So I've been brewing for quite a few years, and to this point have always used dry or liquid yeast from the LHBS. While dry yeast is fairly economical, liquid yeast is not, and it's what I would prefer to use. In the past, I didn't have the ability to store yeast between batches, but I think I can probably manage it now.
I've been reading up on the yeast washing process and it looks pretty straight forward. I'm left with a few questions before I get started actually doing it. (I'm referencing the stickied Yeast Washing Illustrated thread).
1) Is it reasonable to store the washed yeast in flip-top bottles (e.g. Grolsch) rather than mason jars? I suspect the main concern here would be in the sanitation of the rubber seal. Any other issues?
2) Is there an optimum storage temperature? The sticky says to refrigerate, I'm thinking normal refer temperature is fine, and that below freezing or room temperature is bad (i.e. above refer temp). True?
3) Generally speaking, how long does washed yeast stay viable? Days? Weeks? Months?
4) Let's say I start with the dregs from a batch fermented with a starter made from a good, viable, fresh liquid yeast from the LHBS. Is there a practical limit to how many times I can recycle the yeast as long as my colony remains viable in storage? In other words, as longs as my latest batch had a healthy fermentation, is there any reason why I should not continue to harvest, wash, and reuse indefinitely?
I suspect that the standard RDWHAHB response applies to most of my questions.
I've been reading up on the yeast washing process and it looks pretty straight forward. I'm left with a few questions before I get started actually doing it. (I'm referencing the stickied Yeast Washing Illustrated thread).
1) Is it reasonable to store the washed yeast in flip-top bottles (e.g. Grolsch) rather than mason jars? I suspect the main concern here would be in the sanitation of the rubber seal. Any other issues?
2) Is there an optimum storage temperature? The sticky says to refrigerate, I'm thinking normal refer temperature is fine, and that below freezing or room temperature is bad (i.e. above refer temp). True?
3) Generally speaking, how long does washed yeast stay viable? Days? Weeks? Months?
4) Let's say I start with the dregs from a batch fermented with a starter made from a good, viable, fresh liquid yeast from the LHBS. Is there a practical limit to how many times I can recycle the yeast as long as my colony remains viable in storage? In other words, as longs as my latest batch had a healthy fermentation, is there any reason why I should not continue to harvest, wash, and reuse indefinitely?
I suspect that the standard RDWHAHB response applies to most of my questions.