Slury storage

[Staticsouls]

I am using a conical and have been dumping slurry into soda bottles and recapping them to use later. Today I opened one that had developed some serious pressure. Long story short I pitched the yeast but made a huge mess trying to relieve the pressure. I stopped using mason jars because the pressure would build and slowly secrete wort causing mold on the rim.

How do you store and reuse yeast slurry?

 

[day_trippr]

I've never tried to re-use yeast from an actual beer, but I do farm a few strains using over-built starters, and I always use pint-size mason jars. Never had an explosive issue with them - but then again I expect a robust starter (ie: using reasonably fresh yeast) to have burned out all the fermentables inside 24 hours, so there shouldn't be any fermentation going on in those jars.

I guess I wonder if you're harvesting yeast before they're done...

Cheers!

 

[palmtrees]

I do the same, harvest from over built starters and store in jars. I may to release pressure the first day if it off gasses from being swirled up, but that's it. They're otherwise very stable. The one time I saved slurry from a batch in a jar, I didn't have pressure issues either. Have you noticed this consistently with your jars? Or more off and on?

 

[Staticsouls]

I used to do the over built starter but since I moved and don't have large flasks for them I've been trying alternatives for yeast harvest and containment. Starters will most definitely yield cleaner pitches but the also require the extra work. Maybe I tried to cut the corner too hard and it got me dirty.

 

[RM-MN]

My slurries would always have some discharge of CO2. I put the lid/cap on loosely so the bottle could vent but keep airborne contaminants out.

 

[Staticsouls]

I definitely forgot to burp the soda bottles

 

[CascadesBrewer]

How do you store and reuse yeast slurry?

I store harvested yeast slurry in mason jars. I use a mix of 16 oz and 8 oz jars. I have switched over to using plastic lids. I try to leave the lid just a touch lose to let out pressure and leave a little headspace in the jar. While I have had some wort leak out of jars, I have not had any mold or contamination issues.

 

[Staticsouls]

I store harvested yeast slurry in mason jars. I use a mix of 16 oz and 8 oz jars. I have switched over to using plastic lids. I try to leave the lid just a touch lose to let out pressure and leave a little headspace in the jar. While I have had some wort leak out of jars, I have not had any mold or contamination issues.

I have been doing the same, minus the plastic caps. Had black mold under the ring on the few jars. Do you have a link for the plastic caps?

 

[Oleson M.D.]

We always harvest the yeast, using one gallon glass or food grade plastic containers. Loosely wrap the opening with foil, and rubber band in place. Or place the cap on, but do not tighten. Storage is at 33 degrees. Good for up to 5 months.
Never had a problem.

 

[macbrak]

I use plastic lids on mason jars. I usually put plastic wrap on first. In the past I’ve used just metal ring with plastic wrap.

 

[RealRayDizzle]

I have been building big starters then dividing them up and storing in breast milk bags. I use a lot of kviek yeast strains like lutra, so I don't need to pitch alot, so these work great.

 

[DannyBoy270]

I mean i just clean and sanitize whatever glass jar I have on hand, leave the lid loose, and store in the fridge. Never had any issues with mold thus far

 

[Oleson M.D.]

I think your salsa has gone bad...might check the Best-By date.

 

[enkamania]

I use a mason jar with a pickle pipe lid.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I have been doing the same, minus the plastic caps. Had black mold under the ring on the few jars. Do you have a link for the plastic caps?

I got them at Walmart. Mainstays Large Jar Lids - Walmart.com

 

[Knightshade]

This is a timely thread, because I finally brave enough to use liquid yeast about a week ago. I put 800 mls into a mason jar and pitched the rest. Just checked the fridge and there was a little pressure built up when I loosened the cap a bit.

Was wondering if anybody transfers to a smaller jar once the yeast settles to the bottom or if I should just leave it. Would prefer to transfer to a smaller mason jar to save some space in the fridge, but not certain if common practice to do, or just not risk it.

I guess another question would be…how long will this thing be good for?

 

[DannyBoy270]

This is a timely thread, because I finally brave enough to use liquid yeast about a week ago. I put 800 mls into a mason jar and pitched the rest. Just checked the fridge and there was a little pressure built up when I loosened the cap a bit.

Was wondering if anybody transfers to a smaller jar once the yeast settles to the bottom or if I should just leave it. Would prefer to transfer to a smaller mason jar to save some space in the fridge, but not certain if common practice to do, or just not risk it.

I guess another question would be…how long will this thing be good for?View attachment 730856

I've stretched mine out as much as 6months with no issues.

 

[robert.balsinger]

I use graduated cylinders. I put 50 ml in stock from 1 1st generation harvest and then fill a 10 ml graduated cylinder full. Then I use 2 ml at a time from 10 ml cylinder to start starters. I build starters in 10x steps from 2 ml. 2 ml yeast in 20 ml wort, then pitch yield to 200 ml wort then pitch yield to 2 1L rather than a 2L because that gets me into 250 Billion plus range for 1.059 beers but 2 L will give you 220 range for lower gravity. Starters one week and brew the next. Rinse repeat. 3 generations at most then pull from from stock. I buy fresh liquid yeast once or maybe twice a year but only one yeast a year to explore it’s range of beers. Mostly British Ales.

 

[BarryBrews]

Brewing is enough work without starters, IMHO. First off saving money is a definite "give it a think" every time. The manufacturers of yeast packets, both wet and dry, make ready to go sizes, why complicate things? Use your oxygen level to grow the quanity of yeast you need. Pitching fresh new wort on the previous beer's fermenter yeast cake is the easiest and safest reuse method, that is if it fits in to your brewing schedule. A fermenter re-pitch requires little oxygen which equals more of the good stuff! Besides, if you are seeing black mold (like I was) within six months time, do you really want to make a beer even at say three months with that stored yeast?

Have you tried kveik? Besides cutting the brew to glass time in half, this is a class of yeast designed to be reused. If you cool your wort in the boil kettle, allow sufficient settling time to leave the cold break out of the fermenter and of course don't dry hop, you'll have a clean yeast cake left over for dehydrating. A 100F oven or a food dehydrator both work great. Spread the yeast out on the parchment paper and when thoroughly dry fold parchment paper in half and roll a jar over it to crush the kviek into to small pieces. Store in the refrigerator for....a long time. No mold. Sprinkle on appropriately oxygenated wort to use. I use 10 grams per 5.75 gallons of 1.05-ish gravity based on the fact that manufacturers sell ~11 gram packets, but I suspect this is probably too much. At 2 billion yeast cells per gram of wet yeast cake you would require 200 grams per new batch and if it's 95% moisture then 10 grams dehydrated seems right? Can some one comment on the correct amount to use for the situation mentioned here? I've heard of as low as a couple of grams per batch. Thanks.

 

[odie]

After I keg my beer there is a tiny amount of wort left on the yeast cake. Maybe 1/2 a pint. I gently swirl the fermenter a bit to stir up of the compacted yeast cake and then fill a couple-three 1/2 pint mason jars. Lid on loose so it can gas off. Place in fridge and wait til the next brew day. The jars will settle out fairly quickly so you have a nice yeast cake and a protective layer of beer on top. Decant beer just before pitching. Use fresh wort to help rinse the yeast out into your fermenter.

I'm trying a couple ferment & serve in the keg beers. I'll just be doing the first keg tap into a couple small mason jars to clear the yeast from the bottom of the keg. Those I will just place in the fridge and let the yeast settle out, same as my normal yeast saving method.

 

[Mr. Vern]

I'm trying a couple ferment & serve in the keg beers. I'll just be doing the first keg tap into a couple small mason jars to clear the yeast from the bottom of the keg. Those I will just place in the fridge and let the yeast settle out, same as my normal yeast saving method.

I just tapped a corny (fermenting lid with airlock) from Big Brew Day. The first glass did yield some sediment as well as the subsequent 4 pints. I did not modify the corny other than the lid swap.

I was expecting more to come out but I guess there will be decent slurry left when she kicks. My 1st experience here, I got yeast out of the faucet but it was nothing like dumping a conical. S-04 so I wasn't really pressed to save any of it. I would be interested in how much a typical dip tube will siphon off the bottom of a corny, Ill have to measure the next one... I have dreams of pulling that first pint straight into fresh wort

 

[eric19312]

Mason jar with a not very tight plastic lid for me.

 

[odie]

I was expecting more to come out but I guess there will be decent slurry left when she kicks. My 1st experience here, I got yeast out of the faucet but it was nothing like dumping a conical. S-04 so I wasn't really pressed to save any of it. I would be interested in how much a typical dip tube will siphon off the bottom of a corny, Ill have to measure the next one... I have dreams of pulling that first pint straight into fresh wort

One keg I "burped" some yeast out...poured 1/2 a pint and got a nice yeast cake (1/8-1/4") to pitch in another beer.

Another keg barely any yeast came out with almost a whole pint. I suspect the dip tube on that keg is not down in the center dimple.

But this is just my first go at ferment in a keg