yeast and one gallon batches

[MitchK]

Can I take some yeast for a one gallon batch and save the rest somehow? I have a vacuum sealer (a real/chamber one, not a foodsaver style) if that would help with dry yeast. I want to start doing one gallon batches to experiment and enjoy a variety of beers without drowning in the stuff, and the yeast is the only ingredient that seems to screw me over cash wise if I'm still putting a full packet/vial in each batch.

I keep instant bread yeast in a tupperware container in the freezer no problem, surely I could split dry yeast into sealed portions of a few grams each and store them in the freezer...

[Bizlair]

Yep, as long as you are careful with sanitation.

Before upgrading to 5 gallon batches, I'd use half a pack at a time (which is still over-pitching).

You could also look into washing yeast to save on the yeast cost per brew.

[MitchK]

I saw some stuff on the brulosophy blog about making a starter then stealing some of the starter which can then be used in the future to make another starter (stealing some for a future starter, etc) and they said they had done that for like 12/13 "generations" of starter so far with no ill effect... Is there a good "beginner's guide" to these kinds of yeast shenanigans? Everything I'm finding assumes you already know a lot.

[GuingesRock]

I saw some stuff on the brulosophy blog about making a starter then stealing some of the starter which can then be used in the future to make another starter (stealing some for a future starter, etc) and they said they had done that for like 12/13 "generations" of starter so far with no ill effect... Is there a good "beginner's guide" to these kinds of yeast shenanigans? Everything I'm finding assumes you already know a lot.

On the Brewnosers of course http://www.brewnosers.org/forums/viewto ... g+starters" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Probably other threads too if you search starters. Good Luck

[Bizlair]

http://homebrewacademy.com/yeast-washing" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Watch the above video for the basics of washing yeast. It's done with a bigger batch, but the process would be the same for a 1 gallon batch. It's pretty simple.

Are you doing starters with liquid yeast now? I'd check with a yeast pitching calculator (like brewrsfriend), but chances are that you could pitch a vital of liquid yeast without needing a starter in a one gallon batch. Unless you're doing really high gravity brews. You could then recycle the yeast from there.

Maybe someone else has tried what you mentioned above?

[MitchK]

So far I've only used dry yeast.

I like the idea of trying to harvest some yeast out of my current batch though, but I was just letting fermentation run fully through for 2-3 weeks then bottling... Is that going to be too late? I'd prefer to do the post-racking harvesting deal because it means zero added risk of contaminating the current batch. I guess I have nothing to lose but a bit of DME to at least try it and see if it lives/smells terrible, though the harvested yeast will be a german wheat ale yeast so that may limit what I can do with it.