04-19-2005, 11:50 AM
At 04:08 PM 4/19/2005 +0000, you wrote:>I have been using the same yeast cultures every 2 weeks or so for the>last four months.>Has anyone found a practical limit to the number of times that the>same cell line can be reused?I've re-used the same cell line for over 6 months. After a timethe drink will take on a chemically taste and/or smell. I think it'sbecause it ferments so quickly once the colony gets that big and I'm notone to wait for proper aging to mellow a drink out. Another theory is thatnatural mutations in the colony are changing the way the yeast functionsand off-flavors eventually develop. But to answer your question, the"practical limit" would be the point where you reach your point ofdiminishing return. Re-used yeast ferments more quickly each time it'sused, partly because the colony grows by millions or billions and partlybecause dead yeast is nutrient for live yeast. When it gets to the pointwhere its making a drink that smells or tastes bad it's probably time tostart over. Then again, some of the best sour dough cultures are over ahundred years old.ORGINAL POSTER: steve