Never wash your yeast again!!!!

[kombat]

I like the idea in theory, but it seems I don't brew enough to take advantage of it. I have two slurries in the fridge, one harvested from Dec. and one from early Jan. When I went to make my last batch two weeks ago, I checked on mrmalty and it looked like I was going to have to build it up with multiple starters. So I just said forget this, and pitched some Nottingham.

Do you guys who re-use brew frequently? Any tips on preserving for a couple months without needing multiple starters?

Personally, if it's less than 2 months old, I just pitch the jar directly, no starter.
If it's more than 2 months old, I just dump it down the drain. I don't ever bother making starters with washed yeast.

When re-using a jar of yeast, I take the jar out of the fridge at the very beginning of the brew day and crack the lid to allow it to vent as it warms up while I'm brewing. Then, 4-5 hours later when the wort is ready for it, I just decant and pitch.

 

[jtratcliff]

... you're probably saving the more viable yeast on average.

There are a couple of blog posts by WoodlandBrew (see 2nd post of this
thread for links to blog posts https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-exposed-376860/) that recommend not washing.

He claims that the 3 layers you get during washing have roughly equal amounts of viable yeast, but the top "spent wort" layer has the most foreign bacteria.

If I recall correctly, his final recommendation was to at most pour off the watery top layer but keep the rest. Especially the bottom trub layer which less bacteria, just as much if not more viable yeast, and a bit of yeast nutrient (proteins and dead yeast)

 

[mtnagel]

I would (and do) just pitch the jar.

Now you reply! Too late. I took about half the slurry and made a liter starter. I was shooting for a 2x increase in cells and to wake up the yeast. I brewed last night and pitched the yeast/trub layer from the refrigerated starter. No bubbling this morning, but hopefully when I get home.

 

[dobe12]

There are a couple of blog posts by WoodlandBrew (see 2nd post of this
thread for links to blog posts https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-exposed-376860/) that recommend not washing.

He claims that the 3 layers you get during washing have roughly equal amounts of viable yeast, but the top "spent wort" layer has the most foreign bacteria.

If I recall correctly, his final recommendation was to at most pour off the watery top layer but keep the rest. Especially the bottom trub layer which less bacteria, just as much if not more viable yeast, and a bit of yeast nutrient (proteins and dead yeast)

I've switched my thinking and now follow exactly this. His research shows washing (we're actually talking about rinse, not washing, those are 2 different things completely) actually rinses away much of the healthy yeast. You're also storing your rinsed yeast under water that isn't optimal for the yeast's health.

Home brewers need to worry less about trub going from one batch to the next and worry more about what you're actually doing to the yeast when rinsing. The trub that makes it from batch to batch is not an issue.

 

[EthanH]

With all the great alternatives in this thread, I will never wash/rinse yeast again using the traditional pour/wait/pour/wait method.

Using White Labs, when I start with a new batch of yeast, I use a sanitized eyedropper to remove some from the White Labs vial and put it into some small vials of salt water solution for storage in the refrigerator. Then step up some starters when I use them. I used to use mason jars, but this way takes up much less room in the fridge.

This is particularly interesting. How much in each dropper and how many droppers per fresh vial? Also, why salt water and not distilled?

 

[fearwig]

I'm guessing he means a very weak saline solution so it's in osmotic equilibrium (or whatever the right term is) with the yeast cells. So it doesn't extract nutrients from them. I thought when he wrote that, "Someone's going to put their yeast in some brine and wonder WTF went wrong."

 

[geckholm]

I'm guessing he means a very weak saline solution so it's in osmotic equilibrium (or whatever the right term is) with the yeast cells. So it doesn't extract nutrients from them. I thought when he wrote that, "Someone's going to put their yeast in some brine and wonder WTF went wrong."

This, exactly. Sorry for the late reply. Been a bit busy.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[geckholm]

Here is the page where I picked it up from

http://eurekabrewing.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/yeast-banking-3-isotonic-sodium-chloride/