How to top crop yeast from a carboy.

[TastyMcD]

Tasty >> it seems that you have skimmed yeast from the top before, so, how much should we collect for a brew? Do we need a starter, and will this top cropped yeast be ok stored for about 12 days or so till next brew day?

I generally topcrop until I get about a half-teaspoon of solids then use that to make a starter for my next batch. After it ferments out (amazingly fast), I store it in the fridge for up to two weeks without any problem. (BTW, never store the yeast in unfermented wort)

Sometimes I'll capture enough yeast for a pitch if the next batch is in a few days. I just let the collected yeast and wort ferment out and then either refrigerate or pitch.

Once in a while in my peak brewing month which happens to starts in 2 weeks, I'll use the blow-off method of top cropping (versus spooning it off) and move the yeast right into a new batch of aerated wort. (conical to conical....sorta like mid-air refueling with high octane yeast) Vigorous ferment would be an understatement. Just watch your ferment temp.

Tasty

[snooker]

hey tasty/juicy (if i may call you that),
what do you mean by not storing top cropped yeast in unfermented wort? when i collect it is it, it's pretty much all fluffy and not much liquid. even with 4 days in the fridge it doesn't settle out much.

just noticed this and gotta promote the glorious irish victory over the dirty french earlier today!

[Hammer]

Sam Scott - Thanks, this is an awesome post. I had some 3/8 Stainless tubing left over from making racking canes and boom. pulled some yeast off of a pale ale yesterday. Opened some pressure cooked wort and within minutes the starter for Saturdays batch is crankin.

You read about top cropping and its benefits but never thought to put it to practice. Thinking this is the only way to go now.

[imacoming]

Could you use another carboy to collect the blow off?

[BDogD]

Tasty wrote:
I generally topcrop until I get about a half-teaspoon of solids

Only a half teaspoon - that's only 2.5 ml. Really that little?

Alan

[TastyMcD]

Tasty wrote:
I generally topcrop until I get about a half-teaspoon of solids

Only a half teaspoon - that's only 2.5 ml. Really that little?

Alan

Keep in mind that I put those solids into a 2000ml starter. I collect more when I want the starter to finish sooner and try not to take more yeast that I need.

Tasty

[BDogD]

Tasty wrote:
I generally topcrop until I get about a half-teaspoon of solids

Only a half teaspoon - that's only 2.5 ml. Really that little?

Alan

Keep in mind that I put those solids into a 2000ml starter. I collect more when I want the starter to finish sooner and try not to take more yeast that I need.

Tasty

How many foamy spoonfuls does it usually take to get that half thimble full of yeast? I was going to ask what size you inoculate that into - 2000 ml I see. What kind of yield with that volume? In other words, into what size and gravity of batch do you feel comfortable pitching that product? Or do you step it up again (probably for some planned batches)?

Alan

[TastyMcD]

How many foamy spoonfuls does it usually take to get that half thimble full of yeast? I was going to ask what size you inoculate that into - 2000 ml I see. What kind of yield with that volume? In other words, into what size and gravity of batch do you feel comfortable pitching that product? Or do you step it up again (probably for some planned batches)?

Alan

It depends.

First of all I'm a 10 gallon brewer. (That means I pull the first pint from one of two completely full 5 gallon kegs. No short knock-outs for me.)

If I'm harvesting using my 18 inch sanitized mash stir spoon (versus the blow-off method), I'll usually take one spoonful at high krausen and put that into a 2000ml 1.035-1.040 starter wort and let it ferment out. I would use that starter as-is for brews under 1.060 and step it up to 4000ml for bigger beers or lagers. If I need the starter sooner or go right to 4000ml, I'll take three or four spoonfuls or use the blow-off method (to collect a bunch).

So the short answer is the more you harvest the less time it takes the starter to ferment.

Again, I don't want to steal too much yeast from the current batch because it needs to ferment out. I'm top cropping for the quality of the yeast, not to save money or a trip to the LHBS.

Try it and let us know if you see a difference in the ferment.

Tasty