Reusing or washing yeast

[michaelob]

what is the advantage? Can you do it if your extract or partial mashing? I am still kinda new at this I only have done 5 batches of extract and doing a recipe from this forum partial mash later this week. Seem like more options if you get away from the kits.

 

[buckeyebrewer]

The advantage is the cost savings. You can reuse yeast as many as 10 times. When you rack your brew out of your primary you can dump a new brew on top of the existing yeast cake or you can wash the yeast (washing yeast technique can be found in these forums). When you wash the yeast you are separating the viable yeast from the trub in the yeast cake. Then you can store this washed yeast for future brews.

 

[JJL]

You can do it regardless of what brewing technique you are using. However, I will say that it's really only worth it if you are using liquid yeast, and if you plan to use the same type of yeast fairly often. Dry yeast is cheap and hardly worth recycling. Strains that you rarely use will likely go bad before you get around to using them up.

 

[HH60gunner]

Yep, they store pretty well for some time in the fridge. You can even store some in the freezer. I like to save yeast in vials that my wife gets from work for free, then when it's time to re-use the yeast I just make a starter from the mexican drink (Malta Goya). If you look at the ingredients of malta goya you'll notice that it's wort. Just boil it up to sanitize it, and pitch your yeast to make your starter. Malta Goya is pretty common at any mexican food store or even normal grocery stores that have an ethnic section. Hell even the commisary here on base carries the stuff.

The main advantage will be seen when storing liquid yeasts. At 8 bucks a pop I reuse as much as possible. Dry yeast however is cheap enough to just grab another pack and go. I've made a batch of beer for under 20 bucks before by re-using yeast, and buying cheap base grains.

 

[Golddiggie]

Comes down to how often you brew, how much yeast is costing you, and what you're brewing...

If you want to just put onto the yeast cake, you need to start light and put progressively heavier/darker brews onto the cake.

If you wash the yeast cake, you can use it for either lighter or darker brews. You will want to have large enough doses of the yeast to use, and still use a starter to ensure it's still viable when you go to use it. I would do that for ANY liquid yeast though. Even a small starter 24-48 hours ahead of when you expect to pitch the yeast will help. That way, if it's no longer viable, you should still have time to run out to the LHBS and get some yeast.

I've been washing yeast for my past few batches. It's not difficult to do. If you do a few easy things during the brewing process, it makes it even easier. Things like using a hop bag will reduce the amount of trub in the carboy/in the yeast.

I used a dose harvested/washed a month ago on Saturday. It was active in the jar it had been in the fridge inside of (while I was making the starter it was waking up)... I had less than a 12 hour lag phase on the yeast (not sure how short, since I was sleeping a few hours after pitching).

One of the things I'm really liking about the washed yeast is that it seems to be a bit more calm than the first generation yeast. Slow, steady fermentations for up to about two weeks before slowing down a lot. That's fine for me, since I'm in the 3-4 weeks in primary mode (for brews with an OG of under 1.070). Higher OG brews get at least a month in primary.

In a nut-shell... Read over the thread about how to wash yeast. If you're using liquid yeast now, give it a shot. If you don't like doing it, or the results you're getting after a couple of tries, then go back to using fresh yeast. But, if you like what you get for results, just keep doing it... Even if you only get 6-8 batches from washing, that seriously reduces your per batch yeast cost. Plus, if you decide to make a 10 gallon batch, you'll have plenty of yeast on hand for it.

Next step, after washing, is probably freezing yeast you either don't use very often, or is available for a limited amount of time each year. I might try that before the year is over. I might get a yeast pack, make a small starter, cold crash it after enough time to build up a healthy colony size, centrifuge it out, treat it for freezing, and then be able to pull out a gen 1 dose as needed. Have a few of those on hand and you'll be in better shape... Of course, you'll need to be brewing enough where it makes sense, to you... Or just want to go to the LHBS less (if you have a good one).

 

[Malticulous]

I've found no advantage in rinsing yeast. Washing is done with acid. If the yeast needs washed I'd toss it.

I prefer to rack on brewday or top crop it so I can get the freshest yeast. I can pitch how ever much I want with out making another starter. There is no way I would make 11 gallon batches of lagers with out re-pitching from another batch.

Pitching correct amounts insures a good growth phase so you have a new healthy generation of cells doing the work--regardless of the gravity of the first beer. Color has no noticeable impact with proper pitching rates. I will pitch from a stout to a blond. It's doesn't matter. Your talking about 50-100ml into 20000ml.

 

[elproducto]

You can do it regardless of what brewing technique you are using. However, I will say that it's really only worth it if you are using liquid yeast, and if you plan to use the same type of yeast fairly often. Dry yeast is cheap and hardly worth recycling. Strains that you rarely use will likely go bad before you get around to using them up.

I disagree, I re-use US-05 for 99% of my beers, and it's a champ. Money is money, and it's the same strain as 001 and 1056. I think the dry vs. liquid debate is a bit old, as some of the new dry yeasts are really good. Sure if you need a specialty yeast, liquid is the way to go.

 

[michaelob]

thanks for the feedback. I think ill try it and see how it goes. If I save a few bucks on yeast I can use the money for more beer.

 

[Hockeyhunter99]

just started washing my yeast. have a few batches in fridge. do you need to make a starter or just pour the excess liquid off the top and pitch it?