5 replies to this topic

[BarelyBrews]

I usually use my yeast slurry from the previous batch,for a few runs anyhow.I know fermentation (ending point/and fermentation itself)is factored by a lot of things.I usually add one quart of yeast(i know it looses viability i think 25% each week) so i im going to get a more rapid start of fermentation if i use yeast that has been pulled recently. I have never been to mr.malty(i think that is the correct site),however i do not know how to measure yeast or the viability (accurately)either.I mostly make great tasting beers,sometimes my brews take 24hours to take off with fermentation start , and other times they start in three hours. I think that has to do with viability mostly. Just wondering how you do it, and if i have room for improvement without a lot of lab equipment.

[ncbeerbrewer]

Well Kegdude. Here is what I do and I reuse yeast a lot around here as often as I brew. Some may think I am crazy and such but it has worked great for me so far. When I repitch I normally just repitch the whole yeast slurry that I collect. I tend to reuse my yeast going up in gravity. I have never had any problems and I believe and have been told that my beers are pretty good. Now in reference to MrMalty.com. You can punch in your intended gravity and volume of the beer you are planning to brew give the mfg date of the yeast you wanna repitch and hit repitching from slurry that will tell you the ml of yeast you need to repitch for your new beer. Then you can just measure the volume of your yeast slurry in a measuring cup (clean) and repitch that from there. Hope that helps!!

[BarelyBrews]

Thanks NCbeerbrewer.I will(finally) check out MR.Malty.

[djinkc]

Jamil's calculator is really a nice gift to us. After harvesting a few times you get the feel for what works and what doesn't so well. He gave us a great starting point. I use it a lot.

[Jimmy James]

Agree with DJ, also you get a feel over time for how much actual yeast you have and how much trub and other stuff. I like to live dangerously and harvest slurry from the primary with all sorts of break and other stuff coming along for the ride. Works fine. You'll get more of a pure yeast slurry from secondary though, so the same amount of cells will look like less material.

[Sidney Porter]

You'll get more of a pure yeast slurry from secondary though.

I agree that you will get less break, but the down side is you are also getting the yest that is less floculant, it may also be stressed more by being in contact longer.