Reusing or cultivating yeast

[redrocker652002]

I have been somewhat interested in this for a while, so I started watching Youtube Vids on it. One guy said that dry yeast isn't meant to be reused so there is no need to even try to. Is this so? I know dry is cheap, but it I am kinda interested in how this works. Since my last yeast post got so much response, good and bad, I thought I would ask about this as well. Any input is welcomed.

 

[day_trippr]

Sounds daft.

I would say Lallemand knows a thing or so on the topic...
https://www.lallemandbrewing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/LAL-bestpractices-Repitching_Eng_A4.pdf
Cheers!

 

[Brewer dad]

I have re used dry yeast without issue plenty of times using the below threads methods.


https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/simple-yeast-storage-procedure-with-photos.579350/

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Once you pitch dry yeast it's no longer dry, so there's that. I repitch 34/70 all the time with no issues.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I started watching Youtube Vids on it. One guy said that dry yeast isn't meant to be reused

That's largely propaganda, but there are some specific differences which may mean it won't go out to as many generations as liquid. But you're looking at maybe 5-8 for dry rather than 8-10 for liquid, depending on the strain.

Once you pitch dry yeast it's no longer dry, so there's that.

Mostly this. But....

Dried yeast receives more processing (particularly when repacked by third parties), which more potential for contaminants to be introduced, and if you're starting with higher level of contaminants then they will take over within fewer generations.

Drying stresses yeast, which will introduce deleterious mutations.

Repitching blends that haven't co-evolved together like the multistrains used in British breweries, will tend to end up with the more vigorous strain taking over the blend as it is repitched. Liquid yeast manufacturers are transparent about which products are blends and which are single strains, whereas the likes of Mangrove Jack in particular seem to be blending yeast without advertising the fact. In particular M31 seems to have two different colours of grains in it, there are suggestions one or two of their other yeast could be blends but that's not proven.

 

[Conehead]

Dry is cheap? $11 for Nova Lager where I live.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Dry is cheap? $11 for Nova Lager where I live.

Novalager is an exotic patented yeast, if it was liquid it would be more expensive still. And eg within Ireland Geterbrewed have it for €6.17 = $US6.78 (no affiliation)

Like-for-like dry will always be cheaper than liquid, just because the short shelf life of liquid makes for more waste.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

One guy said that dry yeast isn't meant to be reused so there is no need to even try to. Is this so?

Lallemand and Fermentis videos from 2020/2021/2022 covered the idea.

Over the years, AHA forums (and perhaps /r/homebrewing) has been a good source of topics that talk about perceived flavor differences between the initial dry/rehydrated pitch and "n-th" generation re-pitches.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Links to sources of information from dry yeast providers:

• Downloads | Lallemand Brewing
• Fermentis: Beer Tips and Tricks
• Fermentis: Videos
• Fermentis: Q&A

 

[foragedbrews]

I have been somewhat interested in this for a while, so I started watching Youtube Vids on it. One guy said that dry yeast isn't meant to be reused so there is no need to even try to. Is this so? I know dry is cheap, but it I am kinda interested in how this works. Since my last yeast post got so much response, good and bad, I thought I would ask about this as well. Any input is welcomed.

I can personally tell you what this guy said is nonsense, for the most part. The brewery I work for, along with many if not most, use dry yeast and will crop from the fermenter after cold crashing. We reuse cropped yeast slurry that was pitched from dry, a strain you as a homebrewer can buy, up to eight generations for reasons mentioned by others.

 

[beren]

check out Maintaining A Healthy Yeast Bank Long Term You can make an extra liter of starter, decant that and freeze it in vials (15ml) with some glycerin to protect it. It doesn't really count as a generation since it isn't stressed by hops/high gravity wort.

 

[redrocker652002]

check out Maintaining A Healthy Yeast Bank Long Term You can make an extra liter of starter, decant that and freeze it in vials (15ml) with some glycerin to protect it. It doesn't really count as a generation since it isn't stressed by hops/high gravity wort.

Very good article. Thanks. I was looking on Amazon, and they have plates that are already done with the glycerin already in them. Would they work? I am thinking of giving this a try, why not, right? LOL.

 

[beren]

No. Just get glycerin from the pharmacy it’s cheap. You also want 15ml tubes not plates. I bought borosilicate so I can autoclave them but they can break. You can buy sterile plastic for about the same price. You’ll also need some sort of holder for them and disposable 5ml pipettes.

 

[redrocker652002]

No. Just get glycerin from the pharmacy it’s cheap. You also want 15ml tubes not plates. I bought borosilicate so I can autoclave them but they can break. You can buy sterile plastic for about the same price. You’ll also need some sort of holder for them and disposable 5ml pipettes.

Thanks for the info. It is on the list to try, but right now the accountant (wife) is giving me a budget. LOL. But that is something I would like to try at some point.

 

[beren]

It’s like $25 in stuff total to get started to make 10 vials of 4 diff yeasts. Glass is reusable, if you need more vials it’s like $18/40

 

[redrocker652002]

It’s like $25 in stuff total to get started to make 10 vials of 4 diff yeasts. Glass is reusable, if you need more vials it’s like $18/40

In my research I found that a pressure cooker or something like that is needed as well. Am I missing or did I read wrong? If it is only a small amount like that, heck I might give it a try.

 

[beren]

Best practice is to use a pressure cooker as an autoclave. You could wet and bake at 250 I wager, or just use starsan even. I use starsan on the disposable pipettes. Are used an electric pressure cooker which is not as good as a stovetop one but after 25 minutes at 12 or 13 psi there’s nothing living.

 

[odie]

I harvest and save clean yeast cake all the time. No issues with it.

Also I repitch yeast cake in a freshly emptied fermenter/keg all the time. No issues.

 

[beren]

Yeah that can work fine but the issues freezing solves are that the yeast cake is often not clean and full of hops and trub, and many beers stress the yeast and cause a lot of mutation which is why it’s recommended not to re-pitch harvested yeast more than five or seven times. Over building a starter does not count as a generation and vials takes up less room and lasts a good three years or so in the freezer which at that point you can make more vials from whatever is left.

 

[odie]

Yeah that can work fine but the issues freezing solves are that the yeast cake is often not clean and full of hops and trub,

I fine screen (100-200 micron) all the wort from kettle to fermenter. So the cake is mostly clean yeast.

But my methods are different than many others.

 

[Karpool]

I have been somewhat interested in this for a while, so I started watching Youtube Vids on it. One guy said that dry yeast isn't meant to be reused so there is no need to even try to. Is this so? I know dry is cheap, but it I am kinda interested in how this works. Since my last yeast post got so much response, good and bad, I thought I would ask about this as well. Any input is welcomed.

I’m late to this conversation but here it goes. I mostly use Krispy Kveik and I repitch ALL the time. Kveik will last forever but it did start as a liquid (well, it’s still a liquid). Yesterday I did a double brew and had saved Novalager from my last brew. It had only been 2 weeks in the fridge. I expected it work fast. Today so far, nothing.

I’ve reused other dry yeasts in the past and they worked. I’m surprised and disappointed in Novalager. I’m going to give it the rest of the day before I add something else.

 

[AmarikinBrew]

I’m late to this conversation but here it goes. I mostly use Krispy Kveik and I repitch ALL the time. Kveik will last forever but it did start as a liquid (well, it’s still a liquid). Yesterday I did a double brew and had saved Novalager from my last brew. It had only been 2 weeks in the fridge. I expected it work fast. Today so far, nothing.

I’ve reused other dry yeasts in the past and they worked. I’m surprised and disappointed in Novalager. I’m going to give it the rest of the day before I add something else.

Late inquiry, I apologize. Did your repitched Novalager ever take off? If so, did the brew taste fine?

 

[fluketamer]

ive repitched nova several times without any problems up to 5 generations . no taste differenece that i could tell