Yeast Washing

[Iain]

hi all

does anyone wash (well rinse really) their yeast and reuse in the washes ?

Also does anyone use yeast starters ?

Got a wash on (epsom salts, yeast nutrient, tomato paste, multivitamins) but have reused yeast on homebrewing so just wondering about washes ?

thanks all

Iain

[Capt-Cudellez]

I don't do any sort of washing - just scoop up a jar of the lees and use that to pitch the next lot - works well for several generations before I have to add any fresh yeast.
There were some posts the other day, about using the lees from the racked wash so that its all yeast rather than "other" solids. But doesn't seem to be detrimental to a wash for stilling, I guess beer would need to be a bit purer\cleaner, but never had much success with beer so just thinking out loud.

When pitching with fresh yeast I normally make up a starter the day before, normally just a couple of packs re-hydrated to the instructions pitched onto 1.2L of low OG wash (1.02 to 1.03 is about right for me) in a 2L jar. Just use the same base as your going to use in the wash the next day (molasses, sugar etc) with a tiny pinch of B-vit epsom and nutrient.

As posted else where I'm really lax with sanitation - just a wash out with very hot water. I want the yeast to hit the ground running and start getting the ABV up before something nastier can take hold.

[Iain]

that sounds like a plan ! lol thank you !

I tend to use powdered chlorine based stuff from the HBS ... unless its glass in which case I whack it in the dishwasher and run a full hot cycle on it with no salt, rinse aid or tablets in <<< Lazy git

definitely like the sound of reusing the yeast to get a faster takeoff

Iain

[eattheliving]

Hi all, does this mean i can re use some of the lees from my wash and would i get the same abv as with the initial fermentation?

i tend to use ss triple with carbon once then down the sink it goes. It would save me £7 a pop if i can.

cheers

[Iain]

I don't use that particular yeast myself but you could try this ...

mix up your sugar / water in a sterile fermenter, rack of your fermented wash leaving the lees behind (try to keep covered to avoid contamination) .. dump the fresh mix on top and add yeast nutrient (and citric acid if needed) then stir it in with sanitised spoon.

That should give you another use of the yeast ... it should also kick off fermentation a lot quicker.

Probably wouldn't push to a 3rd use without washing though !

Iain

[Almanac]

Won't work with turbos. By the time a turbo wash is finished the yeast is all dead - poor yeasties!

Turbos are cruel to yeasties

AM

[Iain]

oo nasty turbo's lol


I use young's high alcohol yeast ..cheap as chips, relatively quick and easily available !

[eattheliving]

oo nasty turbo's lol


I use young's high alcohol yeast ..cheap as chips, relatively quick and easily available !

Thanks for the info guys.

Iain, what abv do you get for the wash?

I tend to average about 22%

[Iain]

I normally go for 14% as try to get a clean neutral .. and for the price of the yeast its no hassle to stick a few fermenting bins on the go at once

Iain