hey everybody! i am just finishing up a stone ruination clone. i made a giant starter for it so i’m going to have a huge lovely yeast cake. would like to try re-using this, and am open to suggestions on what style might utilize a ton of cal ale yeast. can’t say i’d be sad to make another double IPA, but i figure its nice to branch out from your old standbys every once in a while. 
cheers,
christine
What was the OG of the Ruination? It’s not a great idea to reuse yeast from a really high OG batch.
OG was 1.072
i should add that i made a 3-step starter with the yeast for the ruination.
[quote=“eponai”]OG was 1.072
i should add that i made a 3-step starter with the yeast for the ruination.[/quote]
That’s right on the edge for reuse IMO. The general recommendation is not to reuse yeast from a beer over 1.060 OG, but I often use it from 1.070ish beers without problem.
thanks denny! maybe i will save my yeast re-use escapades for the belgians and go from a pale to a dubbel to a tripel.
I think the better question is what wouldn’t you want to use WLP001 for. I would avoid using it in any style where the yeast contribute traits that are a hallmark of the style (most European styles). It’s a clean, versatile yeast that I think is especially suited to hoppy styles.
As far as reuse is concerned, I really liked an idea that I read about on this forum a couple months ago: Instead of harvesting yeast from a prior batch, step up a starter to create some to be used now and some to be saved and used later. This overcomes most of the risks inherent in repitching from a prior batch (trub, high alcohol exposure, influence of hops, etc.)
i can’t remember where i heard it exactly, it might have been on one of the brewingnetwork.com radio shows, but someone said that yeast is at its best in its third or fourth use, and after that it goes downhill as it gets tuckered out.
any truth to the theory that subsequent batches will get better and better to a point? it’s kind of what motivated to try reuse.
:cheers:
