reusing yeast

[foreman1979]

Just a question...my friend was telling me that once the yeast is used in your ferment it just settles in your trub...and if you brew a similiar batch of beer you can just pour the cooled wort on top of the old trub and reuse the yeast? Is this possible? I would figure most of the yeast properties would be used up?

[MARK123]

I do it all the time. I have done 3 batches on the same cake. You can also make a gallon starter and divide it into 5 bottles, keep them in the fridge and pitch them as new yeast.

[foreman1979]

gallon starter? What all do you mix together? The trub and what?

[MARK123]

I do this all the time...I get 5-6 from a yeast pack...Then I use each cake 2-3 times..


http://beernotes.com/midwest/articles/000253.html

[foreman1979]

Thank you for the link. I'm going to have to try that for sure.

[HarkJohnny]

nice link. thanks!

[MARK123]

I don't do a starter with each of the 6 bottles, just pitch like a smack pack!!
Good Luck!!!!

[brewmonkey]

Do a search on here as we have covered this a few times, you should find some good information.

[copper118]

i know this is a well covered topic but i have a question....hypothetically, if i have a nice glob of 1056 from my local, generous micro-brew guy, and divide some of this into six bottles, cap it/refrig it, each will last six months??

[MARK123]

I do a starter and have used them after a year. You may need some beer or something on top the yeast to protect it!!

[Teej]

Originally posted by foreman1979 Is this possible? I would figure most of the yeast properties would be used up? [/B]

Nobody's addressed this half...

Simplistically...Yeast has a life cycle.

Yeast split by binary division.

If there's available oxygen and nutrients, they will focus on multiplying.

When they run out of oxygen, they convert sugar to alcohol and CO2.

As the good yeast conditions fade (lower sugar, higher alcohol) they go dormant and some die over time.

When given fresh food and O2, whatever cells are dormant but viable begin anew.