Re-Using Wyeast (or any yeast?)

Share your experiences of using brewing yeast.
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Starwave

Re-Using Wyeast (or any yeast?)

Post by Starwave » Fri Feb 05, 2016 5:32 pm

Hello

I'm after a bit of experience-based advice on re-using yeast - specifically Wyeast 1469.
I'll be making a brew soon, similar to Graham Wheeler's Timothy Taylor Landlord from his Brew Your Own book but with a touch of crystal malt, a pinch of chocolate malt and a little more hops. I'd then like to follow up with Black Sheep Best Bitter from GW's BYO book. First brew probably a little darker and a little stronger than the second but very little in it. I don't want to split the Wyeast into separate starters as I've not used a smack pack before and would like to keep it straight forward this time at least.

So....If I was to brew the second beer when I bottle the first could I just drop the wort on top of the yeast cake? And if so should I remove some of the slurry to avoid 'over pitching'?
If the second brew was a week or two later than bottling the first should I save some slurry from the FV and use that?
Top cropping looks pretty nifty but would I be able to keep that yeast viable for 2,3 or more weeks?
Future re-use of the yeast would be from making starters from yeast re-claimed from bottles I'll be drinking.

Cheers

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Sadfield
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Re: Re-Using Wyeast (or any yeast?)

Post by Sadfield » Fri Feb 05, 2016 6:30 pm

Hi, Starwave. Have a read of the following thread, in particlular the advise from Yeastwisperer. I think all the answers are within this, sorry it isn't a straight forward how too, but there is a lot of very useful info throughout. Works for me.

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=71448&start=15

Starwave

Re: Re-Using Wyeast (or any yeast?)

Post by Starwave » Sat Feb 06, 2016 12:15 pm

OK, cheers Sadfield. Good thread.
Looks like collecting some slurry is the best option. Nice and faff free without rinsing too.
How much do you suggest I collect? I'll need enough for one 23L brew of about 1040 SG.

cheers

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Sadfield
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Re: Re-Using Wyeast (or any yeast?)

Post by Sadfield » Sat Feb 06, 2016 1:39 pm

100ml should do it, although it does depend on the time between cropping and pitching.

Mr Malty has a good calculator. http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

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IPA
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Re: Re-Using Wyeast (or any yeast?)

Post by IPA » Sat Feb 06, 2016 1:53 pm

Starwave wrote:Hello

I'm after a bit of experience-based advice on re-using yeast - specifically Wyeast 1469.
I'll be making a brew soon, similar to Graham Wheeler's Timothy Taylor Landlord from his Brew Your Own book but with a touch of crystal malt, a pinch of chocolate malt and a little more hops. I'd then like to follow up with Black Sheep Best Bitter from GW's BYO book. First brew probably a little darker and a little stronger than the second but very little in it. I don't want to split the Wyeast into separate starters as I've not used a smack pack before and would like to keep it straight forward this time at least.

So....If I was to brew the second beer when I bottle the first could I just drop the wort on top of the yeast cake? And if so should I remove some of the slurry to avoid 'over pitching'?
If the second brew was a week or two later than bottling the first should I save some slurry from the FV and use that?
Top cropping looks pretty nifty but would I be able to keep that yeast viable for 2,3 or more weeks?
Future re-use of the yeast would be from making starters from yeast re-claimed from bottles I'll be drinking.

Cheers

This is a very simple way to store yeast. 36 hours into the ferment clear a space in the krausen. Remove about 50 cl of the fermenting wort a put it a sanitised clear plastic bottle leaving the cap loosely fitted. Allow it to continue to fernent and when it has finished, or just before, tighten the cap and store in the fridge. At this stage it will look like this.Image

When you are ready to use the yeast pour most of the beer into a glass and drink it. If it tastes good then your yeast is good. Swill the remaining beer to dislodge the yeast and pour it in to your starter flask. Yeast harvested like this will keep viable for at least 18 months and probably much longer
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Starwave

Re: Re-Using Wyeast (or any yeast?)

Post by Starwave » Sun Feb 07, 2016 9:12 pm

Ok, looks like a good one too. Nabbing a bottle of beer from the FV nice and early so there's a good quantity of suspended yeast.

cheers

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Re: Re-Using Wyeast (or any yeast?)

Post by orlando » Mon Feb 08, 2016 8:57 am

I've tried quite a few methods of harvesting yeast and IPA's method is extremely simple and pretty much guarantees healthy viable yeast cells are captured. As long as you are scrupulously clean in your handling you will avoid most of the problems with harvesting. There are potential problems with dumping onto the old yeast cake in that it is likely to contain trub that has some bacteria and of course dead yeast cells in it, you could also be over pitching. Adopting the top cropping method here avoids a lot of these problems. You would be advised to step up from here but 1 litre of DME wort should be sufficient, stir plate optional but desirable.
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Re: Re-Using Wyeast (or any yeast?)

Post by simmyb » Fri Mar 04, 2016 11:26 pm

IPA wrote:
Starwave wrote:Hello

I'm after a bit of experience-based advice on re-using yeast - specifically Wyeast 1469.
I'll be making a brew soon, similar to Graham Wheeler's Timothy Taylor Landlord from his Brew Your Own book but with a touch of crystal malt, a pinch of chocolate malt and a little more hops. I'd then like to follow up with Black Sheep Best Bitter from GW's BYO book. First brew probably a little darker and a little stronger than the second but very little in it. I don't want to split the Wyeast into separate starters as I've not used a smack pack before and would like to keep it straight forward this time at least.

So....If I was to brew the second beer when I bottle the first could I just drop the wort on top of the yeast cake? And if so should I remove some of the slurry to avoid 'over pitching'?
If the second brew was a week or two later than bottling the first should I save some slurry from the FV and use that?
Top cropping looks pretty nifty but would I be able to keep that yeast viable for 2,3 or more weeks?
Future re-use of the yeast would be from making starters from yeast re-claimed from bottles I'll be drinking.

Cheers

This is a very simple way to store yeast. 36 hours into the ferment clear a space in the krausen. Remove about 50 cl of the fermenting wort a put it a sanitised clear plastic bottle leaving the cap loosely fitted. Allow it to continue to fernent and when it has finished, or just before, tighten the cap and store in the fridge. At this stage it will look like this.Image

When you are ready to use the yeast pour most of the beer into a glass and drink it. If it tastes good then your yeast is good. Swill the remaining beer to dislodge the yeast and pour it in to your starter flask. Yeast harvested like this will keep viable for at least 18 months and probably much longer
Thats a bloody good idea. Definitely going to give that a go. Nice one. =D>
Primary : AG138 Amarillo Pale Ale
Conditioning : AG137 Mosaic Pale Ale
Drinking: AG131 London Bitter, AG132 Yorkshire Bitter, AG133 Guinnish, AG134 Witbier, AG135 Challenger Pale Ale, AG136 Kveik IPA,
Planning: Perle faux lager

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Re: Re-Using Wyeast (or any yeast?)

Post by simmyb » Fri Mar 04, 2016 11:28 pm

Double post...
Primary : AG138 Amarillo Pale Ale
Conditioning : AG137 Mosaic Pale Ale
Drinking: AG131 London Bitter, AG132 Yorkshire Bitter, AG133 Guinnish, AG134 Witbier, AG135 Challenger Pale Ale, AG136 Kveik IPA,
Planning: Perle faux lager

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Re: Re-Using Wyeast (or any yeast?)

Post by j444fog » Thu Dec 22, 2016 10:48 am

Nice one! I'm going to give this a go on the next brew.

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