First Time Yeast Harvest/wash - Need Help

[neo__04]

Hey all,

Just in the process of my first US05 yeast harvest/wash from the trub in the bottom of the fermenter.
Following the guide from here with pics and have got my yeast + distilled water solution into two jars.
Problem is, I cannot make out the layers. There is definately the clear layer on top, but i cant make out the difference from the yeast
to the trub layer. Its been about 30 mins.. should i just wait longer??

Only thing out of the ordinary with this brew is that it was a 10L brew to test a style to see if i liked it.
I also put a 1/2 packet of yeast in it... Didnt do much for 3 or so days so i added another half. So lots of yeast in there.

Could that contribute to my inability to see the trub layer... Just soo much yeast?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Mayor of Mildura]

What are you trying to achieve here mate? What guide are you referring to?

fwiw I keep my slurry in a sanitized bottle in the fridge. No washing. It lasts for a few months. If It gets older than that I make a starter and check to see if it is OK. Works well for me.

 

[neo__04]

Just trying to follow a method to reuse my yeast so as to stop buying so many yeast packets. Every $ saved helps.
Im following this guide - http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=55409

I am new to this so i just assumed i needed to wash it.

If its not washed does it cause any flavours or anything odd to the new brew?
Also, Say i end up with 800ml of yeasty slurry, can i split that up into say 4-6 smaller batches, then make starters out of them
when required to bring the yeast count up?

Sorry if it sounds noobish, first time trying to recycle the trub, just wanna make sure i do it right.

Thanks again

 

[Mayor of Mildura]

Holy moly a nay sayer will probably pipe up her about autolysys or something. :lol:

All can tell you is my experience. If i like a yeast I will bottle the trub into a sanitised bottle. I normally bottle more than one. I keep these in the fridge. When I have a beer ready to go I chuck it in. I have not noticed any off flavours. If the bottle is more than a couple of months old I'll make a starter and check to see if it is still OK.

I would of thought you'd have enough trub to fill 4-6 bottles rather than mucking around with splitting it up and making starters. But if you want to it will work.

Brew on!!

 

[Flash_DG]

I've washed my yeast a few times. I tend to use Wy 3068 alot but I don't wash that. But I have used Danstar Nottingham a bit too and washed and re-used it for about 4-5 brews.
I haven't bothered trying to seperate the trub layer, never had a problem with it either.

 

[neo__04]

cool, well i guess that makes it easy. Ill just seperate the trub into a few different containers. Sounds easier than washing.

Thanks all

 

[Darkblade]

I've washed my yeast a few times. I tend to use Wy 3068 alot but I don't wash that. But I have used Danstar Nottingham a bit too and washed and re-used it for about 4-5 brews.
I haven't bothered trying to seperate the trub layer, never had a problem with it either.

I am going to try re-using/washing/saving yeast from my next stout brew.
I have got an easy method of separating yeast from trub then storing yeast so I'm ok with that.

Question I have is, from a standard 18lt brew made with initial 11g dried yeast packet, how much of the salvaged yeast should I then pitch in to my next 18lt stout?
All of it?
Half?
I have heard & read about over & under pitching.

And yes, I'm a newbie. We all gotta start somewhere aye.

Thanks for any help.

 

[wombil]

Hello darkblade,
I asked a similar question a few months ago and someone calculated 99 ml. for me,[use 100 to be safe].
That was for us-05 ale yeast.Don't know about stout,probably the same.

 

[MaltyHops]

Have a look through the Wyyeast, Amount thread - my post #10 from that
has a picture of how you could estimate how many yeast cells you have
in your washed yeast.

Then use the MrMalty tool to calculate how much/many yeast cells are
needed for what you're going to brew. Actually the pitching rate calculator
listed by Stux in post #6 looks good (can save the page and run it offline
from the web it seems).

T.