Question - Which Stored Yeast to Use?

[dangove]

Hello,

I have a question about which of your stored yeasts you use:

If a mother yeast makes 3 Mason Jars of repitchable yeast, and I use each jar at least 2 more times, would you suggest I follow pattern (A) or (B) below as I brew subsequent batches?


(A)
Date today -------------------------------------------> Future Date

OrigYeast
---------->Jar 1->repitch Jar1->repitch Jar1
---------->Jar 2 ------------------------------>repitch jar2->repitch jar2
---------->Jar 3 ------------------------------------------------------------>repitch3->repictch3

OR

(B)
Date today -----------------------------------------> Future Date

OrigYeast
---------->Jar 1->repitch Jar1------------------------------->repitch Jar1
---------->Jar 2---------------->repitch Jar2------------------------------>repitch Jar2
---------->Jar 3------------------------------->repitch Jar3---------------------------->repitch3


Thanks in advance for any comments you provide. I'm just wondering whether to use up all generation 1, before moving to generation 2 etc, or whether I should just use each jar sequentially?

Derek

 

[cswis86]

I would use all of gen 1 first. Are you freezing these?

 

[odie]

inquiring minds wanna know...I have yeast harvested but never used harvested yeast...yet...

 

[dangove]

Yes, I'm freezing them as well. Im using old White Labs tubes, with a bit of glycerin.

I have a huge amount of yeast now. The last brew I did, I used one Mason Jar, and one frozen tube. Both worked out very well

inquiring minds wanna know...I have yeast harvested but never used harvested yeast...yet...

 

[dangove]

On November 9, I brewed a 10 gallon batch and split the two carboys between two yeasts. One was a Mason Jar, and 1 frozen test tube

The Mason Jar was WY1056 about two weeks old, and I took it out of the fridge about 24 hours before pitching. No starter.

The frozen tube was Imperial Ale House A01. I took it out 3 days in advance and pitched it into a 1 Litre starter. It took about a day to start in the starter.

After I pitched each one into its 5 gallon carboy, they both started within about 12 hours.

 

[kh54s10]

When I use liquid yeast I make a starter a little bigger than needed for my recipe. I then make up four 20 ml vials that are 5 ml yeast 5 ml glycerin and 10 ml water. These get chilled in the fridge overnight then go into the freezer the next day. I have resurrected frozen yeast over 6 years after being frozen. I had plans to make four new vials from the last one but haven't used the last and made a new batch. I have only used up one or two of the yeasts I have saved.

So I have not re-pitched any so far. 1st generation only. I have read that some people go up to 10 generations.

 

[enkamania]

I collect yeast in a jar (usually 3 jars) seal with a pickle pipe lid and put in my cold crash fridge. (33-34f) I usually only go one round, simply because I don't want to get in a rut of brewing with the same yeast. I may change that if I get a few different ones going.

 

[dangove]

I think as I'm getting more experienced with yeast, I'm finding that my Mason Jar yeast bank, and my frozen vial yeast bank is rapidly increasing. Especially, as I add new varieties of yeast.

It is almost not worth it to make Mason Jars, since I don't know how long it will be until I come back around to use that variety again, meanwhile each Mason Jar is getting older and older.

However, if I always freeze yeast - in theory they keep forever. Its just important to make a starter well in advance.

 

[kh54s10]

My frozen samples, being so small take a 3 step up starter so I have to start a week ahead of brew day. I have saved yeast in mason jars but by the time I decide to use that variety again they are getting so old that I have dumped them all. I would say that in a mason jar I would keep them only a couple of months.

I do have a wild yeast in a mason jar that I want to use again. It has been in the refrigerator since 4/18. I will have to do a starter and see if there is any yeast left alive in there.

 

[bracconiere]

i infinitly repitch....and before you criticize, might be the next big thing! (or is it already? kviek anyone )