Wheat Beer Yeast Washing?

Rubberband · 04-19-2009, 08:30 PM

I have never tried my hand at yeast washing and I am considering trying, given the cost of liquid yeast. Are there certain types of yeast that lend themselves to washing better than others? I have a Bavarian Hefe to bottle, it's on a Wyeast W3068 cake and I would like to collect some for starters later.

I have noticed that the wheat yeast cake is a lot less firm than a Nottingham cake and I was wondering if this makes it harder or easier for washing. The sticky on washing makes it looks easy, I'd like to keep the valuable yeast that I've raised past one batch of beer. I also have an Oatmeal stout that is on a Wyeast 1084 (Irish Ale), I could also collect this one but I would appreciate a little input on types of yeast that are easier to wash.

Also, I use hop pellets and I try to filter them out with a strainer when I pour into the fermentor. I get most of it out but some is still in there. Will this negatively affect the washing process?

**944play** · 04-19-2009, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rubberband

Are there certain types of yeast that lend themselves to washing better than others?

Probably, and I'd guess that weizen yeast is one of those that's less preferred to bottom-crop. It's supposedly excellent for top-cropping, though.

homebrewer_99 · 04-19-2009, 11:04 PM

You can wash any yeast you want to clean up and reuse.

Just remember after mixing the water and trub it's the stuff that falls out of suspension that you want to toss out...the "cloudy water" is actually the yeast in suspension.

After 2 or 3 transfers the heavy sediment should be gone leaving only yeast.

gannawdm · 01-05-2011, 03:19 AM

I'm going to revive this thread as I have the same question. I've washed yeast before and have noticed that the trub seemed to settle MUCH faster in the past. This is the first time I've tried to wash yeast from a Belgian Wit using WLP400. Does it just take much longer for the trub to settle or is there just less trub?