I have heard yeast can mutate when you re-use yeast, and when it goes through many yeast-generations.
How long does it take for the yeast to mutate?
Which factors have an impact on the characteristics of the yeast?
Which characteristics will this mutated yeast have?
Is the yeast stable and healthy after being mutated?
Topic yeast-cultures reusing-yeast yeast homebrew
Category Mac
From "Methods of modern homebrewing, Chris Colby"
In reality, given the increasing probability of contamination with each repitch and the presence of new mutations, five to seven generations is a safe rule of thumb. That said, some commercial brewers have strains they've repitched for years.
This guy is a biologist, so I assume he knows his stuff.
I've never reused up to the fourth generation, because I do not brew very often, and the third or fourth generation or so would be almost 10 months old.
Yeast follow the laws of natural selection.
As a cell is budding the new mass may have some minor defects / mutations. If those changes give the yeast an advantage to survive it will get passed on.
You can have noted changes in just a few generations.
I've observed in my own washing methods strains becoming less flocculant just because my washing method discards the first yeast cells to drop out.
Also many breweries refresh yeast after a few generations or brews. To put it simply: Not that it's unhealthy yeast but rather they've grown a generations of spoiled brats that have gotten lazy and simply just don't make good beer anymore.
There is no set time and no set form that the mutation will take. But in general, mutations take a long time to happen. Years is the time line often cited.
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