yeast from secondary

jagg · Apr 8, 2007

I was thinking, could you use the yeast cake from the secondary fermenter? It seems to be about 3/8 to 1/2 inch of yeast cake in there. I would have to somehow get it out to put in the 6.5gal primary, is this possible, or should I just use new yeast? Just wondering, thanks.

Catfish · Apr 8, 2007

You can use it. They say that the primary fermenter has better yeast (I would suppose better floccing). You could put some clean (boiled and cooled) water in swirl it around, let the chunks settle a bit and pour off the liquid, allow that to settle and you have some rinsed yeast.

boo boo · Apr 8, 2007

Primary yeast has the best yeast to reuse.

Secondary yeast is yeast that don't do a good job of actual fermenting and
is the last to flocc out. But you can still reuse it.

BierMuncher · Apr 8, 2007

jagg said:
I was thinking, could you use the yeast cake from the secondary fermenter? It seems to be about 3/8 to 1/2 inch of yeast cake in there. I would have to somehow get it out to put in the 6.5gal primary, is this possible, or should I just use new yeast? Just wondering, thanks.

Use it.

By all means. The one on the right pictured below is a secondary Kolsch harvest that was refrigerated for 2 months and this is 24 hours after pitching it to a starter.

If you have that much clean yeast sitting on the bottom of your secondary...use it.

PS - The Kolsch I brewed with this yeast was excellent.

brewhead · Apr 8, 2007

um well you really shouldn't have any yeast to speak of in the secondary

boo boo · Apr 8, 2007

brewhead said:
um well you really shouldn't have any yeast to speak of in the secondary

You'll get enough to flocculate out in secondary to brew with, but like I said, it won't be the best yeast you can use. That is in the primary.

david_42 · Apr 8, 2007

The yeast in the clearing tank is the least flocculate of the batch, which can be a problem. Other than that, it will be cleaner than the yeast from the fermenter. Fewer hop particles, etc.

jagg · Apr 8, 2007

thanks for the input guys, I was gonna use the primary yeast, but other obligations came up, so i racked to secondary, upon further analysis I may not have quite that much yeast in there, It is an IIPA using London Ale, Im gonna make another IIPA, with the high OG, I think Im just gonna use a fresh pack of yeast, I never tried reusing a yeast cake, so I might wait till later to try this, thanks to all who responded, take care, and happy Easter.

stevenb · Apr 8, 2007

I've taken yeast from the secondary, stored it for a week or so in the refrigerator, and made a yeast starter to use in a similar beer without any problem. It hasn't disappointed me yet.