Blow off?

**mux** · 01-25-2012, 08:18 PM

I have a blow off tube on a rye pale ale I'm fermenting with wlp001. The jar the blow off tube is in had about 2"-2.5" of a yeast cake on the bottom. Can I decant and Dave that yeast?

Sardoman · 01-25-2012, 08:24 PM

I advise against it. The blowoff container had something like starsan, vodka or something in it, right? Even if it was just water, these are not ideal conditions for yeast. If you're going to wash and save yeast, save the good, happy yeast from the bottom of a fermenter of low to mid-gravity beer.

**mux** · 01-25-2012, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sardoman

I advise against it. The blowoff container had something like starsan, vodka or something in it, right? Even if it was just water, these are not ideal conditions for yeast. If you're going to wash and save yeast, save the good, happy yeast from the bottom of a fermenter of low to mid-gravity beer.

I use gasoline. Yeah, I wasn't sure. I read somewhere that star san was good for yeast. I can wait until, and rack onto the cake.

**mux** · 01-25-2012, 08:34 PM

Heres a picture. The yeast look good to me. May be I'll do an experiment.

Sardoman · 01-25-2012, 08:40 PM

Experiments are fun!

**mux** · 01-25-2012, 08:45 PM

The cool thing is that I used a vial of yeast to make starter for a beer. Instead of tossing the vial, I put in the fridge. After mashing I poured some cooed wort into the vial and let it sit at room temp for 24 hours. I then pitched into a 1800 ml starter. It took off like crazy. 48 hours later I pitched into that rye pale. That was Saturday.

ChessRockwell · 01-26-2012, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mux

Instead of tossing the vial, I put in the fridge. After mashing I poured some cooed wort into the vial and let it sit at room temp for 24 hours. I then pitched into a 1800 ml starter. It took off like crazy

Genius! I knew I threw my WLP300 empty vial back in the fridge for a reason...

You know, many of the ancient brewers of indigenous cultures used to start their brews with a stick. It would be taken from the bottom of their previous brew with slimy yeast cake all over it and hung up to dry. All kinds of cracks and crevices for the yeast to hide. Anytime a new brew was made it would be tossed in and apparently there would be enough surviving yeast to start off the new brew. I was actually thinking of trying this method just for the sheer awesomeness of saying I had done so...

**thegerm** · 01-26-2012, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mux

I use gasoline.

wait... what??

**thegerm** · 01-26-2012, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChessRockwell

Genius! I knew I threw my WLP300 empty vial back in the fridge for a reason...

You know, many of the ancient brewers of indigenous cultures used to start their brews with a stick. It would be taken from the bottom of their previous brew with slimy yeast cake all over it and hung up to dry. All kinds of cracks and crevices for the yeast to hide. Anytime a new brew was made it would be tossed in and apparently there would be enough surviving yeast to start off the new brew. I was actually thinking of trying this method just for the sheer awesomeness of saying I had done so...

all pre industrial beers were smoked beers as well, because they used wood fired kilns and not smokeless charcoal. english milds were originally called mild because they had yet to go completely sour due to the inevitable high bacterial load of all beers due to the complete lack of understanding of sanitation.

so, you can reuse that yeast in your blowoff container, it will make beer, but it probably has quite a large load of wild bugs and yeasts mixed in as well.

**mux** · 01-26-2012, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thegerm

wait... what??

Kidding. I use s star San solution.