Re-Using Yeast

[dcteague]

How does one go about re-using yeast from one batch to another? I have been working on a blueberry port, and was thinking of trying to create a white port like fruit wine and wanted to move a small amount of my existing batch over to see if it would begin fermentation. If I've already fortified, is it too late - are the yeast dead?

Regardless of the above, how does one cultivate a yeast strain they like to re-use it later? Just suspend it with temps? Any volume requirements?

 

[botigol]

We'll see who else chimes in on this, but from my readings it doesn't seem like a common practice among home wine makers. Beyond overcoming the number of dead yeast that could produce off flavors, the most-readily available wine yeasts are dry packets which are pretty cheap. Even the "premium" ones are only $2-$3 at my LHBS and their yeast prices seem a bit high to me. So the reward doesn't seem to merit the risk.

 

[TonyP]

That's a great question and one I have not seen before. I can't answer it because I've never done it, but let me suggest that what I believe you may be referring to maintaining a yeast bank and cultivating your own yeast. I believe reconstituting yeast is not desirable because yeast degrades over time.

 

[dcteague]

I've seen some procedures for yeast washing, which seems to give you a clean starter from a prior batch, but it looks like you'd have to do this from the primary - mine is probably shot at this point.

 

[Geronimo]

I reused all my yeast for beer brewing. You just need to brew cleanly (no wood or skins laying on the bottom of the primary). Then, after you rack the wine off to secondary, add some filtered water (or distilled) to the sludge and mix it up. Let that sit until it settles out (preferably in a fridge), and carefully rack the water/wine mix off the cake. Again, add some water, stir gently to bring everything into suspension, and pour it all into a sanitized container.

Yeast like this needs to be fed, so some nutrient and some grape juice would be good (not too much juice, keep the gravity down around 1.030 or so).

The clock is ticking at this point. You need to make sure that you keep the culture safe from infection and also use it before they all die off. In my last 3 years of brewing beer I typically only bought my lager yeast once each year. It's very easy to reuse the yeast once you start doing it.

HOWEVER, with EC1118 I find that spending a $1 a packet is so cheap and so much less trouble that I've never considered reusing it. If you are going to brew wine at 12-16% ABV, that alone will kill a lot of yeast. Leave that yeast in the brew for 3+ weeks and most of it will die off. It's completely obvious to me why wine brewers don't bother with the practice.

 

[Runningwolf]

As in Skeeter Pee?