Yeast Slurry Longevity

[hellesyeah]

When I made my last wheat beer, I just swirled the yeast slurry and poured it in two sterilized Mason jars. Loosely capped, and put in man cave fridge that doesn't get opened often. The yeast separated from the low ABV beer and about 50% of the quart jar is yeast.

Gonna make another weisse beer this weekend. Yeast has been in fridge about 2 months now. Should I be good to go if I decant beer, bring slurry to target temp and pitch the pint of yeast? This is a Hefe.

I realize under pitching Hefe throws more banana esters, and I am sure this amount will over pitch. I can control the banana with ferm temp. I just am wondering how long the yeast slurry will be viable?

 

[TheMadKing]

I think 2 months is fine.. This is a finnicky subject. I have reused slurry thats 5 months old after making a starter with it and had no issues. Other brewers say 3-4 weeks runs the risk of infection. So it's basically a risk management issue. For me, 2-3 months is a pretty normal amount of time to store yeast between brews.

 

[broadbill]

I think if you are going to first do a starter with that slurry...no worries there..

I think its a bigger gamble if you are going to just pitch what you have. I've pitched used slurry before with no problems, and I have also dumped batches because the slurry wasn't viable.

A starter will get the yeast count up and also tell you if its viable.

 

[hellesyeah]

I think 2 months is fine.. This is a finnicky subject. I have reused slurry thats 5 months old after making a starter with it and had no issues. Other brewers say 3-4 weeks runs the risk of infection. So it's basically a risk management issue. For me, 2-3 months is a pretty normal amount of time to store yeast between brews.

I agree about the broad range of opinions on this subject so my readings were steering me in different directions. One positive is the beer I made that the slurry came from is a low 4.5% ABV beer. I hope this means the low abv protects the yeast from infection w/o damaging the yeast as would be the case with a high abv beer.

I may just decant, warm and pitch direct. The yeast is WLP300 Hefeweizen yeast, so that stuff is on steroids anyway. We shall see, but as Broadbill mentions, this could be an epic fail.

 

[SGTSparty]

I may just decant, warm and pitch direct. The yeast is WLP300 Hefeweizen yeast, so that stuff is on steroids anyway. We shall see, but as Broadbill mentions, this could be an epic fail.

If you go in with that attitude I'd say try it. Worst case you have to pitch the batch and you learn a lesson about how your yeast storage (yeastorage?) works, best case, you learn a lesson and get beer w/o having to buy yeast. As long as you don't NEED this batch to turn out (like for a party where its been promised or a competition or what have you) I'd so do it... and report back

 

[schatzke]

Make a starter. Small investment to insure that your yeast will be ready to get the job done.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

My average yeast slurry is at least a month old.I never make a starter.I don't use the calculators and just dump the whole mason jar.I don't normally decant and after 6 hours or so warming its all churned together from the active yeast.If it smells good,like normal yeast,I would use it with not much concern.Almost impossible to over pitch.

 

[TheMadKing]

Make a starter. Small investment to insure that your yeast will be ready to get the job done.

which yeast insurer do you use?! I need that

 

[atoughram]

I think if you are going to first do a starter with that slurry...no worries there..

I think its a bigger gamble if you are going to just pitch what you have. I've pitched used slurry before with no problems, and I have also dumped batches because the slurry wasn't viable.

A starter will get the yeast count up and also tell you if its viable.

I've pitched Hefe slurry that was at least six months old without a starter and without problems. Same with WLP001 and WLP005.

I've reused Hefe slurry about five times before I through it away. It's starts to get a tart taste to me.

Hefe Yeasties - the slut's of the yeast world...

 

[broadbill]

I've pitched Hefe slurry that was at least six months old without a starter and without problems. Same with WLP001 and WLP005.

I've reused Hefe slurry about five times before I through it away. It's starts to get a tart taste to me.

Hefe Yeasties - the slut's of the yeast world...

Yep, I used to pitch WLP001 without a starter too, until it bit me in the butt and I couldn't get fermentation started and that = a dumper.

So this method works, up until it doesn't...

 

[hellesyeah]

Yep, I used to pitch WLP001 without a starter too, until it bit me in the butt and I couldn't get fermentation started and that = a dumper.

So this method works, up until it doesn't...

I like your paraphrased quote, broadbill, "it works until it doesn't"! Bingo

Like SGTSparty said, I have no real pressure to get a batch ready for any particular reason, so if it bombs, lesson learned. Not really trying to save time or money other than getting a feel for what really works...or doesn't really work in a worse case scenario.

This is the first reuse (second generation) of this yeast that was made from a starter with fresh WLP300. During my initial batch I used a 1/2" blowoff tube into a bucket of starsan and the fermentation was violent. So violent, in fact, it split a brand new lid on a 7.8G fermenter pail at 62F....WITH a 1/2" blowoff tube in place. Never saw anything like it. Afraid of this stuff, like if I make a starter from the slurry in my house, it may start a nuclear war.

There are two debatable topics I have engaged on HBT....this one, and the other is at what temp do you pitch a lager starter? Both have a wide range of opinions. Appreciate all the good feedback!

 

[atoughram]

So this method works, up until it doesn't...

And when it doesnt work I'll run to the LHBS and pick up some fresh yeast, but as of right now, it's worked for me.

 

[broadbill]

And when it doesnt work I'll run to the LHBS and pick up some fresh yeast, but as of right now, it's worked for me.

Glad to hear.