How large a container should I use when harvesting yeast?

[TomFromEnfield]

Hi All

I'm new to the forum and this is my first post so I apologise if this has been asked already. I did have a search but couldn't see quite what I was after.

I've been thinking about harvesting yeast from batch to batch and although I've managed to find a lot of information on how to do this I haven't really been able to nail down how much liquid I should be collecting.

If I collect yeast from primary using sterilised water what kind of volume of liquid should I aim to collect in order to have enough yeast to pitch for a 5 gallon batch? I usually brew 5-6% beers. I also don't usually bother with starters but am happy to do so if that's the best option.

 

[Dutto]

Personally, I use:

• 2 x 1kg Klinger Jars for yeast collected from the FV. These are filled with cool/boiled water, shaken and left to settle. After settling the top (clear) section is gently poured off.
• 1 x 1kg Klinger Jar into which I pour the middle part of the other two jars. This is again filled with cool/boiled water and again shaken and left to settle. After settling the top (clear) liquid is poured off.
• 1 x Lidl Jam Jar (about 350ml) into which I pour the middle part of the previous Klinger Jar.

The process leaves about 1cm of live yeast in the bottom of the Jam Jar. I generally stick this in my kitchen fridge but it could be used straight away if required. As a general rule, I lift the yeast out of the fridge the day before it will be needed and make a yeast starter overnight.

I've not done it, but I presume that an alternative would be to just bring the yeast up to pitch temperature on the day it's needed.

NB

All of the jars and their lids are sanitised with StarSan before I start the harvesting.

 

[TomFromEnfield]

Perfect, thank you.

 

[Ajhutch]

Dutto’s method is more thorough than what I do! My last brew that I wanted to harvest I prepared 2x 1 litre plastic Tupperware jugs with clip on lids. The yeast had actually compacted really well on the bottom of the FV so I was able to rack off almost all of the beer such that I actually only filled one Tupperware. So I just sanitised the Tupperware, swirled up the yeast from the FV into the remaining beer and put all of that mix into the Tupperware. I haven’t done the decanting exercise which Dutto outlined, I’ve heard a couple of podcasts where people say they don’t bother and I’m lazy! I also think the fewer different vessels touch the yeast the safer the exercise is. I’ll take it out, decant and make a starter when I want to use it.