Is this process ok for reusing yeast?

[ebaynote]

I have a Scottish 60 in primary now. I was going to take this yeast and put it in a jar in fridge (sanitzing top of carboy before I pour it out) until this wknd and then pitch it into an AIPA. Decanting off the liquid before hand. I can wait and rack later in the week if you think that will make a difference. I won't reuse it again after this. Can washing it be avoided? Thanks in advance.

 

[PoppinCaps]

That will be fine. Washing lets you store it longer. A few days in the fridge is no problem. Just remember not to use the whole cake, maybe 1/3. If you're not washing, you can just measure out 1/3 of the cake into the jar, then this weekend throw the whole thing in. I might suggest at the start of the day, decant, let the yeast warm to room temp, and add a small amount, maybe 3-4oz fresh wort and swirl around. It will get them going for when you pitch it.

 

[ebaynote]

Are you saying to only use 1/3 so I don't over pitch? I was going to give some to a buddy as well so he can use it this wknd.

Would you put the wort in and stir a couple of hours before pitching or is that too early? Thanks again.

 

[ArrowheadAles]

I just used this method and am having issues. I split a Belgian yeast cake into two jars and let it sit in the fridge for 4 days. Just pitched into a pale ale yesterday about 24 hrs ago and no activity. I'm not saying it won't work but something is not right with mine I think. Not sure what's going on.

 

[djt17]

I do this all the time; the longest I have left in the fridge is 2 weeks. I only pour enough of the yeast cake to fill a pint mason jar. I usually end up with about 200ml of yeast on the bottom. I decant the liquid at the beginning of the next brew day & pitch the yeast after my wort is chilled to pitching temp.

 

[PoppinCaps]

Yeah, people have different opinions, but if you pitch onto a whole 5 gal cake, then it's overpitching. You still need that ramp up to cell density to give you a clean flavor profile. 1/4-1/3 is about the right amount of yeast for a healthy but not too heavy pitch. If it were me, I'd wash all the yeast (pretty easy, I just use tap water. I'm crazy like that), and split it into 3 jars. Give one to the friend, and keep the other 2 for future brews. For this timeframe, washing isn't necessary.

As for the "wake up", I let it go with fresh wort for a few to several hours. It gets bubbling pretty quick.

Arrowhead, that's a strange one. 1/2 a cake in the fridge for 4 days should have no problem starting up in less than 12 hours in a new batch. Did you let them come up to room temp before pitching? May have just stressed them somehow. I bet it will start up soon. There's a lot to be said about how they were treated in the previous fermentation, like if it was a month long primary, maybe they were too dormant. I would wait a few more days and check the gravity if you're still concerned. It may just not be moving the airlock.

 

[ArrowheadAles]

They were close to room temp. Took it out of the fridge for about 2 hrs before. The primary on the Belgian where it came from was a longer one. Maybe 3 weeks or a little longer perhaps. I'm going to give it until Wednesday morning and check the gravity. If nothing has happened by then I'm going to pitch a Pacman smack pack I have on hand.

The other five gallons of this same wort (this was a 10 gal split into two better bottles) I pitched a 2L pacman starter and it's fermenting away no problem.

 

[ebaynote]

Thanks for all the input.

 

[PoppinCaps]

Ebay, tried to send you a reply, your inbox is full. Here is my reply:

I wouldn't add anything unboiled to the yeast or fermenter. I usually make some starter wort, around 1.030 using DME, and store it for this purpose. If you've got some DME around, go ahead and make a quart or so just to have around. If not, don't worry about this step. I just do it to make sure everything is ok with the yeast before pitching. Kind of like a feel-good thing, but I've got gallons of starter wort in the fridge so it's no big deal. The few hours of fermenting that the yeast would do until pitching should not affect the lag time in the fermenter.

If I was in doubt about the yeast, and didn't have any DME or wort on hand, I would do as you said, use some of the chilled wort and let it sit for an hour or so. That should be enough time to see bubbles or some kind of activity that says these yeast are healthy and ready to get some eats.

Let me know if this doesn't make sense.

 

[ebaynote]

Roger that. You are the man.