Yeast reuse

[bilgerat]

I am still new to brewing and always looking at new ideas and improvements to my brews
Quite a few of my recent brews have called for Wyeast liquid yeast packs but at $15 a time I wonder if there is a cheaper alternative.
Ive heard about yeast farming etc and Im just wondering if there is a way of recovering yeast from the fermenter for reuse in the next batch of brew can someone enlighten me on how to go about it
Thanks

[bullfrog]

Start here:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8705

I split wyeast packets by making a big starter from them, crash chilling it, pouring the beer off the top of the yeast sediment, adding some cooled boiled water to swirl the yeast up with then pouring it into s couple of containers. When you get down to your last container, repeat the process.

[Punter]

Yeast farming is a hobby within in a hobby so to speak.
You can go full on into farming/culturing as a hobby unto itself.
I could ramble on for hours, but the easiest way is to either make a big
Starter from your Wyeast pack or White labs vial and split into several containers, then
use each split to make a new starter or pitch directly into your brew, depending on what your
Making and how big your splits are.
The next option is to pitch your Wyeast or White labs into your brew and collect the
slurry after bottling or kegging and storing in sanitised containers or stubbies.
This is just a very basic info. And as I said, I could go on for ever. You can get into washing,
slanting, and heaps more, but a $13 pack of yeast soon becomes very cheap once you start
Reusing.
Cheers.

[Punter]

Just looked at Bullfrogs link in the post above mine and that just about covers all you
need to know. Even has pics

[bilgerat]

Thanks for replies, this is all new territory to me, I have just finished a stubbie of hoegaarden and made a 250ml starter as described , I will step this up to a 2 litre batch once my small one starts to ferment, how long can I keep the "starter" before I have to use it, will it be ok to store it in a sealed container in the fridge till Im ready to use it
Thanks

[bilgerat]

Regarding Bullfrogs Instructions for Starting Wyeast liquid yeast


Step 5 Wait till fermentation is complete - I assume this means wait till all foaming etc has stopped and the crust has started to settle out ?
Step 6 Pour off beer - sorry I dont get this part ? and tip about a 1/4 into sanitized container - is this to be used for making another starter ?



Sorry about dumb questions, Im trying to get a handle on reusing yeast.

Thanks

[hirns]

Step 5: Yes, wait till the fermentation has completed and the yeast has dropped. Once it has used all the starter malt it has reproduced and multiplied into many more yeast cells before dropping to the bottom when the food/malt runs out. Putting it in the fridge makes the yeast drop to the bottom faster.

Step 6. The amber fluid on top of the settled yeast is often refered to as beer even know it has no hops in it, it still is fermented wort. Pour off the fermented wort so that you have only the yeast slurry left behind. Use three quarters of the yeast to ferment your beer and keep the remaining quarter in the fridge to make a new starter with within the next couple of weeks.

Cheers

Hirns