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Author Topic: Old yeast as yeast nutrient?  (Read 8354 times)

Offline uisgue

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Old yeast as yeast nutrient?
« on: March 24, 2013, 06:31:14 pm »
I have a six week old, homebrew sized pitch of yeast from a local brewery that didn't get used as quickly as I had planned.  I can get a fresh pitch to use for my next batch, so is there any benefit from adding the old yeast to the boil as a nutrient?
Doug Hickey
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Offline Jimmy K

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Re: Old yeast as yeast nutrient?
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2013, 08:00:53 am »
Yes, dead yeast is a pretty good nutrient. Since they used to be alive, the cells contain micronutrients that living cells need. I don't think you need much - like a spoonful would be fine.  You can actually buy dead yeast as a nutrient - "Yeast Hulls".
 
 
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Offline beersk

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Re: Old yeast as yeast nutrient?
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2013, 08:17:12 am »
Your yeast might still be good if it's only 6 weeks old.
Jesse

Offline davidgzach

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Re: Old yeast as yeast nutrient?
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2013, 03:39:20 pm »
Your yeast might still be good if it's only 6 weeks old.

+1.  You are probably still fine to pitch....
Dave Zach

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Old yeast as yeast nutrient?
« Reply #4 on: March 25, 2013, 05:31:12 pm »
One of my books (Dave Line?) says Fullers would pitch a bucket of yeast into the boil. They have something around 300 barrels for their system today, which is newer than the book I have. The bucket size was not specified either.
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Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Old yeast as yeast nutrient?
« Reply #5 on: March 25, 2013, 07:55:58 pm »
I've tossed dry yeast that aged out into the boil.  I figured it was some nutrient and couldn't hurt.  Don't know if it helped, but it didn't affect the taste adversely, so what the heck
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Offline dimik

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Re: Old yeast as yeast nutrient?
« Reply #6 on: March 25, 2013, 09:24:20 pm »
Can go either way. I'm sure it's still good, or you can throw it into a boil.
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