Yeast Wash--which 'connection to cut'? (see pix)

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ChadLeBald

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I need some help here. Need to know what to keep and what to throw away.

Background:
Attempting my first yeast wash (technically 2 yeast washes as I have two different strains), and here's where I'm at til now.

-I left a bit of beer on the yeast cake from each primary fermenter (both beers are porters--just in case that makes any difference to what you see here).
-I swirled up each one and poured into two separate sanitized jars.
-Put each in fridge and a day later, here's how they are looking.

This one is a California Ale yeast:
3 layers, and as you can see, the top layer is VERY thin--like less than a centimeter.

i01e5e



This one is a Pacific Ale yeast:
Much more even in the layers.

yk4m1y



Any thoughts on what I should do next would be most appreciated!


Thanks in advance,
Chad
 
I'm not sure what that lighter top layer is...the layer that is on top of the beer (the dark layer), that is.

Either way, you want to wash that bottom layer to separate the yeast from the trub. Looking at the bottom of that layer, you can see that its sort of greenish-beige and that is yeast mixed in with trub. Looking at the top of that layer, you can see its mostly yeast and is more beige/white in color.

To wash:
1. pour that beer layer off (I'd probably pour that weird top layer too).
2. Add some boiled/cooled water to the bottom layer, mix it up, and let it sit 20 minutes...the trub will settle, but not the yeast.
3. Pour off the water (which will still have yeast floating in it) into a fresh container
4. Let the yeast settle again (overnight)
5. Repeat step 2 by pouring off the now-cleared water and wash with some more boiled/cooled water. There you have your washed yeast.
 
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