Reusing yeast

[StevieDS]

Is it possible to take some yeast from the yeast cake in the fv after racking and keep it for the next brew? If so how do you store it and is there any pros or cons about doing this?
I'd be wanting to keep it for at least 1 week, maybe up to 3 weeks if possible?

 

[phettebs]

I do it all the time. I store it in plastic water bottles or glass jars. Sometimes I "Wash" it and sometimes I just dump it in straightaway. If I'm going to use it within the next few weeks, I just pitch as is. If I'm not going to be using it for a month+ then I will make a starter from it.

 

[StevieDS]

Do you keep it in the fridge, or just in a cupboard at room temp? How long will it keep for?

 

[phettebs]

I keep it in the fridge for many months. But I wouldn't go more than a month without making a starter from it.

 

[BigYin]

I was having a chat with Dunfie about this - the most critical thing is to make a starter and then check that it smells and tastes ok before pitching :thumb:

Any yeast related faults in the beer are amplified with each re-use of a yeast, and with an increase in the number of people using expensive liquid yeasts and then re-using them, there are an increasing number of beers being affected.

 

[PD]

Its not something I have done yet. I use fresh yeasts for each of my brews.
As it can be 2 or 3 weeks between brews I've been wary of allowing the yeasts to go off
Unless you do it back to back by adding the yeast cake immediately to your next brew ( and in my opinion you would have to be brewing the same type of beer again ) storing the yeast unless done well, leaves it open to contamination,
I spend an awful amount of time sanitising my vessels equipment etc the last thing I want to do is introduce a bad or wild yeast etc, and I have not got the equipment to rigorously keep the yeast sterile.
Lots of folks do it with good effect, but as yet its not for me. For £3 or so I'd rather have good clean fresh sterile yeast each time. IMHO

 

[WelshPaul]

I keep it in the fridge for many months. But I wouldn't go more than a month without making a starter from it.

Question: how can I make a starter without any DME?

 

[Aleman]

I keep it in the fridge for many months. But I wouldn't go more than a month without making a starter from it.

Question: how can I make a starter without any DME?

You Can't!!

 

[WelshPaul]

Bugger. No local stockists by me either.

 

[Crastney]

I keep it in the fridge for many months. But I wouldn't go more than a month without making a starter from it.

Question: how can I make a starter without any DME?

You Can't!!

it does depend on what you're making. I make ginger beer, and cider from yeast starters that are just apple juice and yeast nutrient, and I don't see why you couldn't just make a starter from nutrient sugar water for a beer.

 

[fbsf]

Bugger. No local stockists by me either.

You've got a wilkinsons haven't you - they normally stock DME... at least the one in central Bristol does.

 

[graysalchemy]

I keep it in the fridge for many months. But I wouldn't go more than a month without making a starter from it.

Question: how can I make a starter without any DME?

You Can't!!

Oh yes you can....................................





if you mash some malt and boil it :lol: :lol:

 

[StevieDS]

Yeah I suppose it's not really worth the extra risk of infection for a few quid. Thanks for the advice

:

 

[nilotic]

I've been re-using the yeasty sediment from a ginger 'plant', no problems with it yet.

However this never gets beyond the initial stage of ferment, really, as fresh sugar and ginger powder is added every day
and the yeast mass strained off and re-used within 20 minutes.

So it's not like it dies and gets replaced accidentally with something wildtype.
However I suspect it's evolving, possibly experiencing some genetic 'population drift' away from the original stock will ruin it.

 

[phettebs]

Gray's beat me to it but I will sometimes mash a bit extra wort and then freeze it. Then I just thaw, boil, and chill it for a starter.

 

[pittsy]

also if poss make that starter wort at 1040 or if using dme it would be 100g per liter of water

 

[andyco]

I keep it in the fridge for many months. But I wouldn't go more than a month without making a starter from it.

Question: how can I make a starter without any DME?

I've been using holland and barretts malt extract for staters , comes in a jam jar about £2.50, sometimes they even do 2 for 1.
http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/ ... rodid=3450
Just use 120g per litre starter where you'd normally use 100g of spray malt /dme per litre

Andy