yeast washing rinsing confusion...

[loady]

Im off to the shops today to get some container, i am due to rack off some brews and want to harvest the yeast, im aware there are plenty of topics and threads on this process but i have done to much reading again and getting 'to much' information so prolly best to directly post my question.

What i want to have at the end of the process is vials i can store and just chuck into the wort like you would dried yeast albeit not dried of course..whats the process for this ? i am aware there is washing and rinsing which is two different things, i am open to freezing samples and getting them out a day before to stabilise temp wise..or possibly even making a starter if its not to involved..im much prefer the idea of get it out the fridge the day before pitching, bring it to room temp and chuck it in..is that possible ?

 

[bunkerbrewer]

I agree there's a lot of confusing information about this! Technically "washing" is a chemical wash, so this is all about rinsing.

Here's my process:

1. On bottling day, boil 2L of water and cool it down
2. Chuck this cooled water onto the trub in the FV, and give it a good shake
3. Carefully sanitise a demijohn and funnel, and put the diluted trub in the DJ. Cover with sanitised foil and give it another good shake (you're trying to break up yeast flocs)
4. Wait no more than 30 mins. You should see 3 layers forming in the DJ - the stuff on the bottom is trub.
5. Pour off the top two layers into another sanitised container - I use a 2L Kilner jar
6. Leave this in the fridge for a day for the suspended yeast to drop out
7. Pour off most of the liquid and transfer the rest - 500ml soft drinks bottles or 50ml test tubes from eBay

You will get plenty of yeast to re-pitch directly into a new brew, but if you leave it more than a couple of weeks it's best to make a starter. Trust your instincts - if the yeast tastes and smells OK, it's probably OK - if it seems "off" then chuck it.

If you're freezing yeast I think you need to add glycerine, but I've never done this myself.

 

[PuggledPrune]

Can I ask a stupid question..?

Step 5: How do you pour off the two layers and leave the bottom layer? Will it not all just come out together?

 

[bunkerbrewer]

Can I ask a stupid question..?

Step 5: How do you pour off the two layers and leave the bottom layer? Will it not all just come out together?

It's easier than it sounds. Just pour in one smooth motion without glugging or tipping the DJ back, and it just pours from the top down.

But it really doesn't matter too much if you leave a bit of yeast, or include some trub.

 

[PuggledPrune]

Can I ask a stupid question..?

Step 5: How do you pour off the two layers and leave the bottom layer? Will it not all just come out together?

It's easier than it sounds. Just pour in one smooth motion without glugging or tipping the DJ back, and it just pours from the top down.

But it really doesn't matter too much if you leave a bit of yeast, or include some trub.

Thanks mate! Gonna do that with my current brew.

 

[craftybeer]

1. On bottling day, boil 2L of water and cool it down
2. Chuck this cooled water onto the trub in the FV, and give it a good shake
3. Carefully sanitise a demijohn and funnel, and put the diluted trub in the DJ. Cover with sanitised foil and give it another good shake (you're trying to break up yeast flocs)
4. Wait no more than 30 mins. You should see 3 layers forming in the DJ - the stuff on the bottom is trub.

I wanted to keep the yeast from a batch I bottled on Sunday. This will be the first time I've tried to reuse yeast. I did steps 1,2 & 3 but then put it in the fridge and forgot about it. It's now 3 days later and I haven't done step 4.

Will it still be OK to pour out the top couple of layers and carry on with the instructions?

 

[Yob]

you get better separation if it's not too cold as the good yeast will want to flocc with the trub.. you can let it warm back up to room temp and do it at that stage easily enough.

separate, into starter.. boom :thumb:

 

[orlando]

I agree there's a lot of confusing information about this! Technically "washing" is a chemical wash, so this is all about rinsing.

Here's my process:

1. On bottling day, boil 2L of water and cool it down
2. Chuck this cooled water onto the trub in the FV, and give it a good shake
3. Carefully sanitise a demijohn and funnel, and put the diluted trub in the DJ. Cover with sanitised foil and give it another good shake (you're trying to break up yeast flocs)
4. Wait no more than 30 mins. You should see 3 layers forming in the DJ - the stuff on the bottom is trub.
5. Pour off the top two layers into another sanitised container - I use a 2L Kilner jar
6. Leave this in the fridge for a day for the suspended yeast to drop out
7. Pour off most of the liquid and transfer the rest - 500ml soft drinks bottles or 50ml test tubes from eBay

You will get plenty of yeast to re-pitch directly into a new brew, but if you leave it more than a couple of weeks it's best to make a starter. Trust your instincts - if the yeast tastes and smells OK, it's probably OK - if it seems "off" then chuck it.

If you're freezing yeast I think you need to add glycerine, but I've never done this myself.

Really good process but I would just make one observation about the first step. Yeast is very sensitive to rapid temperature change, even 2c can make a difference, I would be inclined to try to ensure the cooled boiled water is as close to the same temp as the yeast as is practical.

 

[evanvine]

Step 5: How do you pour off the two layers and leave the bottom layer? Will it not all just come out together?

The taller and narrower your container, the easier this is!
View this topic!