Yeast Farming

[themonkeysback]

I agree, it's confusing the way it's written there. Part of it is that you get three layers - trub, yeast, liquid; from bottom to top. Ideally you just want the yeast. I've started doing this with my yeasts to save money on smack-packs - it may not be the 'correct way' but it's worked for me.

0. Boil up some water and pour into glass longnecks, seal with alfoil and allow to cool (anytime before you need them).
1. Bottle/keg as much as you can from the fermenter.
2. Give whatever's left a good swirl to get it all suspended in the remaining liquid (usually a litre or so) = slurry.
3. Sanitise 3 coopers PET bottles.
4. Collect slurry in PET bottles, about 2/3 full.
5. Fill with cooled water (from 0.) to 4/5 full, seal, shake like a british nanny.
6. Place PET bottles in fridge, upright for a couple of days. You will get firmly packed whitish sludge under brownish liquid.
7. Repeat 0.
8. Pour off liquid from PET bottles.
9. Repeat 5, 6, 7, 8.
10. You should end up with firmly packed white sludge under clear liquid.

Caveats;

- This doesn't separate the trub in any specific way. I have no real issue with this. It gets washed pretty well.
- If you don't have enough fluid in the fermenter to swirl properly, add some cooled boiled water.
- You may need to wash more than twice, just repeat 7, 8, 9.
- YMMV.

To get it going again, warm the yeast from fridge temps to ambient temps, tip off most of the liquid, then add to a starter the way you would a Wyeast Propagator smack-pack.

Comments or alterations welcome.

Can someone clarify the process for me as it is worded poorly?

Is it meant to be:

1. Collect yeast slurry from fermentor in Jar A
2. Leave for 15 min
3. Pour top 3/4 of liquid from Jar A into Jar B
4. Top up Jar B with sterilised water
5. Discard remaining liquid in Jar A
6. Sterilise Jar A
7. Leave for 15 min
8. Repeat steps 3 to 7 four times, saving the top 3/4 of liquid from each transfer
9. Store in fridge for 24-48 hours
10. Discard most of liquid
11. Top up with sterilised water and shake
12. Store in fridge for 24 hours
13. Discard liquid if it is discoloured, otherwise store in fridge until usage

cheers

Hi guys,

Digging up a bit of an old post here.

Just trying to get a clear idea on this yeast harvesting/farming thing.

From what I can tell the top quote by QuantumBrewer would suggest that the aim is to keep the yeast slurry in the bottom of each jar/bottle, whereas L_Bomb seems to be suggesting that you discard what is at the bottom of the jar and simply keep the yeast that is in solution with the water. I would have thought that QuantumBrewer's method makes since (i.e. let the yeast settle in each bottle, discard the liquid from above the yeast, then top up with sterile water shake, let yeast settle again and repeat etc).

Can someone clarify this for me?

Cheers

Adam.

 

[themonkeysback]

Hi guys,

Digging up a bit of an old post here.

Just trying to get a clear idea on this yeast harvesting/farming thing.

From what I can tell the top quote by QuantumBrewer would suggest that the aim is to keep the yeast slurry in the bottom of each jar/bottle, whereas L_Bomb seems to be suggesting that you discard what is at the bottom of the jar and simply keep the yeast that is in solution with the water. I would have thought that QuantumBrewer's method makes since (i.e. let the yeast settle in each bottle, discard the liquid from above the yeast, then top up with sterile water shake, let yeast settle again and repeat etc).

Can someone clarify this for me?

Cheers

Adam.

Bump.

Can anyone help me out with this?

Cheers.

Adam.

 

[mxd]

don't know sorry, but I think in the wiki's there is an instruction, for me, at end of fermenting, I leave a little beer in fermenter and swirl, I then put about 300 ml of the "slurry" into a couple of bottles, then label and fridge, when it comes time to use that yeast again, I make a starter, pour the beer (the clearish stuff on the top) out of bottle then put the slurry into the starter.

So I don't clean/wash my yeast.

 

[dans6401]

Not to sure about washing the yeast. I personally make slants which is really quite easy, and i highly recommend. I have saved some of the trub / slurry before and it did work, but never did the washing thing. I would personally go with reusing the slurry after it's dropped out. (Pouring off the top and making a starter from the remainder). If i remember right that you can do this for a max of 5-6 times, and the yeast remains viable for only a couple of months. Others on here could definitley give you a better answer. But for my 2 cents, google making yeast slants and never buy two of the same strain again.
Now for my ? about yeast farming.
I scooped a bit of the krausen out at high fermentation with a sanitized soup spoon and funneled into a vial the other day. Capped it and put it in the fridge. Would this be better than reusing the slurry and should i bother making some slants out of it? Or just go out and grab another six pack of White Rabbit next time i want to use it?

 

[Wolfy]

From what I can tell the top quote by QuantumBrewer would suggest that the aim is to keep the yeast slurry in the bottom of each jar/bottle, whereas L_Bomb seems to be suggesting that you discard what is at the bottom of the jar and simply keep the yeast that is in solution with the water. I would have thought that QuantumBrewer's method makes since (i.e. let the yeast settle in each bottle, discard the liquid from above the yeast, then top up with sterile water shake, let yeast settle again and repeat etc).

Can someone clarify this for me?

The problem with keeping only what settles to the bottom is that the slurry can often have other foreign matter; bits of trub, break material, hop debris and gelatin/finnings that would 'contaminate' your yeast sample.
So, if you were to shake a sample of your slurry - and time it correctly - stuff that floats for too long or sinks too quickly should be discarded - keeping only the milky yeast from the middle of the sample.
Having said that, if you were to repeat this process a few times - I feel that you tend to discard a little too much of the viable yeast.

I personally use a combination of both methods, in the hope that I remove the majority of the foreign matter but also retain a high portion of the yeast.
The first time I wash the yeast, I keep only the suspended milky yeast from the center of the sample - but I also I try to time it correctly so that only the unwanted material - and not much yeast - sinks or floats and is discarded.
After that I wash it a few more times, but let it settle longer and keep the bottom later of settled yeast - each time it's washed using this method the water gradually gets clearer.
After 3-5 washes it tends to be very clear but also I've retained a fairly large proportion of the yeast from the original sample.

I scooped a bit of the krausen out at high fermentation with a sanitized soup spoon and funneled into a vial the other day. Capped it and put it in the fridge. Would this be better than reusing the slurry and should i bother making some slants out of it? Or just go out and grab another six pack of White Rabbit next time i want to use it?

One of the main advantages of repitching slurry is that you can get a large number of viable yeast cells, which is ideal for large volumes or high gravity worts.
If you've only saved a smallish sample, I'd just treat it as the same as building a starter from a slant or bottle, since there will probably not be enough yeast to pitch directly into your wort.

 

[MarshallBrew]

don't know sorry, but I think in the wiki's there is an instruction, for me, at end of fermenting, I leave a little beer in fermenter and swirl, I then put about 300 ml of the "slurry" into a couple of bottles, then label and fridge, when it comes time to use that yeast again, I make a starter, pour the beer (the clearish stuff on the top) out of bottle then put the slurry into the starter.

So I don't clean/wash my yeast.

Ok, so reading through the last nine pages over the last hour or so and almost thinking that re-using the yeast I cultured from a couple of CPA stubbies was going to be too much of a headf*ck, I have read the above and would like to thank you. This by far sounds like the easiest option for what I want to achieve.

Do you do this when there are Hops floating around in the slurry? If, so how does it turn out?

 

[manticle]

Not to sure about washing the yeast. I personally make slants which is really quite easy, and i highly recommend. I have saved some of the trub / slurry before and it did work, but never did the washing thing. I would personally go with reusing the slurry after it's dropped out. (Pouring off the top and making a starter from the remainder). If i remember right that you can do this for a max of 5-6 times, and the yeast remains viable for only a couple of months. Others on here could definitley give you a better answer. But for my 2 cents, google making yeast slants and never buy two of the same strain again.
Now for my ? about yeast farming.
I scooped a bit of the krausen out at high fermentation with a sanitized soup spoon and funneled into a vial the other day. Capped it and put it in the fridge. Would this be better than reusing the slurry and should i bother making some slants out of it? Or just go out and grab another six pack of White Rabbit next time i want to use it?

Yeast at the height of fermentation is super healthy. Everytime I have used top cropped yeast it has performed spectacularly (including top cropped that is stored cold for a period of time). I prefer it to reharvesting slurry.

 

[Kingy]

this thread needs a pictorial

 

[psytramp]

Hi,

Thanks for the great information, exactly what I needed.

Just a couple of questions if I can,

1. Whilst doing the above proceedure, is that done at room temp 21-24C?

2. While stroing the yeast, do you keep it a 4C?

3. How long will the yeast keep for?

4. Is there a chance of mutation by doing this?

Sorry for all the questions, thanks again!!

 

[Gavo]

1. Whilst doing the above procedure, is that done at room temp 21-24C?

Room temp is fine

2. While storing the yeast, do you keep it a 4C?

Or lower, just don,t let it freeze

3. How long will the yeast keep for?

quite some time, there are reports of keeping it over 12 months, I have, just use a starter when using it to ensure viability and that it is good to use.

4. Is there a chance of mutation by doing this?

Apparently over an number of generations yes, and there is a particular risk of infections. You need to be anal about cleanliness and sanitizing everything.

Cheers
Gavo

 

[IainMcLean]

Just used this technique to farm yeast for the first time. The results look promising. Like most things zymurgical I can't believe I've put it off so long!

 

[crd0902]

I know this is old but if I was to save my yeast then put it in some jars like the original post, what temp would I keep them at cheers
Chris

 

[Wolfy]

I know this is old but if I was to save my yeast then put it in some jars like the original post, what temp would I keep them at cheers
Chris

As cold as possible without freezing it - but for practical purposes simply put it in the fridge.

 

[Stuwort]

Is it possible yo harvest the yeast from Hoegaarden stubbies?

 

[sp0rk]

5 seconds on google says yes, it is possible
But if you want fresh stuff, Wyeast 3944 and WLP400 are the Hoegaarden strain according to http://www.mrmalty.com/yeast.htm#WL

 

[leahy268]

So far for the last 2 years I've basically been using the wolfy method for rinsing yeast. Although the early batches were done prior to reading this and consequently not so good.
However I think freeze my yeast with glycerine according to http://www.ipass.net/mpdixon/Homebrew/Freezing%20Yeast.htm which works fantastically.
I then defrost slowly when required and make a starter from it.
So far the oldest I've used is around 18 months with no issues.

This way I can keep a lot of different varieties of yeast and not have to brew the same beer again straight away.

 

[slcmorro]

Can i use the jar of liquid with the milky white yeast cells in the bottom as is? As in, tip it into the fermenter without making a starter, providing my OG is 1040 or less?

 

[yum beer]

Only if its no very old, less than 2 weeks I find is OK, not ideal but OK.
Prefferable to make a starter.

 

[slcmorro]

It came out of a batch that was in the FV for 3 weeks overall, on Thursday night. I'll make a starter

 

[chiller]

Interesting revisiting this thread after all these years. A bit like chinese whispers by now

You want to collect the milky liquid at each step as there is a very high amount of yeast in the liquid in this milky form. What you see as a yeast layer remaining at the end of each step prior to transferring to a small collection vial is discarded in this cleaning method as this contains hop debri and a higher content of not so healthy yeast This method is for longer term storage under sterile water.

If you can, lower the temperature of the sterile water and the collected yeast for each stage to fridge temperature and then store your samples at fridge temperatures = with this method do not freeze.

I have used this method for a long time now and the only problem I have faced is for too many yeast varieties collected. The most important aspect of this or any other method of yeast collecting is meteciculous cleanliness at all stages of your process. It is not worth saving a couple of dollars to ruin a whole batch because you or a friend wasn't careful about infections.