Yeast Harvesting and starters

[spook123_uk]

Hi all,

I'm toying with the idea of harvesting my yeast as I'm always buying WLP001 to add to my brews.
I think I understand the main concepts of washing and harvesting the yeast but how do I know that I have collected enough??
I've also got all of the components I need here to fashion a stir plate. All I need is the magnetic stirrer bar and a conical flask :)
Again I understand the principles of making a yeast starter (and up until now, for 1.050 ish ales, I've been chucking a pack of WLP001 in to a 5 gallon batch) but how do I know how much I will need to make based on what I have harvested??

I think I have a bit of an understanding but could do with more before I give it a go if you guys can enlighten me!

Cheers,
Rich

 

[terrym]

You might find this useful, I did, thanks to MyQul. http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/sh...3&postcount=16

 

[keat64]

As an experiment, I did a yeast harvest at the weekend.
I used it on a hotch potch Frankenstien of a brew (mash tun second runnings, spent hops etc)

It brewed away quite vigourously for 2 days then slowed down somewhat.
Assuming that my second runnings had released little sugars, I decided to add about 250 grams of household sugar.
The brew stopped completly.

Whilst I was in my LHBS today, I picked up an ale yeast sachet and put about 1/4 in to Frankenstein, and within 45 minutes he was brewing again.
seems maybe either I killed my harvest or it just wasn't up to the job.