joyceman
Well-Known Member
I used to wash and reuse yeast at bottling time following the online guides found here and on other sites until about a year ago. I was having a couple of issues with my method and read some information which made me want to change up my storage practices.
First, I found storing 3-4 mason jars of washed yeast was getting problematic. I like to experiement with yeast and will usually buy any 'past best' vials at the HBS that I want to try out. This led to me having 24-30 jars of yeast in storage at any one time. Plus the washing process can add another hour to the brewday.
Second, I read an article on this site about the potential benefits of storing yeast in a low alcohol fermented beer as opposed to sterile water (If anyone has the link please add it).
Finally, washing isnt advised for hgih grav batches due to possible mutations in the yeast.
At around that some time, I had recently began running a gallon of water through my tun after lautering (batch sparging). This would usually yield 1 gal of 1030 or so wort which I would freeze and use for starters.
My idea was to use some extra extra starter wort to both activate my starter yeast and provide yeast for storage.
Heres my process..
About 5-6 days in advance of my next batch I make a starter and let it ferment out. When its done, I stick it in the fridge, usally 24-36 hours before brewday. On the brewday, I'll pull it out and let it reach room temp.
After sparging, I run a gallon or more water throught the mash depending on how much starter wort I need. Gravity is usually somewhere between 1025-1035 depending on the batch. I'll pull a quart or so, boil as much off as needed and chill. The rest goes in the freezer for my next starter.
I decant off the strarter and mix in the quart of boiled & chilled starter wort, mixing and shaking thoroughly. I usually see activity within 30-60 mins. I pour off 10-12 ounces into a sanitized mason jar and put an unscrewed lid on top. I'll let this ferment out, usually 5-7 days to be sure, and then put this into my yeast storage minifridge. This will usually yield about 5/8 of an inch of slurry after sitting for 1-2 weeks. The remaining starter goes into the batch after chilling.
Heres what I see as the benefits.
1. One jar of each strain in storage sitting in low alcohol fermented wort.
2. Yeast get a head start and the starter wort dumped into the batch has the same granbill as the batch itself. Decanting means no oxidized wort that has been fermented at high temps in my batch.
3. No more involved washing process, cutting extra time off my day.
4. Free starter wort.
The downsides, and please add any you see.
1. You gotta be careful the wort has fermented out if using glass mason jars. Otherwise you might get some jar bombs.
2. You can probably get more slurry out of a washed batch. That being said, wahsed yeast may not be as viable over the same length of time as yeast stored in fermented wort. You may need to build bigger starters for higher grav batches.
3. You do need to plan ahead. If you forget, youre back to washing.
This is the system I've been working with over the past year. My attenuation has been good, sometimes too good. My yeast seems healthy, even after extended storage. I just brewed a batch with 3944 thats been in storage since the fall with no issues. Im down to 10 jars in the yeast fridge and I dont buy dme anymore.
First, I found storing 3-4 mason jars of washed yeast was getting problematic. I like to experiement with yeast and will usually buy any 'past best' vials at the HBS that I want to try out. This led to me having 24-30 jars of yeast in storage at any one time. Plus the washing process can add another hour to the brewday.
Second, I read an article on this site about the potential benefits of storing yeast in a low alcohol fermented beer as opposed to sterile water (If anyone has the link please add it).
Finally, washing isnt advised for hgih grav batches due to possible mutations in the yeast.
At around that some time, I had recently began running a gallon of water through my tun after lautering (batch sparging). This would usually yield 1 gal of 1030 or so wort which I would freeze and use for starters.
My idea was to use some extra extra starter wort to both activate my starter yeast and provide yeast for storage.
Heres my process..
About 5-6 days in advance of my next batch I make a starter and let it ferment out. When its done, I stick it in the fridge, usally 24-36 hours before brewday. On the brewday, I'll pull it out and let it reach room temp.
After sparging, I run a gallon or more water throught the mash depending on how much starter wort I need. Gravity is usually somewhere between 1025-1035 depending on the batch. I'll pull a quart or so, boil as much off as needed and chill. The rest goes in the freezer for my next starter.
I decant off the strarter and mix in the quart of boiled & chilled starter wort, mixing and shaking thoroughly. I usually see activity within 30-60 mins. I pour off 10-12 ounces into a sanitized mason jar and put an unscrewed lid on top. I'll let this ferment out, usually 5-7 days to be sure, and then put this into my yeast storage minifridge. This will usually yield about 5/8 of an inch of slurry after sitting for 1-2 weeks. The remaining starter goes into the batch after chilling.
Heres what I see as the benefits.
1. One jar of each strain in storage sitting in low alcohol fermented wort.
2. Yeast get a head start and the starter wort dumped into the batch has the same granbill as the batch itself. Decanting means no oxidized wort that has been fermented at high temps in my batch.
3. No more involved washing process, cutting extra time off my day.
4. Free starter wort.
The downsides, and please add any you see.
1. You gotta be careful the wort has fermented out if using glass mason jars. Otherwise you might get some jar bombs.
2. You can probably get more slurry out of a washed batch. That being said, wahsed yeast may not be as viable over the same length of time as yeast stored in fermented wort. You may need to build bigger starters for higher grav batches.
3. You do need to plan ahead. If you forget, youre back to washing.
This is the system I've been working with over the past year. My attenuation has been good, sometimes too good. My yeast seems healthy, even after extended storage. I just brewed a batch with 3944 thats been in storage since the fall with no issues. Im down to 10 jars in the yeast fridge and I dont buy dme anymore.
