Common Yeast Management Problems & Solutions

Brewing fantastic beer is what we all strive for. Everything that Craftmaster Stainless makes is to facilitate your brewery’s ability to make the best beer possible. However, making great beer isn’t a perfectly exact science. The reason for this is due to one of the key ingredients of brewing, and the one that most people tend to have problems with—the yeast. Yeast is a living organism, and there is a myriad of different strains you could use to get all kinds of different beer in the end, but yeast can be finicky even in the best-case scenario. Managing yeast strains and repitching batches of yeast requires careful consideration, but if done correctly, it can result in a reproducible and great-tasting beer.

It doesn’t matter how big your brewing operation is; problems with your yeast could pop up at any time. The important thing to remember is that every issue you might run into with your yeast has a solution. You aren’t suddenly a less skilled brewer just because something went wrong with a batch of yeast you repitched. We don’t want you to get caught off guard by yeast issues, so we’ve compiled a list of common yeast management problems and solutions that should make dealing with those problems hardly a concern at all.

Not Keeping Accurate Records

When it comes down to it, a lot of issues that brewers run into with their yeast can actually trace back to simple human error rather than a fault in the yeast itself. It’s crucial that you remember not to get complacent with your yeast management and repitching efforts. Plenty of brewers find themselves at a loss when they believe they used the same yeast as a previous batch or don’t understand the kind of environmental changes that might have happened to drastically alter the final product. These kinds of problems indicate a breakdown of record-keeping for each variety of yeast.

Solution

Keeping accurate and detailed records of the kinds of yeast you use and how they normally react between batches is the first step toward making this problem go away. There are plenty of things you want to know about each bath of yeast in between brewing batches. Obviously, the name of the yeast strain and the date you received it should always be easy to find. Certain elements such as cell density can also help you keep more accurate records of how certain strains will perform. You might also want to track the tanks you recently harvested that yeast from, as well as what kind of beer you just made from it last.

Not Managing and Storing It Correctly

If you can help it, you want to store yeast as infrequently as possible. Storing yeast for too long isn’t good for its ability to be repitched unless you have the proper equipment. Brewers that store their yeast for too long risk that strain declining in health, especially if they aren’t using a high-quality yeast brink keg to keep it healthy. Storing yeast in any kind of container that isn’t airtight or completely sanitized from other yeast strains is a recipe for future disaster if the brewer plans to use that yeast in another batch.

Solution

The key factor here is trying to get the most repitches possible out of a single batch of yeast. The faster you can repitch your yeast strains, the better. In the likely event that you will need to store yeast not currently in use for a while, make sure you don’t skimp on keeping the conditions perfect for the yeast. A good yeast brink keg can help keep foreign contaminants out by being fully airtight. You should store yeast under CO2 and keep it in a cool place to keep it fresh. If possible, you want to transfer your yeast directly to your yeast brink keg from the fermenter without having a middleman tank or pipe that could introduce more contaminants.

Inconsistent Fermentation Process

A very common yeast management problem that many brewers have to face is when their yeast inconsistently ferments different batches of beer in different, unexpected ways. Inconsistent fermenting can look very different depending on the yeast strain and the beer you’re trying to create. The most common sign that you might notice is that your batches of beer taste much worse, despite using and repitching the same yeast as the previous batches. Inconsistent beer is a nightmare for trying to build brand recognition and reputation, so consistency is something you always want to strive for.

Solution

Measuring the viability and vitality of your yeast cells is often the best way to make sure that nothing has gone wrong, and that they will continue to work in the same way that you’re used to them working. You want your yeast to be both viable (having a healthy number of cells within the slurry) and vital (having healthy individual yeast cells). One way to help this happen is to ensure you supply your yeast with enough oxygen to allow it to replicate the way it should. Measuring dissolved oxygen in your wort can give you a better idea of how it will perform in the next batch you use it in.

Using the Same Yeast for Too Long

Repitching yeast is one of the best ways to ensure consistent results and save money by not having to constantly buy more and more yeast for each batch. However, while you can absolutely repitch yeast strains over and over again, there is a limit to how much beer a certain batch of yeast can make before it just won’t be as effective anymore. Creating too many generations of the same yeast is an issue that plenty of overzealous brewers run into.

Solution

Just as we mentioned above, keeping accurate and detailed records of each batch of yeast you use can help prevent you from making this mistake. Keep track of how many times you’ve repitched a certain batch of yeast because they do change over time in subtle ways that can add up. Each strain of yeast will have a different number of times you can repitch them before it’s time to replace, so you need to keep a close eye on your final product, especially as that number gets higher and higher.

For the cleanest and safest way to store and repitch your yeast, Craftmaster Stainless creates yeast brink tanks that can help you out. Get the most out of your yeast and save your brewery a ton of time and money by buying your essential brewery equipment from Craftmaster Stainless.