Can I re-use yeast?

[wetdog]

I'm fermenting a brewferm Grand Cru at the mo (2 actually)
I'm thinking of using some of the yeast to start another kit once I've racked the beer into a barrel. Is this possible and how much would I need to use, or, can it be kept for any length of time?

[Jim]

You can certainly reuse yeast - breweries do it all the time, and so do a lot of homebrewers, usually with the more expensive liquid yeasts, though, rather than dried yeasts (which are cheap enough to make reuse not worth the bother or the risk).

You can either skim the yeast head off (usually the second skimming would be used, as the first contains a lot of debris) and pitch it in the new brew straight away, or store it in the fridge.

Alternatively, some people use the sediment from the bottom of the fermenter in the same way. I've kept yeast in the fridge for 6 months and successfully reused it. Here's a couple of links:

Link1

Link2

[faeyd]

When using the sediment, I would assume only 100ml or so would be ample to get the next brew going?

[faeyd]

Great calculator, thanks DaaB.

[steve_flack]

Depending on what your next kit is you may not want to use the Grand CRu yeast in it. All yeasts are not the same and what works in a Grand Cru might taste odd in another sort of beer.

[JohnJeye]

Right thats it ! I'm getting myself some liquid yeast ! If I can split it into 4 / 5 batches then it works out no more expensive. Handy hints

[wetdog]

Depending on what your next kit is you may not want to use the Grand CRu yeast in it. All yeasts are not the same and what works in a Grand Cru might taste odd in another sort of beer.

I thought I might buy a cheap lager and flavour it with the Grand Cru yeast in the hope it might give it that belgium taste