Cider Yeast Harvesting

So, I did my first ever batch of hard cider using pasturized cider from the store and Nottingham Ale Yeast. I had posted previously that I wasn't sure if the yeast was working...took almost 48 hours to start doing its thing. However, it is down to 1.020 and I bottled it. Tasted great!

I was thinking...why can't I wash the yeast like for beer? I would just keep reusing it for more cider. I know it is cheap to buy yeast, but it is the process of it all and the DIY nature.

The weird thing is that when the yeast came out (after I poured water on it and swished it around), it was like the yeast never went into a solution...it was like little pellets down to little grains of sand. Would this be because the yeast hadn't totally fermented out? Is it normal?

Not sure, but it would be great to get some explanation/feedback. My other yeast harvesting adventures turn out pretty similar to the ones on here that people post...dirty milk looking solution that eventually solidifies into a nice yeast cake in the fridge...just off-white in color.

I almost primarily use nottingham and I dump juice on top of yeast cakes all the time. I've never actually seen what you have described before. I've never washed my yeast before though. Typically I just dump some juice in there, swish it around and then put the rest on top. I don't see why you couldn't wash it.

It's possible that what you are seeing is pectin, but I'm not sure. I don't think you'd go wrong with using it.

I'm going to try. Everything was sterilized, so I think it should be fine. I thought maybe it was because it was still actively fermenting (at 1.020 and would presumably go down to .998). I'm going to jar it up and reuse it. We'll see later on! Haha. Hoping to bottle and pasteurize like I've read in the "Sticky". However, I'm going to err on the side of undercarbonation...don't want any bottle bombs.

It may be hard to reuse the yeast, if the alcohol level is high. That tends to stress it out quite a bit.