cake, cone or whatever has more to do with serious business decisions re costs and wasting yeast programmed to ferment like monsters.

exactly see my post above.

 

[odie]

I would place your fermenter in a cold or cool spot while waiting for fresh wort.

I ferment in kegs. I'll move the sealed empty keg to cold storage until I have wort ready if I plan to pitch directly on the old yeast cake.