I like to wash and reuse my yeast in mason jars. Opened my fridge to see what yeast I had and saw that there was some mold floating in the beer on top of my 2633. I poured it out and the yeast smelled just fine. Thoughts on whether to reuse or should I just toss it?
Dave
I wouldn’t risk it. IMO, yeast rinsing isn’t necessary and is just one more thing you can screw up.
I’m thinking the same. But not about rinsing. I’ve saved several hundred dollars by washing and reusing. This is the first time in many years I’ve had an issue.
Dave
I’m not saying don’t reuse…I’m on a 5th generation 1450 slurry at the moment. But I never rinse it any more. I founds no advantages to doing that.
Got it. I hear ya Denny.
I quit doing it and agree to no advantage. Perhaps in a pro setting with a lab and trying to kill bac with an acid wash, bla bla, but I am a believer in just leaving a bit of the beer on the cake, swirl around, dump into a sanitized container.
For hoppy or big beers I think you do get a cleaner slurry by rinsing. I boil my mason jars with the water, let cool and then pour 2 in the fermenter, swirl, pour in to a sanitized container, let it settle for 20-30 minutes and pour back in to the mason jars leaving behind the trub and hop material. Let them settle again and combine to one jar.
I get a really nice clean slurry with minimal effort and always have sterilized jars available.
Dave
Pretty much zactly what I did. Glad it works for you. I thought it was awesome, but quit and haven’t noticed any difference in final product. But my experience is not the end all be all, for sure. What convinced me to change was tge idea that beer is a good medium and ph for yeast to relax in for a while. Made sense so I changed.
That has been my experience - and rather than using different beer after rinsing, I just use what the yeast just made. If I have a little trub, I don’t sweat it.
Right, that beer not store bought. I’ll add that if I have a big or messy beer that I don’t keep it. And add that I think the rinse routine is fine. Im not dissing it
Rinsing yeast with and storing it under boiled serves absolutely no useful purpose. If you want to know the reason why yeast rinsing is a poor practice, here is link to a thread that I started on the subject of yeast rinsing: Just say "no" to yeast rinsing - Ingredients - American Homebrewers Association® Forum.
I don’t store it under boiled, I store it under the (diluted) beer.
I look forward to reading the thread.
Dave
I also think that yeast rinsing is asking for trouble.
I am in 25-th generation of my yeast. Yes yeast got more powdery and attenuate better. Still going strong. May be I buy new pitch next year.
What is your thought about the mold that was floating up top? Toss the slurry? Like I said, it smelled just fine.
Now a 25th generation is definitely asking for trouble!
Toss it or if you are so attached to it, plate it and let it regrow from single colony.
You measure performance and taste. You stay clean in harvesting and pitching process. No mystery to it.
Never plated before but have the kit. Seems like a LOT of work for $7. Not overly attached but still like to reuse whenever possible. Especially lager yeast.
Yes, but 25 generations is up there. If it is working, I’m not knocking it.
Yes too much trouble.
Just buy new pitch. As I said before I am all for harvesting and repitching your yeast.
Good luck.