Trub yeast re-use

[Harry Wright]

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

This is what I have done so far as well, and see no reason to try deal with harvesting from fermenter now.

 

[foxy]

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.

Entirely different method of collecting yeast, 'Say no to yeast rinsing' this is top cropping, a different method of harvesting all together.
Chris White is explaining the use of yeast slurry which is the yeast already separated from the trub.
I doubt you will find anyone of any note who will advocate using yeast and trub to start another ferment. Usually the yeast harvesting is carried out with liquid yeast, as the expense is greater than that of dried yeast, which is what I pointed out in my first post on this thread.

 

[strange-steve]

Entirely different method of collecting yeast, 'Say no to yeast rinsing' this is top cropping, a different method of harvesting all together.

It seems you only read half of the post, and as @jjsh predicted this is on course for another pointless debate which I really can't be bothered getting into.

 

[Brianbrewed]

When I had more time on my hands I used to use the yeast cake from a lower gravity/lower hopped beer (usually a brown ale) as a starter for an imperial stout.

I would rack off the brown ale and simply pour the imperial stout wort onto it.
Perhaps not best practice, but it worked.

 

[Ghillie]

It seems you only read half of the post, and as @jjsh predicted this is on course for another pointless debate which I really can't be bothered getting into.

Looks that way @strange-steve.

My way or the highway...

 

[Linalmeemow]

Looks that way @strange-steve.

My way or the highway...

There are so many articles online and in books that detail the reuse of yeast slurry. As long as good sanitisation practices are observed there's no problem at all no matter how loud you shout that it's wrong.

Also the dry vs liquid argument is nonsense here too, what's the difference between harvesting one over another? It's all liquid as soon as it's been used!

 

[JonBrew]

Entirely different method of collecting yeast, 'Say no to yeast rinsing' this is top cropping, a different method of harvesting all together.
Chris White is explaining the use of yeast slurry which is the yeast already separated from the trub.
I doubt you will find anyone of any note who will advocate using yeast and trub to start another ferment. Usually the yeast harvesting is carried out with liquid yeast, as the expense is greater than that of dried yeast, which is what I pointed out in my first post on this thread.

I'm sorry but I fail to see anything wrong with @strange-steve 's suggestion here. He ultimately states "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."

I reckon I could count myself amongst hundreds, maybe thousands, of homebrewers who have done just that and achieved good or great results depending on their personal standards/perceptions.

It may be that C White and JZ, or likes of Bamforth, don't directly advocate doing the same but that doesn't necessarily make it bad advice to a homebrewer. I think this is one of the many causes of many disagreements over best practice on this forum. There are some who are only prepared to consider advice/guidelines tailored toward professional brewers whilst some are prepared to attempt a potentially inferior method of 'skinning the cat' because they don't have the same level of investment in the outcome of the product as a commercial brewer.

I also don't think a welcoming and inclusive homebrewing forum is really the best place for someone who cant accept another individual expressing an opinion about something that differs to their own without feeling the need to lambast them over it and ward others against heeding their views. By all means offer a counter opinion but continually denouncing the opinion of others and encouraging forum members to only google for the 'correct' answers just seems at odds with the point of this thing.

 

[Rodcx500z]

I have reused yeast twice from brews that had no dry hopping, one was us-05 the other wilko gervin both worked very well, I have a cali common on at the moment I pitched cml cali yeast on sunday morning og was 1048 its now at 1008 so I guess its done its not being dry hopped so I might reuse this yeast, the only problem I have doing this is how much to use I am not an expert in these matters so I read what others do on here and make my mind up, then you get a comment like I have been doing it for 50 years thrown in the mix ( not a dig at you Terry ) which makes it confusing, I will say I wouldn't be were I am today with my brewing if it wasn't for the good folks on here, just remember that not all have wads of cash to spend I am retired not skink but not loaded, I did kits back in the late 80s gave up and came back last year I have a kettle 3 pbs 3 fvs and a ton of bottles no fridge no temp control so yeah I am on the budget end of brewing but I am happy and enjoy it, I am limited to the styles I can brew but I like bitters pale ales and ipa's so that helps, keep up the good work and enjoy your beer

 

[PhilBrew]

... and as @jjsh predicted this is on course for another pointless debate which I really can't be bothered getting into ...

... one observation I'd make ... if the conversation were to be about "bottom cropping", then the discussion would be far more likely to follow the line around how it's a well recognised technique, used by many a commercial brewery and even, on occasions, used as a principle "justification" by many a brewer for investment in cylindro-conical FVs ... whilst when essentially the same technique is referred to as "repitching yeast slurry" it becomes far more likely to evolve into "another pointless debate"

Cheers, PhilB

 

[terrym]

I don't use expensive specialist liquid yeasts so there isn't a great pressure to re-use yeast, since the yeasts I buy are cheap enough. However if I have one brew shortly following the other I sometimes collect about 400ml ish trub for re-use and then take about a quarter off the top of this for pitching after it has settled out. That said I am very sensititive about collection and storage and will sanitise everything that comes into contact with the collected trub and then it is quickly covered and off to the fridge. I dont bother yeast washing or anything like that. I will then try to re-use it asap but if it has not been re-used within two weeks I will dump it irrespective. Only on rare occasions have I re-used 2nd generation trub. And doing it this way works for me.

 

[Ghillie]

There are so many articles online and in books that detail the reuse of yeast slurry. As long as good sanitisation practices are observed there's no problem at all no matter how loud you shout that it's wrong.

Also the dry vs liquid argument is nonsense here too, what's the difference between harvesting one over another? It's all liquid as soon as it's been used!

What argument was that exactly?

 

[Linalmeemow]

What argument was that exactly?

" Usually the yeast harvesting is carried out with liquid yeast, as the expense is greater than that of dried yeast, which is what I pointed out in my first post on this thread."

Savings are savings when reusing yeast, no matter whether you reuse liquid or (originally) dry yeast.

 

[Nicks90]

Collect some trub, top up with boiled cooled water and let it settle in the fridge.
Come brew day give it a little agitation to mix up the white yeast layer and gently pour in to your wort.
Works a charm!!!

 

[foxy]

It seems you only read half of the post, and as @jjsh predicted this is on course for another pointless debate which I really can't be bothered getting into.

It is a pointless debate when the question by the OP was is it advisable to pour the trub from one ferment straight on another, as he didn't want to wait and collect the slurry. Simple answer, no.
Or use a new yeast, yes.

I think people are getting confused between the words, 'slurry' and 'trub' all the more reason to search for answers either in books or the web.

 

[strange-steve]

It is a pointless debate when the question by the OP was is it advisable to pour the trub from one ferment straight on another, as he didn't want to wait and collect the slurry. Simple answer, no.
Or use a new yeast, yes.

I think people are getting confused between the words, 'slurry' and 'trub' all the more reason to search for answers either in books or the web.

Nope... Not biting

 

[marshbrewer]

I seemed to be being quoted by both sides in this debate, and yet not the best part of my quote, which I thought was;

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

Come on chaps, we're all about to die in a global pandemic, surely we can discuss yeast usage jovially?

 

[foxy]

I seemed to be being quoted by both sides in this debate, and yet not the best part of my quote, which I thought was;



Come on chaps, we're all about to die in a global pandemic, surely we can discuss yeast usage jovially?

Agree might be a good time to discuss the collecting of the slurry from the trub, not a hard thing to master nor is it time consuming. For those interested in learning.
https://beerandbrewing.com/fermentation-resurrection-reusing-yeast/

 

[strange-steve]

surely we can discuss yeast usage jovially?

Come on now you've been around this forum long enough to know that we can turn any discussion, no matter how trivial, into petty bickering

 

[marshbrewer]

Come on now you've been around this forum long enough to know that we can turn any discussion, no matter how trivial, into petty bickering

Are you saying my suggestion wasn't the bestest ever in the world of suggestions? OUTSIDE NOW!

 

[Dogtooth]

I don't want to take the subject too off topic. But as someone new to brewing, I'm really interested in storing yeast strains from different part of the UK. I'd like a sample of the yeast Timothy Taylors/Black Sheep use for brewing a Yorkshire best bitter . Likewise, l found the Wilko (Nottingham) yeast great for a clean Midland bitter (l brewed a Bathams clone & it took me straight back to Stourbridge...not necessarily a good thing!). I'm persuaded that yeast is important for brewing different regional styles and want to store different varieties, whether expensive/inexpensive, originally liquid or dried. Any advice on how to do this is much appreciated.