Hey all, curious about reusing yeast. I have a (liquid form) batch of ESB on Denny’s Fav. 50. OG around 1.040-1.042. My question is this- without too much measuring, cleaning (and preferably no starters- i’m out of DME), what is the best stepping of gravity to get the most use out of this yeast before it craps out… i.e. next, a 1.060 Strong pale, then take half the cake and make a 1.085 Barleywine…
what do you think?
Pour the yeast from the 1st beer into two qt mason jars. Each will be enough for one of your next beers.
If the 2nd beer is going to be down the road a ways, save the yeast from the 2nd brew.
There is no need to “wash” the yeast IMO.
[quote=“Nighthawk”]Pour the yeast from the 1st beer into two qt mason jars. Each will be enough for one of your next beers.
If the 2nd beer is going to be down the road a ways, save the yeast from the 2nd brew.
There is no need to “wash” the yeast IMO.[/quote]
+1
Your idea is correct, that going up in gravity is the best course. There is no proper step though. You could go from a very low gravity beer and use that yeast in a huge barley wine. Yeast doesn’t acclimate to alcohol so it can’t build up a tolerance.
You can go down in gravity but you probably don’t want to reuse a yeast that has fermented a very high gravity beer. They are likely spent at that point.
