Pages: 1 2
Starter Culture
How long can you keep a culture in the fridge before it dies?
I'm going to save some for a couple weeks and don't want to waste it.I can't
stand being wasteful with anything.
If a couple weeks is to much I'll just do earlier then planed.
Marv.
This question has been answered before in previous threads.
But to save you the search time, yeast can go dormant in the fridge for many months. I have some that are over 4 months old.
I recommend doing a search for "starter" here.
I went back some 3 or 5 pages looking up things on yeast, I read something about harvesting yeast and reusing it.
Instead of bringing up and old post I thought I would ask it here.
What I didn't see, was how the yeast was harvested from the primary.
I understand starting a new culture with it, but are you just pouring it into the mason jars?
I'm all about saving money.
Thanks for all the help you have giving me so far guys, going this weekend to look at equipment.
Wont be long now.
Marv.
Marv. wrote:
What I didn't see, was how the yeast was harvested from the primary.
http://www.brewingkb.com/homebrewing/mo … s-662.html
Don't know how I missd that, thanks for link cubix.
This is starting to look simpler then I thought it would be. put it in another starting and sticker in the fridge.
Marv.
before you get all excited about reusing yeast in perpetuity, just know that extended refrigeration and storage is not the best for yeast. you will stress it and kill some of it off, so your resulting beers down the road could end up tasting completely different than what you planned (ie. like crap).
if you don't believe me, set aside a couple of hours (note, this is a rather large mp3 file, this isn not recommended for the bandwith impaired...) and listen to the Chris White (yes, the founder of White Labs yeast) talk about, well, yeast...
The best thing you can do to save money on yeast and make better beer is time your brewing so you can pitch from one fermenter into the next. Gives you plenty of slurry for the new brew and you don't have to worry about making a starter for each batch.
Gives you plenty of slurry for the new brew and you don't have to worry about making a starter for each batch.
Just put a new batch on top?
That's cool. Didn't think about that. Thanks.
I asked, because I didn't use all the yeast in the package, being new to the hobby, I
didn't know if I should have put it in a starter or just put it in the fridge, which is why I asked, "how long".
I ended up putting it in a ziplock and putting it in the fridge.
Marv.
By the way, I'd recommend just using the whole packet, it won't hurt a small volume, and you have less risk of contamination from leaving a half empty packet of yeast laying around.
Though I do agree with you, I'm glad I didn't.
I think I would have a mess on my hands if I had, the fermentation has been pretty lively,
the yeast cake(is that right) is almost an inch deep in the jug. I've been worried about a blow off.
I'm glad I started with just under half the packet. Today is the first day it's shown any signs of slowing.
Right now it's a steady bubble at every 5 seconds.
This weekend we are going to brew some pal ale, I'm going to mix some of the extra champion yeast in a gal jug with the yeast that came with the kit, just to see what happens and the changes it may make in flavor.
Once it started it really took off.
Marv.
Pages: 1 2