Do you think I could......save yeast from my blow off tube?

[AJS2154]

Hello All,

I use a 23 litre cornie style keg as a fermenter.

Sometimes when I ferment a brew the yeast expands out of the top of the keg via the blow off tube and settles in the bottle that has a phosphoric acid solution.

Today I looked at the contents of the bottle and saw about 10-15mm of beautiful white yeast. Could I collect that yeast? It may be just like collecting yeast at high krausen, and it is settled in the bottom of what is essentially a starsan solution.

What do you think?

Anthony

 

[timmi9191]

I would have thought that the starsan solution would fark up the yeast bigtime. the surfactant would breakdown the yeast cell walls and the ph would render it unliveable.

but, try a starter with what you harvest, then we will all know for sure

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Or next time use a flask with water that's been boiled and chilled. That's basically the same as washing your yeast.
Star San is to kill micro organisms so I couldn't think that yeast would be any good to use.

As for collecting blow off its high Krausen yeast and highly regarded so I've felt very tempted too. It doesn't happen in my 23lt or 50lt kegmenters unless its a high gravity beer or too much volume. Or both etc.

 

[Tex083]

I did see recently a post where there were 2 blow off tube jars. The first was an empty sanitized jar with 2 hoses 1 long 1 short. The yeast/c02 entered the long hose and the co2 left via the short hose to a second jar that was the air lock/traditional blow off. This way the exploding yeast can be saved and no water mixed with it.
Does that make sense? Pm me if not.

 

[AJS2154]

Thanks Tex, yes, I needed to read it a couple of time to be sure I understood what you meant, but I have worked it out. Sounds very simple and effective

I will give it a spin and see what happens. Thanks for the responses guys.

Anthony

 

[koolkuna]

Hi Tex and AJS2154
I can't get my head around the 2 tube configuration. I use a single blow off into a flask. Where does the second tube connect?? How does it seperate the co2 from the yeast leaving the yeast with no water? Sounds fantastic any pictures of the setup would be appreciated.

 

[gap]

Burton Union yeast collection system
have a look at this
http://byo.com/stories/item/351-build-a-burton-union-system-projects

 

[Tex083]

Yep similar to as above but the yeast is in a jar below the fermenter. Similar to a mason jar hop back but it's for yeast not hops.
https://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fs-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com%2F236x%2Ffc%2F02%2Fb2%2Ffc02b21a41a3fa6d0b4681d464c4d1d2.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fcraftielady21%2Fbrewing-beer%2F&docid=fdIc6TyY1uGKQM&tbnid=lIzjlyd6wxqSeM%3A&vet=1&w=236&h=314&client=ms-android-telstra-au&bih=560&biw=360&ved=0ahUKEwjxw7vKtdnQAhWGgbwKHRsxBfkQMwgfKAUwBQ&iact=mrc&uact=8

 

[koolkuna]

Tex083
The link isn't working can you resubmit

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Honestly, there are better and easier ways to get yeast

 

[Tex083]

Link works on my phone, it's just a Google image search for mason jar hop backs

 

[sp0rk]

Honestly, there are better and easier ways to get yeast

I top cropped some Wy Scottish Ale off the batch of your Pillar Red I recently did, once it settled in the jar it was like 70% yeast, transferred straight to a 50ml vial
I'll probably do a 6L starter to build it right up so I can freeze a heap of it and have plenty available

 

[TheWiggman]

Considering you can do this by accident, I think it's probably the simplest way to get some healthy yeast with a 'dip tube' for your blowoff. Ferment, and when the good krausen starts lower the dip tube down to the krausen level. This should pump the krausen through the hose and give you some A grade yeast at the bottom of the blowoff vessel.
I'd imagine you'd require some sterilised water and need to pay particular care to sanitation if intending to store the yeast. I've always considered using the method, but don't freeze and rarely use the same yeast in short periods. In fact bugger it, I might as well do this for the next brew and see how well it goes.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Personally, I just draw out some yeast thru the tap when the ferment is at high krausen

Just another way to skin the cat

 

[AJS2154]

Honestly, there are better and easier ways to get yeast

Personally, I just draw out some yeast thru the tap when the ferment is at high krausen

Just another way to skin the cat

I was hoping you might follow up with your suggestion Ducatiboy.......yeah, agree, there are easier ways to get beer too, but buying it isn't part of the fun.

The way you are suggesting would be taking yeast from the liquid dip tube (if I read it correctly), and hence the bottom of the fermenter. The attraction for me is that this is the choice, high krausen yeast that is very usable and is really just being tossed out of the fermenter.

To be honest, I am a "yeast freezer" and have a good supply. It just seemed to me a waste to throw away potentailly usable yeast that I would suspect needs very little preparation. As the guys have said, if I put it into sterilised water then I have a washed yeast at the ready. Sounds easy to me.

Good discussion, thanks all for the contribution. Anthony

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

The method I use I got for GT at Grumpies.....many brews ago

Basically you just draw off about 500-600ml thru the tap when she is going nuts and the G is about 1020ish

Gives a nice active yeast starter which you can split and grow

The method was originally to build a 2ltr starter, and pitch the lot into the ferm, then when its at high krausen, draw off the same as what you put in ie 2lt, then direct pitch that into your next beer. draw 2ltrs out, add to next beer...etc...etc


But I did the whole " **** that with 2 ltrs " and went to just drawing a smaller amount and growing it

There are plenty of ways to get yeast, but you need to be anal about sanitation if you want to get a few generations out of it

 

[AJS2154]

Thanks mate, that sounds interesting. I will have a crack. That's the great part of brewing. Always plenty of ways to skin the cat.