Washing yeast
- Thread starter Rodcx500z
- Start date
Help Support The Homebrew Forum:
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2015
- Messages
- 10,717
- Reaction score
- 10,630
Ok
My approach is to rack all my beers after 2 weeks and if I want to re-use the yeast, leave some wort in the primary and decant it into 250ml bottles, via a 2L jug. Very easy and the yeast seems to quite like being under green beer as opposed to water. Even in the fridge, it continues to ferment.
Hi Slid, I have never done it before so just seeing what I get will post pics when i'm done, only using sterilised jam jars so will prob chuck it and get some proper jars
PhilBrew
Landlord.
Hi Rod
So what's in the pot, is that washed yeast or yeast slurry and beer ... if the latter, I agree with Slid, don't wash it, it's happiest under beer, washing it (unless you're talking about 'proper' acid washing) will just raise the pH and make it more susceptible to infection
... it it's already washed, well you're just seeing what you get, I suppose 
Cheers
So what's in the pot, is that washed yeast or yeast slurry and beer ... if the latter, I agree with Slid, don't wash it, it's happiest under beer, washing it (unless you're talking about 'proper' acid washing) will just raise the pH and make it more susceptible to infection
... it it's already washed, well you're just seeing what you get, I suppose Cheers
![BREWING THERMOMETER STICKERS ACCURATELY MONITOR FERMENTING BEER & WINE LIQUID TEMPERATURES 5PCS HOME BREW SPIRITS WINE LCD ADHESIVE [US]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/311DDjo2X3L._SL500_.jpg)
An Ankoù
Landlord.
There's nothing wrong with sterilised jam jars. What are "proper" jars, anyway? A sterilised jam jar or a pint glass with a new freezer bag on top held on with an elastic band, or a bit of aluminium foil is a lot safer than all the rubber rings and metal bits of a Kilner jar.
Hi Phil, I left some beer in the bottom swirled it round let it settle then transfard to jam jars, do I now store them in the fridgeHi Rod
So what's in the pot, is that washed yeast or yeast slurry and beer ... if the latter, I agree with Slid, don't wash it, it's happiest under beer, washing it (unless you're talking about 'proper' acid washing) will just raise the pH and make it more susceptible to infection
Cheers
PhilBrew
Landlord.
... yes ... like Slid suggested, it might still carry on fermenting, so you might want to 'burp' the lids after a day or two, and again a day or two after that ... until the pressure is no longer building
Cheers, PhilB
Exactly the right spirit in which to approach these things - it's a hobby, not a space shuttle launch
This is pretty much where I was a few months ago - I took some advice from MyQul and got some 50ml centrifuge tubes from eBay...
Now I routinely used one of these (sanitised!) to scoop some yeast from the bottom of the FV after I've transferred to the bottling bucket.
My imperfect brewing technique means this scoop usually includes some hop trub and other gunk, but there's enough yeast present to grow a starter for next time. And, as already mentioned, once it's settled out there's a layer of beer on top to keep the yeast safe stored in the fridge.
This is what I am left with,
In the fridge how do I make a starter, I love these learning curves
Use the search function and/or look in the how to guides for making a starter, and also how to make a stir plate...
I make a starter using 1.5L water + 100g DME, boil for 15 mins to sterilise and concentrate it down to about 1L and should give you a gravity around 1.035-1.040 (I think I found that in an old post by terrym just using the search - there's loads of stuff)
I make a starter using 1.5L water + 100g DME, boil for 15 mins to sterilise and concentrate it down to about 1L and should give you a gravity around 1.035-1.040 (I think I found that in an old post by terrym just using the search - there's loads of stuff
)
Cheers MattUse the search function and/or look in the how to guides for making a starter, and also how to make a stir plate...
I make a starter using 1.5L water + 100g DME, boil for 15 mins to sterilise and concentrate it down to about 1L and should give you a gravity around 1.035-1.040 (I think I found that in an old post by terrym just using the search - there's loads of stuff
PhilBrew
Landlord.
Hi Matt
Rod
A sterilised 4 pint plastic milk container will suffice for a starter flask ... when you're ready to make a starter (2-3 days before you plan to brew) get the yeast out of the fridge and let it warm up slowly, make the starter wort following the recipe Matt suggests, let it cool and transfer into a sterilised milk container, when it's cooled to the same temp as the yeast, decant most of the beer off the top of the yeast, give it a swirl and pitch it into the wort, put the lid on and give it a good swirl/shake ... then put it somewhere warm where you go past on a regular basis (a kitchen bench say) and give it a good swirl whenever you go past it ... you won't get as many yeast cells produced as you would if you invested in a flat bottomed flask and a stir plate to continually stir your starter, but unless you also invested in a microscope and did some cell counting, you really wouldn't be able to tell the difference
Cheers, PhilB
... is advising to build a stir plate really following the ethos of ...
Rod
A sterilised 4 pint plastic milk container will suffice for a starter flask ... when you're ready to make a starter (2-3 days before you plan to brew) get the yeast out of the fridge and let it warm up slowly, make the starter wort following the recipe Matt suggests, let it cool and transfer into a sterilised milk container, when it's cooled to the same temp as the yeast, decant most of the beer off the top of the yeast, give it a swirl and pitch it into the wort, put the lid on and give it a good swirl/shake ... then put it somewhere warm where you go past on a regular basis (a kitchen bench say) and give it a good swirl whenever you go past it ... you won't get as many yeast cells produced as you would if you invested in a flat bottomed flask and a stir plate to continually stir your starter, but unless you also invested in a microscope and did some cell counting, you really wouldn't be able to tell the difference
Cheers, PhilB
You've clearly never seen my Space Shuttle. Sorry, I mean my stir plate
Instructions from strange-steve are here if you're interested:
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/how-to-build-a-stir-plate-for-less-than-ten-quid.65471/
Instructions from strange-steve are here if you're interested:
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/how-to-build-a-stir-plate-for-less-than-ten-quid.65471/
Cheers Phil, I love this hobby and all that goes with itHi Matt
... is advising to build a stir plate really following the ethos of ...
Rod
A sterilised 4 pint plastic milk container will suffice for a starter flask ... when you're ready to make a starter (2-3 days before you plan to brew) get the yeast out of the fridge and let it warm up slowly, make the starter wort following the recipe Matt suggests, let it cool and transfer into a sterilised milk container, when it's cooled to the same temp as the yeast, decant most of the beer off the top of the yeast, give it a swirl and pitch it into the wort, put the lid on and give it a good swirl/shake ... then put it somewhere warm where you go past on a regular basis (a kitchen bench say) and give it a good swirl whenever you go past it ... you won't get as many yeast cells produced as you would if you invested in a flat bottomed flask and a stir plate to continually stir your starter, but unless you also invested in a microscope and did some cell counting, you really wouldn't be able to tell the difference
Cheers, PhilB
Hi Matt love all this advice, for the time being I will try the 4 pint bottle method then as I get more experienced I may have ago at building oneYou've clearly never seen my Space Shuttle. Sorry, I mean my stir plate
View attachment 20235
Instructions from strange-steve are here if you're interested:
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/how-to-build-a-stir-plate-for-less-than-ten-quid.65471/
Sorry to go slightly off topic - but only slightly - but you suggest making a starter with an OG of 1.040
Is there any point in making a starter if your wort is going to be 1.040-45?
Thinking of doing a lower abv brew and I can't see what the difference is between making a starter at that gravity or just pitching it straight in?
Is there any point in making a starter if your wort is going to be 1.040-45?
Thinking of doing a lower abv brew and I can't see what the difference is between making a starter at that gravity or just pitching it straight in?
The volume. Fewer work required to chew through 2l of 1.040 wort than it does 20l of 1.040 wort.
