If you are spending money for yeast smack packs with every batch of beer you brew, consider reusing your yeast. It is very simple and if you use it within a month it will greatly decrease your lag time after pitching.  The one thing that goes through my mind when I do this though is “A beer in the carboy is worth more than the next batch.” So when I know I’ll be saving the yeast, I make sure to take care of the racked beer first.

Saving the yeast for reuse is really easy. I like to use the slurry from the primary fermentation, once the beer is racked into secondary and stored away, go back to the primary and give it a swirl to knock loose all the schlock in the bottom. Grab a clean and sanitized quart jar and fill about 3/4 full. Cap and put it in the fridge. Tada! Easy schmeezy.

Come the next brew day take the jar out of the fridge and let it warm up while you brew. Once the wort is cooled and you are ready to pitch, open the jar and take a strong whiff of it. If it smells like yeasty beer you’re good to go. If it smells even remotely off use your back up yeast.  Oh, forgot to mention, never ever rely only on the yeast in the fridge, always have a back up. Heck, I have a back up for the back up, you just never know.

If you want to be fancy or its been more than a month consider making a starter from the yeast a few days before. Honestly, though, I’ve never had a problem. Make sure you have a blow off tube ready too!

The most I’ve reused is through six batches. After that there runs the greater risk of contamination.

Good luck,

Cheers!