Yeast Washing

[Sammus]

Howdy. I just tipped the gunk from the bottom of primary into a sanitized jar ready to pitch into a brew. In this picture, is the stuff on the bottom trub and non yeast junk, and that tiny bubbly layer on top is yeast? Would it be bad if I pitched the whole thing into my brew?

 

[BOG]

Bung the thing in the fridge and it will settle out with left over beer on top and trub on bottom and a thin layer of yeast on top of the trub.

I wash it (see other posts on washing yeast) and then seperate it to smaller jars.

You can then just pitch the lot into the next brew as it.

I've previously asked a question regarding how to filter the trub from the yeast but got no real answer.

The washing works fine but I've still not been able to work out how to seperate the yeast from the trub.



BOG

 

[matti]

I think washing yeast is the best way.
Unless you can collect the krausen.
I've heared of centrifugal filters but thats beyond our HB capability.


Best bet is to: make a starter and split it up.= less chance of mutation.
Second best: harvest the krausen.
Third: collect the drop out in conical fermenter
fourth: collect trub and make the best out of it
fifth: dump on old yeast cake
etc..etc...

Hey I may have got it all wrong But its been a long day at the office :wacko:

 

[Sammus]

Hmm I gotta pitch in about 2 hours so I might just chuck the whole jar in Lotsa people pitch straight onto the cake so I guess its really no different (this is only about 1/3 of the cake though, I'll wash the other jars properly).

So is that bubbly stuff on top yeast? or are that thin layer of liquid plus the stuff on top rich with yeast...

 

[BOG]

Trub on the bottom. It's heavy with hops etc and settles out first.

Next layer is yeast. You'll see it as very fine brown liquid at a different density.

Stuff at the top is Beer with a little Krausen (and some more suspended yeast)

You don't have time but if you did chill it at 4 deg for 2 days and the yeast in the Krausen would drop out also. You then pour off the beer add some clean water, shake and chill again etc etc until it goes clear (Yeast Washing)

Half of my 2nd beer fridge is now yeast. I've started swapping it with guys at work for different strains.

BOG

 

[Sammus]

Heh yeah, I'm just confused coz that pinned 'yeast farming' topic said "the heavier stuff will settle, then you can pour 3/4 liquid off the top" so I was expecting the trub to be a lot less... meh. hope shakin that jar and chuckin it into my currently chilling brew is enough to get it goin. should be about 25L of 1.065.

 

[Sammus]

Heh well I guess there was plenty, I just shook up the jar and chucked it in and 9 hours later its nearly climbing out of the airlock (with about 10L headspace)

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

I think washing yeast is the best way.
Unless you can collect the krausen.
I've heared of centrifugal filters but thats beyond our HB capability.
Best bet is to: make a starter and split it up.= less chance of mutation.
Second best: harvest the krausen.
Third: collect the drop out in conical fermenter
fourth: collect trub and make the best out of it
fifth: dump on old yeast cake
etc..etc...

Hey I may have got it all wrong But its been a long day at the office :wacko:

Harvest the krausen :unsure: I was told this one by someone up in QLD, Sunshine Coast I think. At the time I thought the sun may have got to him B) Anyway now I have read about it again. What is the best way? Scrape it off with a sterile spoon and put it in a sterile jar or what? I am currently brewing an American Ale with US-56 and would like to re-use this yeast. I have pitched on top of a previous yeast cake which was a liquid yeast. Never pitched onto a dry type of yeast or harvested the krausen.