Yeast Rinsing Question (with Picture)

[JoeBeer100]

I would like some help identifying the different parts of my yeast harvest and knowing what part is the viable part to be used for my next batch. See the picture below. This is Wyeast 2124 from a 10 gallon batch, first generation. I poured boiled and chilled water into the carboys, shook them up, and then poured the slurry into my big jar and let it settle overnight in the fridge. The picture shows how it has settled out in the jar. It appears to have 4 layers (5 if you include the water on top). From bottom to top I have:
1. Thin, dark layer
2. Thick, light-colored layer
3. Somewhat darker light-colored layer
4. Thin, light-colored layer
5. Water layer

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Afterlab]

I would like some help identifying the different parts of my yeast harvest and knowing what part is the viable part to be used for my next batch. See the picture below. This is Wyeast 2124 from a 10 gallon batch, first generation. I poured boiled and chilled water into the carboys, shook them up, and then poured the slurry into my big jar and let it settle overnight in the fridge. The picture shows how it has settled out in the jar. It appears to have 4 layers (5 if you include the water on top). From bottom to top I have:
1. Thin, dark layer
2. Thick, light-colored layer
3. Somewhat darker light-colored layer
4. Thin, light-colored layer
5. Water layer

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Wow I must say this is one of the cleaner if not the cleanest looking yeast rinse I've seen. Well done sir.

Layer 1. Definitely get rid of this.
Layer 2. Keep
Layer 3. Odd that this is darker, but I'd say keep it.
Layer 4. Keep
Layer 5. Keep the bottom third of it.

Even if you don't think you'll ever use portions of it, keep as much of this yeast around as you can, because even if it dies after a few months it can still be used as "Yeast Extract" the next time you do a yeast starter.

[Ozwald]

Keep layer 2, ditch all the rest.

1 - Sediment
2 - Good yeast
3 - Proteins & a little bit of so-so yeast. You don't want this layer.
4 - Poor yeast with some other crap in it
5 - Mostly water with a little bit of beer & the yeast you absolutely do not want.

[mobrewer]

Go to the AHA forum and read https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/ ... ic=19850.0

[Ozwald]

Go to the AHA forum and read https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/ ... ic=19850.0

While cropping is a very good technique & is essentially "self-rinsing", that has nothing to do with the rinsing process which has it's own merits. I've spent thousands of hours with hands-on research in both washing & rinsing. It is a very viable process, as is cropping.

No matter which one prefers, cropping doesn't have anything to do with the situation at hand.

[mobrewer]

The author claims not rinsing is the best technique even with a non-top cropping strain. I believe the point the author is trying to make is fermented beer on top of the yeast is safer than using the boiled water one would use for rinsing the yeast. Their point was there's no need to rinse, which was a process described in an amateur homebrewing text. I'm not saying this is true or false I just found it interesting. Without multiple controlled experiments there's no way of knowing which method would be better- yeast rinsing or simply decanting and leaving some of the fermented beer on top of the yeast. Just something to consider. Is there scientific justification for rinsing yeast or is it just a practice that people got used to doing because that what others did? Are there multiple professional brewing studies that justify rinsing yeast?