Re-using yeast.

[Martin the fish]

I have a nice looking krausen on my current brew and would like to collect some and try to re-use it. I reckon it will be at it's peak in the morning when i wake up so am hoping you guys could steer me in the right direction to have an attempt for the first time.
It's 1968 ESB and i know SF says you shouldn't propogate from it but it's my last liquid apart from one Thames Valley. So i may as well have a practise.
I've sort of worked out that you just scoop some off the krausen and put it into a sterile container? Could someone give me more details please?

Hopefully you clever bunch will have left me all the info i need by the time the sun comes round again.

[oblivious]

I have used it a few times( WLP002, 1968), it dose seam to loose some flavor over time, bit it was good for a few brews.

Here is a link that I use http://hbd.org/carboy/yeast_washing.htm


An I always make a starter before use

[Martin the fish]

Bloody hell-does it have to be that complex.

Mind you i am having to close one eye to focus at the mo. So even typing seems complex. Beddies for me i think. Will come back after a long snooze.

[oblivious]

It’s not that hard

Pour a liter of the slurring into a large sanitized container, put in the fridge for 1-2 hours to begin to settle out the trub.

Once this has begin to settle pour the liquid of into a new contain (500ml or so) put this in the fridge for a few days or so till all the yeast has steeled out.

Again pour off the most of the liquid layer and transfer if you can the yeast slurry to a smaller container store in the fridge, this is your yeast. I split the yeast into sterile 50ml tube that I can get in the lab, this probably not practical for mast people.

[Martin the fish]

It’s not that hard

Pour a liter of the slurring into a large sanitized container, put in the fridge for 1-2 hours to begin to settle out the trub.

Once this has begin to settle pour the liquid of into a new contain (500ml or so) put this in the fridge for a few days or so till all the yeast has steeled out.

Again pour off the most of the liquid layer and transfer if you can the yeast slurry to a smaller container store in the fridge, this is your yeast. I split the yeast into sterile 50ml tube that I can get in the lab, this probably not practical for mast people.

That sounds easier-thanks mate. Will be doing this tomorrow.

[mysterio]

You can just skim off 100ml of yeast with a sanitised spoon, and store it in a sanitised kilner jar in the fridge for a few days until you're ready to use it. I've had good results repitching slurry and top cropped yeast. Yeast that is collected from the top is more healthy and active.

I personally don't think there's anything complex about this, there's no secret or knack to it. Just make sure you pitch the proper amount of yeast and not a bucketfull, use the pitching rate calculator : http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

[Matt]

Hope Martin doesn't mind me tagging on a related question

I've got half a pint of primary yeast cake from my last brew, sitting in a sanitised and capped bottle in the fridge. Question is can I pitch this (after allowing to warm up) or should I make a starter with a small amount of it?

[oblivious]

If it is more than a week old I personally would make a starter but that isn't actually based on anything i've read.

yep, defo on that

[iowalad]

Oblivious wrote:

I have used it a few times( WLP002, 1968), it dose seam to loose some flavor over time, bit it was good for a few brews.

Steve Flack reports something similar. Is a good few brews around 3 or 6? How long have you stored any cultured WLP002 or 1968 as Steve also reported autolysis being an issue with these yeasts?

Plan to do a couple of Fullers beers in the fall and trying to figure out how far I can stretch a 1968!

[Martin the fish]

I think i'll skim off 100ml from the top and store in the fridge. Planning another brew this week.

[steve_flack]

Oblivious wrote:

I have used it a few times( WLP002, 1968), it dose seam to loose some flavor over time, bit it was good for a few brews.

Steve Flack reports something similar. Is a good few brews around 3 or 6? How long have you stored any cultured WLP002 or 1968 as Steve also reported autolysis being an issue with these yeasts?

Plan to do a couple of Fullers beers in the fall and trying to figure out how far I can stretch a 1968!

The info comes from the Wyeast webpage, personal emails with them and what I've been told by other brewers who've tried repitching it. To summise the advice was to repitch quickly and not too many times. The yeast is a lot more stable on a slant. AFAIK, no-one's given a figure on repitches apart from it gradually loses the flavour. Personally I'd only ever repitch once or twice with any yeast.

[Matt]

Thanks for the feedback Daab, Ob.

Matt

[iowalad]

Thanks Steve.

I was planning on splitting using Jim's method. Worked fine for me with 1275 (ended up going about 10-12 months worth of brewing on that one). I didn't notice any change in the yeast but my palate is pretty simple.

Doesn't sound like it is a very good idea with 1968.

[mysterio]

I'm splitting a WLP002 as we speak, we'll see how it goes over the coming months.

Just to get this clear, are we talking about this yeast autolysing quickly, or it mutating into a blander tasting version of itself ?

[steve_flack]

AFAIK, both. The first on storage in wort (accelerated by presence of trub) and the second on repeated repitching.