Re-using yeast?

[Sweettuff]

A lot of people on the forum talk about using their yeast several times but how to do it isn't on the 'Mother site'. Does it go dormant; do you chill it; keep feeding it; what container (fomenter?); what if you change from grain to sugar or vice-versa? Any wisdom would be appreciated.

[tracker0945]

The info is there, look under Preparing Wash/Fermentation/Reusing yeast
Read, then ask what you are unsure of.
Cheers

[CoopsOz]

And yes, you are right.....if you scoop up a cupful from the bottom of your fermenter (in a clean/sterilised jar) and put it in your fridge, the yeast will go dormant. When you want to use it, just take it out of the fridge and let come back to room temp before pitching.

[bronzdragon]

I usually do runs in a series of 3 or 4. Whiskey or Rum usually. If it's a whiskey mash, I'll do it on the day before I am going to do a stripping run. If it's a rum wash I"ll just do it the day of the run.

I siphon off the my liquid to be distilled. Usually the yeast still has wash left in it to keep it in slurry. I will then put my wash directly onto my yeast and stir (when the wash is the proper temp, below 80 F in my case). Put the bubbler on and everything is cool.

If it's whiskey (I take the yeast out of the bucket and put it in a 1000 ml flask) while my run is going on, I'll then sparge off my mash and then cool my quantity of backset after the run is done and mix it in, then pitch the yeast from the flask.

As was said earlier, you can also maintain yeast in the fridge.

I primarily use the rum turbo, whiskey turbo and Lavilin Champagne yeast and can get 4-5 generations from each pack of yeast with no problem. After the first run, I usually add a tablespoon of yeast nutrient for good measure.

cheers

~r~

[Sweettuff]

Thanks, Bronzdragon & CoopsOz. It always amazes me the other veterans who go to great lengths to NOT answer a question. Clearly there are an enough posts to say "read, read, read". People like you are happy to answer about their passion. And, no, tracker, THEIR specific info wasn't on the Mother-site. If one doesn't want to answer, move on, why do some people feel they have to be a parent/enforcer on volunteer sites like this?

Do you guys know what happens when you switch mash/wash?

Tracker, feel free to sit this one out.

[bronzdragon]

If you're talking about say switching from a whiskey mash to a rum or something similar, I wouldn't do it.

I'm not saying that it would ruin it, but there would definitely be flavor transfer. If you're doing a neutral spirit, it might not matter a whole lot since you're stripping the flavor out anyway.

But with a flavored spirit, I'd just do a run of one spirit and use the yeast for that run, perhaps up to 6 uses of the yeast. I think it may be possible to do more, but you may run into off flavors.

~r~

[Aidas]

Thanks, Bronzdragon & CoopsOz. It always amazes me the other veterans who go to great lengths to NOT answer a question.

Tracker, feel free to sit this one out.

Relax. There's no need to be bitchy. Reading is good, reading broadens the mind. Reading makes you smarter. Reading prevents silly questions. Reading makes other people respect you. Being bitchy makes people dislike you. Being bitchy makes people ignore you.

Moral of the story: read, don't be bitchy.

Aidas

[Sweettuff]

Again, Bronzdragon, thank you. The wealth of knowledge on this site is incredible. I hope to 'pay-back' or 'pay-forward' my experiences to others. Although, you guys are so quick it is hard to be a first responder to these posts ... then you guys end up saying it better than me anyway.

I am satisfied with the answers I was seeking. Again, thanks guys.

Bitchy? Didn't think I was being that. Just thought I'd respond for all the newbies who get lambasted for asking a question they didn't know the answer to. Are these veterans mandated to respond? I guess I'd be cranky too, then. Do these guys not understand a FORUM? Again, don't feel like answering a question for the umpteenth time ... don't. Wow, is that rocket science?

Matter of fact the other day I was having trouble that I thought was an emergency (emergency meaning several hours wasted and $15+ being lost ... so not much of a 'real' emergency). Anyway, I jumped on the forum, asked a question and within seconds. Very grateful!! Was it a simple question ... yes, in retrospect ... but there isn't a subgroup called "Quick Help for Idiots Not Paying Attention". Why don't you call people like Tracker 'bitchy'?

Anyway, I'm done with this post.

[Aidas]

Just thought I'd respond for all the newbies who get lambasted for asking a question they didn't know the answer to.

Not only bitchy, but high and mighty too. Rarely, if ever, should one assume such a broad mandate. Especially when it is unwarranted.

Aidas

[tracker0945]

And I thought that pointing some-one in the direction of some research material was being helpful, 5 questions in a 2 and a bit lines of a post is a bit overwhelming and tends to indicate that a bit of reading first would not go astray.
Never mind, you cant win them all.
One snotty reply from 180 odd posts is not too bad I suppose.

[Chev]

...if you scoop up a cupful from the bottom of your fermenter (in a clean/sterilised jar) and put it in your fridge, the yeast will go dormant.

I believe that it depends on what type of yeast you are using. When making sourdough bread starters for example, the general rule is to "feed" the yeast with flour every week, as baker's yeast does not go completely dormant in cooler temps. Champagne yeast for example will go dormant below 45 degrees f, it really depends on what type of yeast you use.

This could mean the difference between yeast life and death!

[shadylane]

There are many ways to save yeast. If you don't do something to kill it, such as, high temperatures, High gravity washes or too much sulfides it will come back to life as soon as you put it back into a "happy environment" but be careful about contamination. Don't take too much offence if someone is cantankerous. As I've learned from years in the maintenance department. The honest information comes from people who will bite.

[Dunderhead]

That mite make a
good book
"THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUID to DISTILLEN"

[cannon.co.tn]

That mite make a
good book
"THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUID to DISTILLEN"

Think we might have an author all lined up.... he already knows all about this forum and he only joined last month!

[alice]

Think we might have an author all lined up.... he already knows all about this forum and he only joined last month!

Uh oh, now you're probably going to be accused of bitchiness too...

My take on the issue is this:if you move to a new town and try to make friends, it's easier if you don't start telling them all how you used to do it back home and how they should all follow your lead....

[tracker0945]

Alright ladies, you can put your claws away now.
I believe our friend got off on the wrong foot by being over-enthusiastic.
We have talked, all is forgiven and we are starting over again.
I am prepared to give him another chance.
Cheers to all.

[norcal]

I don't know why I haven't posted for ever... Like a bunch of teenage girls some times.

There is a wealth of knowledge in these forums and on parent site just be careful what you ask. Many are holding the torch just waiting to toss it on the next unsuspecting newby.

[tracker0945]

I don't know why I haven't posted for ever... Like a bunch of teenage girls some times.

There is a wealth of knowledge in these forums and on parent site just be careful what you ask. Many are holding the torch just waiting to toss it on the next unsuspecting newby.

I think norcal that it is not so much what is asked but how it is asked.
I am yet to see a newby shot down in flames if a question is framed in such a manner that they have obviously done a bit of reading on the subject and are looking for some clarification.
A blank 'tell me' will receive a similar 'look and read first' from many.
Cheers

[VicBill]

I can tell I'm probably going to jump into the fire here, but here goes anyway.

As a newbee, I have been reading reading reading this forum and the mother site for weeks, but don't seem to have found the answer/information about re-use of not just yeast but "gunk" in the bottom of the fermenter.

Let me explain.

My first Birdwatcher Sugarwash went just fine, but I had about 28 litres in the fermenter. My still only holds 25 litres, so I racked off that much and ran it. (hope I've got the terminology right here)

I was about to clean out the fermenter and start another wash, but just added another 6 kg of sugar and a little more tomato paste, probably about 70gms and a little new yeast 40gms. This appeared to work OK, but from a starting SG of 1.085, it stuck at 1.02. I ran it anyway and was happy with the output.

Again I had about 3 litres of leftover in the fermenter, including all the gunk in the bottom. To this I added 5 kg of sugar but decided to add the full 75 gms of yeast, it took off like a rocket and it still bubbling away.

My question with all this is it OK to keep doing this?? What problems could I encounter, is there something I have overlooked?? Am I failing to understand some terminology here and there is lots of info about this??

I'm using a mini bokakob type commercial still, and getting neutral at around 92% abv.

thanks

[Dnderhead]

I see no problem My "staple" wash is grain I keep it going all summer ( it gits cold hear in winter so cant run big fermenter) when wash is done
I scoop out some grain and add new grain and water and it starts off by its self . unless it gits infected I have no problem .Iv done this for years .
with sugar wash you would not have so much "lees"in the bottom and not have to take out so much

[wineo]

I reuse yeast all the time,and even keep some cultures,and store them for future use.Theres one tip for reusing it that alot of people dont realize.Make sure that you add your dissolved sugar last,after you have added the correct amount of water to the fermenter.If you add the sugar in too high of concentrations,you will cause osmotic stress to the yeast right off the bat,and it wont perform as good,or not finish completely.Its a simple thing,but makes a big difference.You should also make sure to keep the PH under 5.5 in your stored yeast.It will help protect it from infection.

[punkin]

You shouldn't have to add more yeast, just do as the boys have said by dissolving your sugar and nutrients in 25l of hot water, allow to cool then add to your trub in the fermenter. Stir like crazy to induce som O2 then watch it take off.

[VicBill]

Ahh, thanks some good tips already.

Osmotic stress, hadn't thought of that, next time I will put the gunk 'lees?', in a separate container, give the fermenter a rinse, put in sugar and water, then add gunk back.

Nutrients. Wouldn't there be a lot in the gunk or is it all yeast?? When re-adding nutrients should it be the full amount or just partial?? Sorry for all the questions, but I am on a steep learning curve and having way too much fun with this.

[punkin]

Ahh, thanks some good tips already.

Osmotic stress, hadn't thought of that, next time I will put the gunk 'lees?', in a separate container, give the fermenter a rinse, put in sugar and water, then add gunk back.

Nutrients. Wouldn't there be a lot in the gunk or is it all yeast?? When re-adding nutrients should it be the full amount or just partial?? Sorry for all the questions, but I am on a steep learning curve and having way too much fun with this.

I think most of the gunk is just yeast and dead yeast mate.
If you're putting the right amount of nutrients in in the first place, they should, in theory, just about all get used up.

[VicBill]

Ta,

Will re-add nutrients, only added yeast to the third batch (scungy bastard aren't I), might just go and put some more in the current batch to help it along. There is always some tomato paste here, the wife is of italian descent.

[Dnderhead]

this is what I do 1) drain fermenter 2)take out old grain 3)add new grain 4 ) add water 5) if using sugar add that ( if high in sugar add sugar in steps) if your not using grain skip 2-3 ( if using beckset /slops/stilage sugar can be added with it but put water in first)

[manu de hanoi]

I reuse yeast all the time,and even keep some cultures,and store them for future use.Theres one tip for reusing it that alot of people dont realize.Make sure that you add your dissolved sugar last,after you have added the correct amount of water to the fermenter.If you add the sugar in too high of concentrations,you will cause osmotic stress to the yeast right off the bat,and it wont perform as good,or not finish completely.Its a simple thing,but makes a big difference.You should also make sure to keep the PH under 5.5 in your stored yeast.It will help protect it from infection.

I read the opposite, if you add water first the cells might explode (salts in the cell will absob too much water).... Perhaps the best is to mix sugar and water first at the right density then put the yeast....