Top Cropping Lager Yeast?

[BjornJ]

Hi,
been reading with interest about top cropping yeasts and how this is better than bottling what's left in the primary after racking to secondary.

that if top-cropping it's all "A team" and no trub/dead yeast.

I have a rice lager fermenting in the fridge at 10 degrees, it's been in there for a week or two with S-189 Swiss Lager Yeast.
It still has a solid layer of krausen/white foam going.

Can I top-crop this to save yeast for another brew or is not the S-189 suitable for this being a lager yeast?


thanks
Bjorn

 

[Nick JD]

I thought it was the yeasty looking krausen that made it a top cropper. Is there yeast in the foam?

 

[BjornJ]

No idea

That's probably part of my question as well.

Guess I could just spoon some off in a sterilised jar and see if it settles down into yeast in the fridge overnight.


Bjorn

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Yes

You would have been better cropping it at high krausen when there was more action, the foam was really yeasty and the yeast was at its peak activity... But there will be plenty of yeast in the foam still and it will be in pretty good shape, you just might have to harvest a bit more to get the yeast volume you want.

But - storing it for a week or two will kill off any real advantage you get from top cropping. It will just be perhaps less unhealthy than it otherwise would. Take a bit of yeast and store it, then use it to grow a starter and pitch that at high krausen if you want actually healthy yeast.

 

[BjornJ]

carefully lifted the lid of the fermenter to survey the probability of a bit of opportunistic top-cropping this evening.

No more foam..

Just clear beer, guess I was too late.
Well, will try another time I guess.

Bjorn

 

[rendo]

Hey Bjorn,

That is exactly what I was going to try with my last S189 brew. I will try it with the next one.

Rendo

No idea

That's probably part of my question as well.

Guess I could just spoon some off in a sterilised jar and see if it settles down into yeast in the fridge overnight.


Bjorn

 

[BjornJ]

Hi Rendo,
how did your S-189 brew at 10.3 degrees end up, was it nice?


The 17 degree one ended up way to fruity for my liking, so trying it at 10 this time.

Bjorn

 

[Josh]

I have top cropped lager yeast with success before. I just take a few spoons of krausen and add to my next starter. I top cropped a Munich Helles with WLP838 and brewed a 60L Doppelbock from a 3L starter. Pitched into 20L before adding the final 40L a day later.