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Author Topic: Off Flavor - Batch-ruining - West Coast IPA - NEED HELP!  (Read 2442 times)

Offline Uvolnit

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Re: Off Flavor - Batch-ruining - West Coast IPA - NEED HELP!
« Reply #15 on: January 17, 2019, 08:38:57 pm »
Yeast can be used after much longer storage than 2 weeks.  It depends on the methods of storage and handling.  It should be stored under the beer it made.  Never rinse yeast.  This raises the pH,  making it vulnerable to infection,  and adds oxygen, causing the yeast to attempt to begin their metabolic cycle.   But in the absence of wort to consume, they just deplete their reserves and starve, or autolyse, and if repitched don't have the reserves needed to start a healthy fermentation,  allowing further opportunities for abnormal fermentation and infection.   Generally, homebrewers are in a better position than commercial brewers when it comes to yeast storage.   Yeast in a small jar, or even the bottom of a carboy, are not subjected to anything like the hydrostatic pressure and heat buildup that exist in the cone of a commercial vessel. And when in doubt,  make a starter.  This also gives you the chance to smell and taste the starter beer for off flavors.   In your case, you mention a strong banana ester.  That does suggest some contamination if your original yeast did not produce this. 

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+1

Thanks for the info.  I did some research when starting to save the yeast cakes but apparently not enough. 
I did make a starter for the yeast 2 days before brew day, as usual, and it smelled to me the same as it usually does and did not present any of the banana ester.  It is a White Labs West Coast Ale, which is a neutral & clean yeast and to me it usually has some hints of fruity/spicy when smelling the yeast starter.  I will not continue to keep the yeast as I kept and "washed" that one, introducing water and throwing out the beer it was on to try and separate some of the trub that was with it.  I've actually read conflicting comments about washing it with sanitized water but it makes sense to me to not do so and change its environment.