Beer yeast drying at home

[@mutantryeff]

I vacuum seal my dried yeast in 8oz Mason jars before freezing them.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great, thanks for sharing.

[@Deopunk]

I very rarely see any videos with an 800 like to 0 dislike ratio. Good job!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Thank you :)

[@DontStopBrent]

I greatly appreciate this video. I am stunned at the process. A decade of storage is phenomenal. I am subscribed, sir! Greetings from Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great to hear Brent, plenty of videos like this on my channel already :)

[@TFS6750]

Little by little I have the clearest ideas David. The LHBS are going to hate this video for their drop in sales of yeast lol :) Thank you very much for everything you contribute to the homebrewer community

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Thanks Fernando :)

[@edwardlamothe4344]

That was fantastic and informative. It would have never crossed my mind to do this. Thanks as always!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Edward Lamothe Great, thats my aim :) Thanks :)

[@landoffireandice-08]

Very informative, that is why i love your channel. Thank you for sharing your expertise to us.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Much appreciated Jose :)

[@nah3186]

Your videos really help, teach, motivate and excite us in our brew adventures. Just wanted to stop and say thanks for everything you’ve shared. Your content is the best of the best IMO and you should be very proud!!! 🍻 👍🏼 👍🏼

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Many thanks for your feedback, it is very much appreciated :)

[@Domogled]

Thank you, master brewer!🍻🤗

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Cheers, enjoy 🍻🍻🍻

[@gdbrewing]

Great video, you make a much talked about subject easier than I thought it would be.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

🍻🍻🍻

[@ShaneMchit]

I believe this is the only video on the internet of this topic, and it’s been years.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Crazy but true!

[@3nunsbrewing640]

Home Brew Network also has one.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

@3nunsbrewing640 🍻🍻🍻

[@josephtrahan3715]

This looks like a game changer for me! I’ve been repitching yeast slurry with good results. Looking at yeast banking for longer term storage. Can’t wait to get on with drying my yeast.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great, it sure is :)

[@dominichort6516]

Ive been brewing for 2 years now all grain, once a month, and never used the same yeast twice, I so wish I had seen this video when i started because id have an awesome collection by now!!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great, I am glad you found this useful :)

[@pd1jdw630]

I don’t know if you read this, I hope so. I recently emptied a fermenting jar of about 12 liters in wine. Which sat in the corner of the house for as long as I live here now. ( 7 years ) Thinking it all been converted to vinegar by now. But surprisingly it was still carbonated and smelled really good. I scoped a little of the yeast out the bottle. Giving it some sugar and marmite it started fermenting just a day later. It’s not just to say I tried this. Cause I forgot about that jar. But this little experiment just shows how resilient yeast is.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

I sure do :) Many thanks for your message :) Yes, yeast is quite a miracle really. Keep that one going, it sounds like a real survivor :)

[@pd1jdw630]

David Heath Homebrew I will try . 👍🏻

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great :)

[@jbs3144]

Just redirected a Kviek that was washed 3 times, 3 years later!!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great to hear 🍻🍻🍻

[@ignaciocarvajal2612]

looks pretty easy. I am very enthusiastic about drying my own yeast

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

It really is, go for it :)

[@chrisdavidsen]

Hi David, cool video as usual :) I tried to dry my first batch of yeast. I put about 1,5dl of yeast-slurry in a glass flatbottom pan. Next I placed the pan in my herbs dehydrater at 30c, Nice and crispy after just 4,5 hours.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great :) Be sure to keep it dry and cool and it will last. You can also add it to the freezer to increase its life.

[@mccartc7645]

I was going to ask if that was a good idea as i have a dehydrator. I'll look forward to giving this a go!

[@petesalehouse2401]

Thanks David, you are a wealth of information. I am looking forward to my first brew from my Grainfather.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Glad you found it to be useful :)

[@evfarry]

Always informative and pleasant, Thanks David!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great to hear, many thanks for the feedback.

[@Stillpoint23]

I see you have some tormodgarden (Saure). I did get my order from him, and have some cider fermenting using it. Thanks again for the hook up!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great to hear :) Yes it works well for cider also :)

[@jamesgoacher2433]

Again very interesting. I have a dehydrator whic will also proof bread dough. I would expect that to be not to hot to kill the yeast. In conjunction with your other video on Top Cropping I will try some more specialised yeasts for my general Cooking Bitter. Ha! I said to a pub Landlord ages ago "Pint of Cooking please" and he was most offended. Didn't seem to realise that you do not cook with anything you would not drink. Many thanks.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great, keep an eye on it though :)

[@kokoslegend4850]

Wow I was searching for this.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great to hear :) Plenty more videos like this on the channel also :)

[@Hey-Marion]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew hello. When you placed the yeast slurry on wax paper and placed it in the small plastic container. How did you sanitize the wax paper? Or does it need to ne sanitized if you are just regularly drying it in the plastic? Thank you.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

I spray it with diluted star san :)

[@TheTrueCelt28]

Great Video! I’ll have to give it a go

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great, go for it :)

[@christianbureau6732]

Great video.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Many thanks :)

[@cidmontenegro8225]

Great video DH. Since you have been responding to recent comments on a 6yr old video can we presume you haven't changed your method on this? Would you do anything different now? And have you tried it with a non-kveik yeast? Thanks and cheers!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Thank you. Yes that is correct. These methods also work well with “regular” yeast types too in fact.

[@jonmccombs1711]

Great job!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Thanks Jon :)

[@wisconsinlife3971]

Well there you have it! Thanks and now I can keep my kveik yeast for many brews!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great , glad you found it helpful :)

[@lambertsimnelales5878]

Thanks so much for sharing your technique it was very informative. Cheers

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Lambert Simnel Ales Glad you found it useful :)

[@enatskie1215]

hi david, thank you so much, now i can make ricewine now.. im from philippines, cheers! its easy for me now..

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great to hear Jenart :) I love easy also when it suits :)

[@islandbrewmallorca-thehome3151]

Thank you David for this interesting video again! Will try this out soon - just started to use Kveik and wanna keepsome of them in the drying method! Cheers! Robert

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Cheers Robert :)

[@drummerdad80]

Thumbs up! I been wanting to know this method, i have a beer fermenting so i will try this when it is done

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great, sure is worthwhile :)

[@fledermausi2048]

Thank you

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Cheers 🍻🍻🍻

[@Peanutbuttergalactic]

7 years later, and still one of the very few videos on this topic haha. Question, what temp can you dry out yeast before they start to Die off

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

I would suggest as low a temperature as possible. Some use an oven on the lowest setting with the door open, I prefer a short period in a dehydrator on the lowest setting.

[@vincelafore4281]

Hi David. Just got done watching your top cropping video and this one popped up. I haven't read every comment so you may have already answered this question. Can you dry ale and lager yeasts also? I thought it was only kveik yeasts. Thanks david

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Yes, no problem there, it will work just fine with all beer yeast, though it is less known as such.

[@vincelafore4281]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew sweet. Thank you

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

@vincelafore4281 cheers Vince 🍻🍻🍻

[@jimfisher4362]

Old video, I know, but here's my process through 5 "generations" of Skare kveick: Top crop directly to a sheet of sanitized wax paper. No straining yeast from liquid at all. Set that wax paper on a table in my brewery. Point a USB -powered fan at the yeast to dry it as soon as possible (my theory is that drying it quickly stands less of a chance of wild fungus making a home). Scrape it all into a container 24 hours later. Critiques welcomed!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

That sounds good Jim. Assuming that you have nothing flying around that can land in it. I have my box protection with this in mind.

[@BN8412]

Hi David😊 Do you know how long time it is possible to store a kveik yeast in the fridge, when it is not dried (liquid form)? Best regards Brian

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Hi Brian, six months seems the max to me on average. Having said that if you know you will not use it for some months it is best to dry it. I have a full guide here:- kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKvGn6yvq7x0j6M

[@henry1237]

Wow - I never even thought of doing this before. Thanks for the great content David!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Thanks Henry, plenty more stuff like this on my channel :)

[@hoopiehunter]

Very informative. My fermentation happened so rapidly that i missed my opportunity to top crop. Can I collect some slurry from the bottom of the fermenter to dry?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

You can but now you will need to follow a more time consuming process. Here is a pointer to make that easier:- kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z3m5lqGpidiFjsU

[@hoopiehunter]

Thank@@DavidHeathHomebrew. I appreciate your feedback.

[@jock578]

Another great video David, thank you. Would you have to make a starter with that amount of dried yeast before re-using in a brew?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Thanks. I usually would just pitch it like regular dry yeast. No issues so far :)

[@jock578]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew I should have asked you in my last question David but I've just started a hefe with Wyeast 3068 Weihenstepaner. Some say you should take the bad stuff of around 24hrs then take the yeast at 48hrs, what doyou recommend?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

I would suggest waiting 2-3 days on such a yeast.

[@lukelu9016]

So what do you do after? Do u mix DME with water and pitch yeast for a starter? Is it possible to multiply yeast by pitching store-packed dry yeast in a DME/water starter? Thanks :)

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Hi Luke. No need to make a starter, just pitch :) If you want to built up the yeast to more cells then by all means make a starter :)

[@bernardloonen4834]

Very interesting this video; I understand that kveik can be dried in this way, but wil it work for any yeast?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

It sure does :)

[@1953kjr]

Have you tried to re-use the yeast you dried yet? If so what process did you follow? What viability is the dried yeast? Do you make a starter or just rehydrate?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Sorry I have just noticed that this is unanswered! Yes, I have been using this process for quite years now. I just rehydrate in wort :)

[@TFS6750]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew so you open a vial and simply add one tsp of dried yeast on the fermenter during transfer? as simple as it? TY :)

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

I add the full liquid yeast to a jar. Add it to thr fridge till it all drops down. Take a teaspoon worth for the pitch. Then wash the rest for the next 2-3 brews.

[@happydays2190]

Would it work if i bought a pack of dry brewers yeast and then activated it and cultured it to make more, and then dried it again? Would the final product be exactly the same as the packet i originally bought?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Sure you can do that. Over time the formulation could change over a number of generations but this will be much slower for single strains than multiple strain mixes.

[@andreasbaggerchristensen7117]

I have just scooped out the yeast cake from a kölsch after coldcrash and bottling. I've dried it according to your recipe above and put it in the freezer in a ziplocker bag. How much of these dry flakes do I need to add to my next kölsch (how many grams for 20 litres 1.060 OG beer)? Also how do I check if the yeast is good or bad before I use it and how many times would you recommend to reuse a given yeast before buying a new one?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

That depends on the yeast. When fresh you can use the original pitching rate.

[@Duci1989]

Can i do this with the slurry left over at the bottom of my fermenter?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Yes, sure you can :)

[@robertschaffer2919]

Do you think you could freeze dry the yeast? My wife has a freeze dryer, I was thinking about having her freeze dry some yeast for me but I would like your input. Thanks

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Yes, you sure can. It is best to vacuum seal the yeast when freezing it.

[@drunkinone5969]

That's easy enough... Sure worth a try. Thanks and cheers =)

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Drunkinone sure is :) Glad you liked it.

[@pauloag8091]

Hello David! I got my hands in some kveik so I definitively will try to dry it. The question is how do you desinfect de baking paper? And my problem is where to find a "dry place" in Belgium😁Cheers

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Awesome news :) Spray it with star san. Haha the symbol of where I live is the Umbrella :)

[@GarethRepton]

Hi David, at which point in fermentation should a yeast be top cropped? Specifically using Omega Hothead and not sure if to wait till the end or do it whilst the krausen is still active.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

For kveik I top crop after 24 hrs of pitching. You want high krausen for any top crop.

[@schummygoldmann4562]

Dear David .... Have ever tried to dry comercial yeasts instead off kveiks ?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Sure. It works very well :)

[@todhulse3328]

Can Yeast Drying only be done with the Kveik strains? Are Belgian yeast strains tolerant to this process? German Hefe?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

It's all yeast Tod :) It's worked with every strain I've tried.

[@todhulse3328]

That is very promising! Thanks for the reply.

[@alanwhitby367]

I'm new to brewing do you need to do a starter with this.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Yeast degrades gradually in this state. You should be using a starter to improve yeast health if this is not used in the first week or so.

[@nabis666]

Great video, just one question tho. You say at the end that everything is sanitized. Do you sanitize the baking paper?? If so how do you achieve it?? Thanks for the amazing content and knowledge you are sharing with us all.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Thank you :) Yes, it is vital to sanitise everything that comes into contact with the yeast. I use star san in a spray bottle to sanitise the paper. I leave this for some minutes and then pick the paper up to drain the liquid. You can apply the wet yeast directly then.

[@nabis666]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew OK just keeping it simple and working :-)

[@bodgerover]

Excuse me if you have already covered this but how do you then revive/restart the dry yeast? How do you establish a cell count? Cheers

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

.

[@marcosp3563]

Awesome David ! can this method be used to dry only Kveik, or could it be used to other strains like US-05 or W34/70 ?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Hi Marco, no problem in using it for any yeast :)

[@AlexK-dt5kt]

Thanks man

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Thanks :)

[@cidermeister9440]

Brilliant. Cheers.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Cider Meister Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@ESLKidStuff-videos]

Hi David, thank you for a super interesting video! I'm definitely going to try this. It does throw up a few questions for a newbie such as myself ... 1. drying the yeast at home. I expect this is dependent on the humidity factor. For example, here in Portugal winters are very humid. Other countries suffer humid summers. Does it have to be really dry to do this successfully? 2. does room temperature come into effect or any temp is ok? 3. When you have your finished yeast and ready to pitch, does it need need to be re-hydrated or maybe even need a yeast starter any other process? Or simply can I chuck it straight in (if so, does it need crushing first)? Thanks again for so many useful videos!

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

ESL KidStuff I would suggest drying it in a heated or a reasonable temperature room. It would dry anywhere but temps will factor the time it takes. I would pitch it in some wort after mash out that has been cooled to pitching temps. Shake the container during the boil and chill process.

[@mrfomiatti5515]

Idea? Would one dry the yeast in a food dehydrater?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Yes, see this video on how to do that and more:- kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKvGn6yvq7x0j6M

[@blenderbenderguy]

Thanks David, but what about bottom harvesting after fermentation and drying?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

.

[@daviddemmers130]

How would you go about reusing the yeast after it has been dried? Just like normal

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Yes, totally :)

[@mr.somebody1493]

What if you placed salt or calcium chloride in the box as a desiccant?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

+Colorado Clyde Ive never heard of this being done. Most dry naturally , it could work well though.

[@kevinrich5312]

Does this process work with the Lallemand dry Kveik yeast?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Yes :)

[@DominikMarczuk]

Wait, what? *You can freeze the dry yeast?* Have you tried this? Do you just chuck the vial with the dried yeast in the freezer or is there anything else you need to do to prevent yeast cells from bursting? Does freezing affect yeast viability?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

You sure can, it will prolong its life. The best way is to store it in a container with a minimal amount of air. Wrapping it in cling film securely or vacuum sealing it. Let it return back to regular temps before using. No need to add anything.

[@DominikMarczuk]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew Awesome, thanks. I'll try it on my next batch. Is there a reason for recommending top cropping instead of just using the yeast cake left after the primary?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Great. Yes, yeast that is top cropped is in prime health where as bottom is tired and compromised.

[@john1smith752]

after the yeast is dried does it have to be re-hydrated IOT use it in a beer? If so, what is the best way to do this?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

I always rehydrate in wort. It is used much like dried sachet yeast, just no real need to crumble it as much.

[@djdownie3]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew I thought you pitched dried yeast directly or is that what you mean?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

I do, it is rehydrated in the wort :)

[@jock578]

I used your method for a hefe yeast, can I top crop a wyeast 2001 Pilsner Urquell yeast the same way?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

.

[@andy1982222]

Could a dehydrator be used?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Yes. I use one myself. I made an updated version of this not so long ago on this channel.

[@andy1982222]

Can it be done with all liquid yeasts?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Sure, no problem.

[@dimash244]

When is it safe to collect yeast from the top ?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

After 50% attenuation. I have a video on this coming very soon.

[@dimash244]

It seems my Voss is slowing down after 36 hours, I will do gravity check in few hours to see where I am at :-)

[@dimash244]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew looks like i missed the window, the whole thing went from 1.060 to below 1.020 in less than 48 hours. at 60 hour mark it doesnt bubble at all, beast of a yeast :)

[@JohnnyReverse]

how do you estimate cell count ?

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

This will give you a fair guide:- wyeastlab.com/yeast-harvesting-re-pitching

[@JohnnyReverse]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew Tha nk you David! You're doing the lords work!

[@Rockhounding-with-Bigfoot]

WTFWOW!!! almost 800 likes and not one down!!!! DUDE!!!! wow

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Haha. Thank you. Unusual for sure! Probably will not last now you said it. Still it's been 2 years :)

[@Rockhounding-with-Bigfoot]

@@DavidHeathHomebrew That is how the universe goes... but hey, oh well!! Still, its unheard of. I wonder if its controlled somehow for some reason. NOT that you don't deserve it =)