Looking for the most dead nuts simple method of storing harvested yeast for repitching. Any insights?
A 250ml flask will work in your case.
I can pitch straight slurry unless it’s been sitting for a bit correct?
IIRC it’s 1.2x10^9 cells per ml of compacted slurry right?
Im sure I will be scolded but here is how i do it. Rack beer off cake and with a sanitized one cup scoop plop into sanitized glass jar. Leave lid on loose and store in fridge. I use one cup for an average gravity beer.
I have eight pint and half-pint Kerr/Ball jars (canning jars) full of yeast slurries in my fridge at the moment. Dead-nuts simple in my book.
This is pretty much what I do. I don’t make starters and use mainly dry yeast so I will store slurry for up to a month.
Yes, you can pitch slurry direct. The maximum time delta between cropping and repitching without having to make a starter is strain dependent. Some strains are like cockroaches. Other strains are more fragile. Experience repitching a strain in your brewery is the best teacher.
The 1.2 x 10^9 cells per ml figure is a good approximation for most bottom cropped slurry. As I have mentioned many times, yeast cultures are like nuclear weapons in that a reasonably close approximation is good enough. Exponential growth will take care of the rest.
I’m looking to repitch WY3787 into an original series of Belgian recipes I’m working on. I’m looking forward to results of a 3rd and 4th repitch.
After racking the beer out of the primary, I leave a very tiny bit (think just barely enough to cover the compacted yeast cake) of beer on the yeast. Vigorously swirl the cake up into suspension, let sit for a few minutes for the major trub and hop debris to settle out, then carefully decant (after sanitizing the carboy opening) into a 500 mL (or so) mason jar filling it to the rim. Quickly put a sanitized lid on top but don’t screw it down all the way tight. Let it sit in the fridge as cold as possible (mine are about 35F) to settle out. I tighten the lid down a little at at time over the next day or so just to be sure there is no more outgassing from the yeast/beer and periodically check them to relieve pressure if necessary. Either repitch the next day or two (best) or within a week if need be.
I use plastic lids
http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Regular-Mouth-Storage-Caps/dp/B0000BYC4B
I was going to buy some of those last week and drill them to accept an airlock, but then I found lids that already had the necessary hole.
Most of the time an airlock is unnecessary for harvested yeast. It does nothing but take up space in the fridge, but you don’t want a sealed container either. The nice thing about using foil is that if pressure does happen to build, it can burp around the rubber band.
I use 1/2 gal. plastic containers with snap on lids to store yeast under the beer it’s harvested with. If the yeast builds up pressure the lid simply pops up and nothing explodes. I’ve seen pics of glass shards in a fridge due to yeast store stored with the lids on tightly.
mason jars work great. just leave lid slightly loose to vent a little at first.
I like to use plastic soda bottles. They can handle pressure, they’re a good shape, and they are easy to come by and to give away. The half liter and 20 oz sizes work best for me
I use left over plastic bottles from the kitchen. The wider the mouth the better; easier to pour the slurry into the bottle.
I also store under the beer the yeast made.
I only keep slurry for about 1 month. If I can’t use it before then I just toss it. I am sure the yeast will last longer, but, I don’t want a bunch of different yeasts filling my fridge.
I’ve been saving the ~600 ml honey jars as well as the glass ~500 ml organic peanut butter jars.
Pint Mason jars with the rings on loose for me. I figure the lid part can let out pressure bit when there isn’t pressure the lid will seal nicely. I don’t have room for airlocks.
My process is similar to a lot of other brewers. Make slightly large starter, decant some of it, pour into container for the next starter. Yeast Harvesting – Pricelessbrewing
I use these centrifuge tubes for storage. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018MQ9TK?psc=1&ref_=oh_aui_i_d_old_o1_img&ref_=redir_mobile_desktop