What to do with done primary yeast and lees?

[M38A1]

So I've got quite a bit of old yeast and lees from these three 5-gal batches I just moved to secondary carboys. I tried searching for uses but to no avail. My search-fu is weak grasshopper....

So, are they good for the compost pile? Garbage disposal? Fire ant mounds?

What can you do with them in short order as I'll probably toss them in the morning.

TIA!

 

[cmason1957]

I put mine right down the drain, haven't had a problem ever.

 

[GreenEnvy22]

I dump mine in the garden.

 

[Boatboy24]

Back when I had a veggie garden and compost pile, that's where they usually went.

 

[BernardSmith]

I generally compost mine but if you liked the wine this yeast produced why not use this as the starter for a next batch? The one exception might be if you had exposed the yeast to a great deal of stress. BUT even with stressed yeast you can still use this yeast to bake bread or pizza. Simply add a tablespoon of the lees to the sponge (or dough) , or you could use the yeast to make soft cheese or even mozzarella. I prefer to use lactic bacteria to sour the milk to help form curds but the acids in the lees will curdle the milk producing a sweeter curd. In short what you can do with these lees is up to your imagination...

 

[NorCal]

The local bush is the recipient of my carboy washings.

 

[M38A1]

Well, I donated the yeast and lees to my okra and pepper plants today with a bit of water to dilute it. I'll be curious to see if any difference can be determined.

 

[kyle5434]

Swirled around with some water to loosen everything up, my sediment from primary and secondary, as well as after bulk aging, goes on the compost pile (including oak chips).

 

[tjgaul]

I dilute and dump mine over the porch railing. I pick a different area each time so that there's not enough accumulation for the wife to notice the gunk on the border plantings. Nothing a good rain won't hide.

 

[M38A1]

Well, my okra and gypsy peppers sure don't like that..... poured the yeast/lees around the base and splashed some on the leaves then rinsed the leaves off with water and pretty much everywhere that was touched is shriveled up today.

 

[meadmaker1]

I managed to save enough kept under air lock to eventually rack off a gallon of mixed wine. occasionally add a bit of honey to keep it bubbling just slighty. Have had lees settle so tight it took a stick to get them out. If the wine isnt good the vinager will be.

 

[bstnh1]

Well, my okra and gypsy peppers sure don't like that..... poured the yeast/lees around the base and splashed some on the leaves then rinsed the leaves off with water and pretty much everywhere that was touched is shriveled up today.

Good to know! Guess I'll keep mine out of the garden! Thanks for the update.

 

[balatonwine]

The local bush is the recipient of my carboy washings.

Sorry, but I can not resist:

So your good wine does need a bush......

(cross reference: good wine needs no bush)

 

[Boatboy24]

Well, my okra and gypsy peppers sure don't like that..... poured the yeast/lees around the base and splashed some on the leaves then rinsed the leaves off with water and pretty much everywhere that was touched is shriveled up today.

I suspect that is due to the pH and/or alcohol content, but its surprising to me that you still suffered damage after rinsing off.

 

[M38A1]

I suspect that is due to the pH and/or alcohol content, but its surprising to me that you still suffered damage after rinsing off.

I suspect the same and was also surprised after rinsing them off. They just look 'wilted' now. No biggie though as the okra still hasn't put on any buds and I don't expect that this year. Must have been bad seeds or I started to late in the season. The peppers really don't seem phased by it at this point.

 

[jburtner]

Put it into a gallon jug topped up with spring water. Stick in the fridge until the yeasties settle. Decant off liquid. Repeat. Thus washing the yeasties. Keeping them cold puts them back to sleep. Washing them removes alcohol. 1/2 cup or so into small bell jars. Stays good for at least a year in the fridge. Use it as a starter for next batches.

I did this once and it worked great.

I also saved and bottled some sake lees to use as a marinade. I might do the same with some wine lees.

Cheers!
-jb

 

[Zintrigue]

I suspect that is due to the pH and/or alcohol content, but its surprising to me that you still suffered damage after rinsing off.

Yeah. Since he said Okra, I'm thinking south, where the sun can be just as punishing to a plant as here in CA. Perhaps the water cooked the leaves if they're not used to getting wet (drip irrigation).

Either case, I always dump my lees in the compost or down the sink. The compost worms enjoy a drunken crawl now and again.

 

[M38A1]

Yeah. Since he said Okra, I'm thinking south, where the sun can be just as punishing to a plant as here in CA. Perhaps the water cooked the leaves if they're not used to getting wet (drip irrigation).

Either case, I always dump my lees in the compost or down the sink. The compost worms enjoy a drunken crawl now and again.

The ones that didn't get splashed are doing just fine. The ones that were splashed/rinsed look like mini-tobacco plants now they're so shriveled and dead. lol Lesson learned. As for the temp, today is supposed to be 106*F and tomorrow 109*F. yeah, that sun is brutal this week.

In the future I'm going to be adding my macerated grapes, gross lees/yeast to the horse manure pile and get a compost pile going for the garden....

Thanks for all the comments!

 

[Kiazer]

So I've got quite a bit of old yeast and lees from these three 5-gal batches I just moved to secondary carboys. I tried searching for uses but to no avail. My search-fu is weak grasshopper....

So, are they good for the compost pile? Garbage disposal? Fire ant mounds?

What can you do with them in short order as I'll probably toss them in the morning.

TIA!

Flush it down the toilet