I’ve been using Conan yeast which came from the Alchemist, Heady Topper. John Kimmich goes 8 generations with Heady Topper before buying a new pitch of yeast. I understand it would get expensive to purchase a new pitch for each batch. Have you guys head good fermentations when reusing yeast from an 8% beer ? Does it depend on the yeast strain? I’m wondering why it would work on a commercial level, but it’s not recommended on a homebrew level.
I’ve repitched from big beers and havnt noticed any difference. Yeast companies probably don’t recommend it because they want to sell yeast. IMO it would take a lot of generations for a yeast to mutate .
Same here.
Right now I’m working with a yeast that’s gone through 11 generations of repitching (and going back and forth from standard brews to strong ones, and back. again…repeatedly). In the past I’ve repitched through as many as 23 generations…with NO ill effects whatsoever.
Keep the fermentations clean, practice good sanitation, and let it do it’s thing.
Anyone who tells you it can’t be done has probably never tried it. I’ve never lost a single batch, or experienced any flavor issues as a result of a multi gen repitch…even with wide variation of wort strengths.
Repitching yeast is one of the best ways to save money on brewing, and if you treat the yeast properly, get better fermentations out of it.
I haven’t found problems with reusing yeast from strong beers either, but I have had problems with yeast harvested from a batch that didn’t get enough aeration before fermentation. And if you don’t repitch the yeast within a month of harvesting it, you’ll need to make a starter to get it roused and healthy again. Go too long in storage and it’s just easier (and not much more expensive for most brewers) to buy a new package.
I have had some issues reusing yeast that has come from a beer with 5-10% dextrose in it. The following beer had a low level of fusel alcohols in it. I later read in the the yeast book that this does happen. I would get the beer off of the yeast as soon as possible and put your repitch into a low gravity starter to improve yeast health before repitching.
I’ve been havesting and reusing yeast And I’ve been amazed at how easy and effective it is. And how little yeast it takes to ferment a batch. I did a batch of my favorite pale ale ever after harvesting the small amount of yeast from 4-5 bottles. Turned out great. Between this, going all-grain in bulk and growing my own hops, this hobby has gotten so cheap!
