Servomyces is dead yeast, right?

[Fionnbharr]

Hey, all;

Good, healthy yeast -- when it's done its thing, and flocculates out -- everybody knows that with a little work, it can be made into a starter for another batch of beer.

I've been routinely adding Servomyces and a bit of WLN1000 to each time I brew -- they both serve different purposes, and I seem to be getting good results when I do.

The thing is, Servomyces is dead yeast. Dead yeast has all the building blocks that new, living yeast needs, and that's the purpose of adding it to the kettle -- good stuff for the yeasties.

So... has anyone tried adding harvested yeast from the bottom of the carboy to the next boil? Does this work in terms of providing nutrients and good stuff to the wort for the next pitch?

Thanks in advance!

 

[unionrdr]

Here's a link to some questions & answers I found; http://homebrew.stackexchange.com/questions/7744/use-of-servomyces-in-a-yeast-starter

 

[Fionnbharr]

Thank you, unionrdr. It's an interesting thread about servo and 'nutrients' in general.

It even has one thread that starts
"Servomyces is simply dead yeast. Prior to being killed, it was fed micronutrients which have been stored in the yeast. There's no harm pitching more into your starter, assuming you then later pitch to 5 gallons or more. If your starter yeast don't use all the nutrients, your main brew certainly will, so there's no harm pitching the entire capsule."**

But the question still remains -- can I throw rinsed yeast from the previous batch's trub into the boil for the next? Will it break the yeast down so nutrients are available when the next starter is added?



** Credit to http://homebrew.stackexchange.com/users/796/mdma for the quote

 

[daksin]

Yup. I bought a brick of bread yeast that makes really terrible bread, so now I toss a tablespoon into my high gravity boils. It's all the same stuff.

 

[PDX_T]

are you experiencing sluggish ferments, or just looking to replicate your current process with yeast cake?

 

[Fionnbharr]

are you experiencing sluggish ferments, or just looking to replicate your current process with yeast cake?

I'm trying to see if I can eliminate the use of packaged capsules of something I would normally dump.

 

[Fionnbharr]

Yup. I bought a brick of bread yeast that makes really terrible bread, so now I toss a tablespoon into my high gravity boils. It's all the same stuff.

Well, Brewers and Bakers both use strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Thing is, I can't find any info on any kind of fungus or yeast called "Servomyces" except in sales to brewers. Unless it's a made up name "Serving fungus" for marketing.

So, what you're saying is -- Yes, go ahead and add a few ml of washed trub-yeast, because it'll do some good.

Right?

 

[daksin]

Well, Brewers and Bakers both use strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Thing is, I can't find any info on any kind of fungus or yeast called "Servomyces" except in sales to brewers. Unless it's a made up name "Serving fungus" for marketing.

So, what you're saying is -- Yes, go ahead and add a few ml of washed trub-yeast, because it'll do some good.

Right?

Servomyces is just a brand name, not a variety of yeast. I have no idea what the ingredients are, but suspect there's probably normal nutrient in there besides the yeast (DAP etc).

 

[Jaybird]

Well, Brewers and Bakers both use strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Thing is, I can't find any info on any kind of fungus or yeast called "Servomyces" except in sales to brewers. Unless it's a made up name "Serving fungus" for marketing.

So, what you're saying is -- Yes, go ahead and add a few ml of washed trub-yeast, because it'll do some good.

Right?

Correct. You will want to add it to the boil so its good and dead, but yes Yeast makes GREAT nutrients for Yeast... Love those little cannibals!

Cheers
Jay

 

[two_hearted]

I thought servomyces was dead yeast pumped with zinc. ...a way for german brewers to work around the reinheitsgebot to add yeast nutrient.

I don't think a bunch of dead yeast is the same thing, although yeast will cannibalize.

 

[Fionnbharr]

Servomyces is just a brand name,

Well I'll be dipped; I've been suckered by marketing.

Eff that. I'mma be scoopin' me up some trub yeast tonight.