11 replies to this topic

[SchwanzBrewer]

I have been lazy and haven't cleaned my carboy from bottling my third batch a week ago. The carboy is sitting on my counter with about a 3/4 inch of beer left over the yeast cake on the bottom. The airlock has been off for a week and there is no sign of infection. The carboy has been exposed to air and light over that period as well.Could I reuse the yeast on the bottom? Its US-05 from a dry yeast packet originally. If I can reuse it, how do you harvest it? Should I refrigerate it? Do I really need to be sans pants for this to work?I've only made 3 batches of beer, so I am not really willing to experiment and make a bad batch at this point, so I am more likely to dump it than reuse it, unless you all really think its alright, or beneficial to use. Cheers,Rich

[ColdAssHonky]

I wouldn't risk it at this point. A couple fresh packs of US05 aren't as expensive (or traumatizing) as a ruined batch.

Edited by MyBeerPants, 15 July 2009 - 09:17 AM.

[MtnBrewer]

If it's been open to the air for a week, then it's contaminated. Throw it out.

[DubbelEntendre]

I have been lazy and haven't cleaned my carboy from bottling my third batch a week ago. The carboy is sitting on my counter with about a 3/4 inch of beer left over the yeast cake on the bottom. The airlock has been off for a week and there is no sign of infection. The carboy has been exposed to air and light over that period as well.Could I reuse the yeast on the bottom? Its US-05 from a dry yeast packet originally. If I can reuse it, how do you harvest it? Should I refrigerate it? Do I really need to be sans pants for this to work?I've only made 3 batches of beer, so I am not really willing to experiment and make a bad batch at this point, so I am more likely to dump it than reuse it, unless you all really think its alright, or beneficial to use. Cheers,Rich

If the carboy has been sitting open to the air with nothing covering the inlet, then it is contaminated. I would not reuse that yeast under any circumstance.

[ncbeerbrewer]

If it's been open to the air for a week, then it's contaminated. Throw it out.

If the carboy has been sitting open to the air with nothing covering the inlet, then it is contaminated. I would not reuse that yeast under any circumstance.

+2. Totally agreed. Given how cheap US-05 is toss it and get a new pack and pitch. As well no reason to jeopardize a new batch.

[SchwanzBrewer]

That's what I figured. Lets say next time I want to harvest the yeast right after I rack to the bottling bucket, what should I do then?Cheers,Rich

[ncbeerbrewer]

That's what I figured. Lets say next time I want to harvest the yeast right after I rack to the bottling bucket, what should I do then?Cheers,Rich

Get a mason jar. Sanitize it and dump in your yeast cake after your rack off your beer. Then you can save it in fridge and repitch it as soon as your ready. There are plenty of sites that talk about harvesting yeast as well you can do a google search also.

[Big Nake]

There is a "reusing your yeast" page on my site too. Click here and it's almost halfway down the page. Cheers.

[orudis]

But what's the point? If we're talking about a liquid yeast, it makes sense to save healthy yeast for the next batch, but dry yeast is so cheap to begin with, why bother? I could see reusing a cake of dry yeast if you arrange things so that you have fresh, ready to pitch wort at the time you rack the prior beer off the yeast cake, but (for me) its just too easy and inexpensive to simply use another package of dry.

[Kansan]

its just too easy and inexpensive to simply use another package of dry.

Or two packs, at the price of dry, if wanting a big pitch.

[MakeMeHoppy]

But what's the point? If we're talking about a liquid yeast, it makes sense to save healthy yeast for the next batch, but dry yeast is so cheap to begin with, why bother? I could see reusing a cake of dry yeast if you arrange things so that you have fresh, ready to pitch wort at the time you rack the prior beer off the yeast cake, but (for me) its just too easy and inexpensive to simply use another package of dry.

I'm not sure what is going on, but my local is not charging close to $4 for dry yeast. Are we in the midst of the yeast shortage of 2009?

[ncbeerbrewer]

I'm not sure what is going on, but my local is not charging close to $4 for dry yeast. Are we in the midst of the yeast shortage of 2009?

I don't understand what you are trying to say. My LHBS charges around $2.00 for an 11g pack of US-05 and thats a ballpark for dry yeast. Your LHBS does NOT charge $4.00 for dry thats good, where is the yeast shortage in that? Are you wanting them to charge $4.00? Please explain....