yeast harvesting

[deanocamino]

I harvested my first batch of yeast yesterday. got 2.5 quart jars, the first one has water/beer and a 1/2 inch layer of yeast on it. the second has beer/water a very small yeast layer and trub. the third one is just the water stuff and trub. now how do I go about getting the yeast off the trup? pour it off. Then use that yeast in my starter? or is that the slurry (just the yeast by itself? This bit of brewing confused me alot. Thanks

[mikebiewer]

Deanocamino

I hear you man. I really want to give rinsing a try as well. I'm just to chicken to do I think. So I commend you for doing it. I've been doing a lot of research and listening to the pod casts on this so I think I've got a plan for it. Let me run some of this by you and tell me if it makes sense and is worth trying.

First off, when are you going to brew again? Once you get all that yeast, you'll either need to prep it for long storage or use it up in a week or two.

Secondly, judging by what you are saying in your question, the jar with water, beer, and 1/2 of yeast on it is probably your best bet. (How did you go about getting your yeast out?)

From there, I would just pour off the water/beer one and use that yeast. I say that because you've let these sit for over a day now. Usually what you want to do is mix up the cake with some water, get it into the jars, and after 15 minutes or so, pour that solution into another jar. During those first 15 minutes the trub pieces will fall to the bottom of the jar.

Now you would wait for some of the yeast to settle out or you could make a starter with that solution.

HOWEVER, just judging what you've posted here, I'd use the second option of beer, water, and yeast, pour that beer/water off and use the yeast to make a starter.

Of course, this is my two cents. I have no real experience doing it. I have read a bit about it though and know how it should theoretically work.

You of course are past this point, but did you see this?

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast- ... ted-41768/

Let me know if this helps. I don't normally step in when I have no working experience. But since I've been researching this a lot, plus no one else was pointing you in a direction, I thought I'd step in.

Good luck!

[Ozwald]

+1 on yeast rinsing, it's a lot of fun and it saves some cash. I haven't traveled past my kitchen for yeast in over 6 months with a few dozen batches between. I will warn you however, it takes up some time and a little dedication - maybe just a little more than owning an energetic dog - remember, you just inherited millions of sex-crazed little pets that just want to give you as many offspring as possible. That, and I can almost guarantee you will screw up several times while learning the process.

#1 - Always, always, always, ALWAYS taste & smell your cultures. If it doesn't taste clean and good, toss it. Chances are it's infected, and personally I don't want that spoiling my other cultures.

#2 - Work with one at a time. Spoiling and cross-contamination are all too easy with yeast.

#3 - Use glass. It's easier to sterilize (sanitizing isn't going to be enough). I have an arsenal of 10oz jelly jars, large spaghetti sauce jars, growlers & gallon jugs that I use.

#4 - Separate into 3 or 4 'batches'. If they all spoil, you did something wrong. If only 1 spoils you can start narrowing your process down to see where you messed up along the way.

#5 - For the first few months, keep a vial, smackpack or dry pouch handy. Nothing sucks more than finding out your last culture that is ready for pitching turned south on you.

With those basic rules outlined, here's what you do. Boil the living snot out of a couple clean jars. Using tongs, remove them from the water while it's still boiling. Immediately cap with tin foil and put them in the fridge. Once it's cooled past 60F, take your sample and decant as much beer off the top as you can. I always use a lighter to flame the rim anytime that foil comes off. Now pour some of your pre-boiled water to the cake and swirl it up good. Start with approximately 2 parts water to 1 part yeast to get started; after you have the process down you can alter this ratio for different results. Wait for 2-15 minutes (again, experience is the key), the trub will settle out first with the yeast cells that you don't want. Pour off into another sterilized jar, leaving the gunk in the bottom of the first jar. You can be ready for a starter or storage at this point, but I like to take an extra step to increase viability, yeast health, and to select the best possible yeast in any given culture. To do this, allow your 2nd jar to settle for a while longer, you'll have a creamy white yeast cake forming in the bottom. When a lot of the good stuff has settled out, flame & decant the remaining liquid which will be hazy. Add a little more (ounce or so) pre-boiled water and store it in the fridge until you're ready for a starter.

It sounds like your first jar is ready for this process. As for the third jar, if all you see is trub and no yeast, don't waste your time unless you absolutely need it. I'd just dump it. As for your 2nd jar, make a small starter right in the jar and let it ferment out all the way. Crash it in the fridge, decant the beer and pour the yeast/trub cake in a growler and do a regular starter just as if you were brewing. When that one ferments all the way out, that culture will be ready for the rinsing process just like your first jar.

Be patient. Like I said, you will screw this up - it takes some practice. But don't be scared away by it, it's much easier than it sounds.