1 month in primary- save the yeast slurry?

[jeremydgreat]

I've had my first batch of mead fermenting in primary for about a month now. Going to move the batch to a secondary vessel. It stopped bubbling about 2 weeks ago. I used a vial of White Labs WLP720 Sweet Mead/Wine Yeast.

Is it advisable to save the yeast slurry for my next batch? Or did I wait too long? I'm thinking the yeast is probably stressed out after sitting in mostly-fermented mead and not having any nutrients for a couple weeks.

 

[45_70sharps]

Why not make a quick little starter and see if it's still good? I keep DME around just for starters. In a pinch you could even use sugar water just to see if the yeast wakes up.

 

[Golddiggie]

For mead, I wouldn't re-use yeast. Making a starter with DME for a MEAD strain is also not advisable.

Instead of trying to cut costs by using yeast that you don't know the condition/state of, just get a packet of Lalvin Labs yeast. A great many mazers use these strains with great (and beyond) results. Far more than use the yeast marketed as 'mead yeast', especially liquid yeast.

Personally, I won't use a 'mead yeast' for my meads. I use Lalvin strains for [virtually all of] what I'm making. There has been a single exception (to date) in that I used Wyeast Eau de Vie (a 21% tolerance distillers yeast) for one small batch that I wanted to be 21%. I'm considering making a batch with WLP099 as a test to see how far I can push it. With any luck, I'll get it to go to 25%, or better.

 

[sonofgrok]

I haven't heard wonderful things about "mead" specific yeasts either though I have not used one myself.