Trub yeast re-use

[Scottyburto]

Hi all

I've just used CML Haze for an MYO Indian Pale ale and was debating getting an American IPA kit from the range making it up and pouring the haze trub from my first ferment on top. I've read about yeast rinsing but I'm abit short for brew time and can't really be bothered if I'm honest. If its a bad idea I just won't bother and use a new yeast.

Anyone done this before?

Advice/suggestions why it would be a good/bad idea.

 

[foxy]

Not a good idea, especially as yeast is cheap, if you can't be bothered washing it just turf it, its full of dead yeast cells and other trub.

 

[dwhite60]

I do it frequently with good results. I will save about 250ml of slurry in a sanitized jar and keep it in the fridge for up to six weeks. Could probably keep it longer.

Stir it all in to the next batch. Beer always takes off in a hurry.

Started doing this last year after becoming unemployed. Had to make every penny count.

All the Best,
D. White

 

[foxy]

I do it frequently with good results. I will save about 250ml of slurry in a sanitized jar and keep it in the fridge for up to six weeks. Could probably keep it longer.

Stir it all in to the next batch. Beer always takes off in a hurry.

Started doing this last year after becoming unemployed. Had to make every penny count.

All the Best,
D. White

I think if your unemployed you would have plenty of time to wash the yeast instead of collecting slurry and using it in another batch. Really isn't a good idea.

 

[lancon]

I think the washing of the yeast is sensible if you are going to store the yeast but for immediated reuse no problem, I've done it loads. You only need about a third of the yeast left over, using all will give much lower FG due to overpitching.

 

[Linalmeemow]

Absolutely no problem with reusing the yeast slurry from your last brew, I've done it plenty of times with great results. In fact, I've always found it produces better beer than the original yeast pack. The only real need to wash the yeast is if your last brew was very hoppy or very dark and the slurry may carry unwanted hop / malt flavours into the next one.

 

[lancon]

but recommendations note only use initial yeast 6-8 times

 

[foxy]

I would go the six times, please read up on reusing yeast before throwing the question onto a forum, you will get more wrong answers than right.

 

[terrym]

I would go the six times, please read up on reusing yeast before throwing the question onto a forum, you will get more wrong answers than right.

In your opinion.
You made a similar comment on another thread a few weeks back. Just because someone doesn't do stuff the way you do doesn't necessarily make it wrong.

 

[foxy]

In your opinion.
You made a similar comment on another thread a few weeks back. Just because someone doesn't do stuff the way you you doesn't necessarily make it wrong.

As I have said in other threads, Google for the right answers.
Not the way 'I do' the way that's its done! Lots of literature out there by those smarter than us plebs, just have to Google to get the right answers. I've been doing it this way for 50 years doesn't cut any cloth.

 

[terrym]

As I have said in other threads, Google for the right answers.
Not the way 'I do' the way that's its done! Lots of literature out there by those smarter than us plebs, just have to Google to get the right answers. I've been doing it this way for 50 years doesn't cut any cloth.

I think you have to cut a little slack to fellow forum members, and perhaps be a little less pompous in what you say about the quality of advice given on this forum. 'Four out of five pieces of advice are wrong' as you said the other week is not very gracious. Members mostly offer advice in good faith and many on here like me qualify it with 'in my opinion' or 'others may have a a different opinion'. I agree that some of it may not always be 'correct' but those receiving the advice should always sift through it and find a common pattern as I do with stuff, and that extends outside of homebrewing. Next telling folks to Google stuff is just as likely to throw up a range of opinions, so that is not always the right thing to do. And although you may have an extensive reading list about homebrewing that may not suit everyone, which is why folks come on here.
And finally if the comment 'I've been doing it this way for 50 years doesn't cut any cloth' is specifically directed at me and other older homebrewers on here who have been doing it for 50 years, I recommend you wind back a little before hitting the Post Reply button.

 

[strange-steve]

Actually Foxy is correct, there is sometimes bad advice given on forums but unfortunately for him in this case it's from him.
The experts say that yeast rinsing (not washing) is unnecessary and actually counterproductive. See this post from someone who really is a yeast expert: Say no to yeast rinsing.
Also both J. Zainasheff (co-author of the Yeast book) and C. White (from White Labs) have articles about reusing yeast trub without rinsing, here and here respectively.

So to answer the OP's question, yes you can repitch some (not all) of the trub from a previous brew, but be extra cautious with your sanitation and if storing the trub for more than a couple of weeks it's probably best to make a starter for it.

 

[St00]

I repitch yeast if I use it within 6 weeks. I do a starter after that
I don't use yeast if I've double dry hopped or heavily dry hopped.
It's one of the advantages of using a conical I discard the first yeast dump and use the remainder after siphoning off.
ALWAYS observe sanitary practices and you should be fine and make sure you vent the collection jar every few hours over the first 24/48 hours.

 

[JonBrew]

So to answer the OP's question, yes you can repitch some (not all) of the trub from a previous brew, but be extra cautious with your sanitation and if storing the trub for more than a couple of weeks it's probably best to make a starter for it.

Exactly this.

 

[the_quick]

I usually don't bother, but as experiment I want to reuse voss from lallemand. I have a small jar and gong to pitch small amount , as you supposed with Kveik. As dry yeast is quite cheap, most of the time I use that.

@strange-steve great post mate.

 

[marshbrewer]

The experts say

I agree with every part of your post except that; it isn't the experts, it's some experts ( often, some renowned experts). Sometimes I feel this leads to situations similar to what we have here, with someone reading an expert opinion from expert A and then proceeding to denounce all other opinions as bad advice, while someone else will read expert opinion from expert B and proclaim that to be proven nonsense.

I'm a massive advocate for following the science, but don't forget that in many areas of brewing the science is far from conclusive and opinions differ over time.

That, and we should all strive to get on and be nice to each other.

 

[Ghillie]

For the sake of £2 or £3, I'd rather not. Ultimately, saving a few quid on a small packet of dried yeast may make your all your efforts pointless.

I would never make a decision in brewing, regardless on what it was, solely based on whether I could be "bothered" or not...

 

[Harry Wright]

For the sake of £2 or £3, I'd rather not. Ultimately, saving a few quid on a small packet of dried yeast may make your all your efforts pointless.

I would never make a decision in brewing, regardless on what it was, solely based on whether I could be "bothered" or not...

I agree 100% if you are using a simple pack of dry yeast (which I believe the OP was), however I have a kettle sour planned with OYL-605 (£8ish) and then fermented with WLP644 also (£8ish). I will def be looking to reuse/save from this for reducing future costs.

 

[Ghillie]

I agree 100% if you are using a simple pack of dry yeast (which I believe the OP was), however I have a kettle sour planned with OYL-605 (£8ish) and then fermented with WLP644 also (£8ish). I will def be looking to reuse/save from this for reducing future costs.

Liquid yeast is a completely different ball game.

Overbuilding trumps washing all day long. Used it personally with great results:

http://brulosophy.com/methods/yeast-harvesting/

and

http://www.brewunited.com/yeast_calculator.php

 

[JonBrew]

Liquid yeast is a completely different ball game.

Overbuilding trumps washing all day long. Used it personally with great results:

http://brulosophy.com/methods/yeast-harvesting/

and

http://www.brewunited.com/yeast_calculator.php

Another good option with liquid yeast is top cropping (assuming your sanitation is tight). If you brew often enough you could have direct pitchable quantities of super clean and healthy yeast batch to batch. It would also store as well in the right conditions. You can also potentially go a lot longer generation wise although I dare say the same would apply to overbuilding. Appreciate not all strains are as suitable for top cropping mind you.