? about harvesting yeast

Next weekend I'll be doing my 2nd AG brew. A Victory Hop Devil kit from Austin Home Brew. This kit calls for the Wyeast #1272 American Ale II yeast.

I have a 2 gallon batch of "Hoppy Tire" in the fermenter at the moment and it used the same yeast.

The Hop Devil will be a 1.070 beer so I had planned on buying another wyeast 1272 and making a starter. I've never made a starter so it would be my first..

Then it hit me, why not harvest the yeast from the Hoppy Tire batch that will go into the keg a day before. I've never harvested yeast either

So... I've seen a few vids and read on how to harvest the yeast and think I'll go this route...

1 - Rack the Hoppy Tire to the keg.

2 - Boil and cool just enough water to pour into the keg to loosen up the yeast cake and pour that into my growler.

3 - Let that mixture settle out (at pitching temps or put in the fridge if it's only gonna be 24 hours or so before using?)

4 - IF there is a noticeable, layered color difference, pour the clean yeast off the top.

Since I used hop bags in the boil for the hoppy tire batch, I'm thinking the yeast should be pretty "clean"

SO, using Mr Malty and using the "repitch from slurry" option, for a 1.070 beer it only says I need 119ml which is hardly any yeast?

I'm I figuring this correct? Should I go ahead and pitch around1000ml ?

Confused!!

2 - Will likely be more than a growler, I suggest boiling appx. 1 gallon, cooling, mixing and letting it settle first in the fermentor, or mixing/pouring to a bigger see through container to settle.

3 - Good, this should be covered/sealed or re-airlocked.

4 - Good

5 - Store washed yeast in fridge unless brewing right away. When ready to brew mix up washed yeast, pour one cup in new sanitized container and cover loosely at room temperature for an hour, re-store washed yeast in fridge. Pitch 1/2 cup -1 cup yeast slurry into wort.

6 - If brewing right away, pitch 1/2cup - 1cup of slurry to new wort, store the remainder of washed yeast in fridge for future.

The "repitch from slurry" is kinda relative to how good a job is done washing, etc. I usually pitch 3/4 cup slurry to a 1.070 wort.

Edit: Didn't realize we were talking small batch here, . . . .If we are, . . . . Are we?

I never bother doing this but I was always under the impression that you just use a sanitized measuring cup and take the amount of slurry you need. Why go through all the washing if you are just going to use it soon.

I could be wrong on this.

samc said:

I never bother doing this but I was always under the impression that you just use a sanitized measuring cup and take the amount of slurry you need. Why go through all the washing if you are just going to use it soon.

I could be wrong on this.

Click to expand...

This works too

...Just pitch on top of the yeast cake. After you rack the Hoppy Tire to the keg put a piece of tin foil over the mouth of the fermenter. Then the next day when you are brewing (this is what it sounds like to me) just pitch into the fermenter with the yeast.

Purpose of washing yeast is to get all of the hop material, hot break, cold break, etc. out of the solution so it doesn't go into your next batch.

COLObrewer said:

2 - Will likely be more than a growler, I suggest boiling appx. 1 gallon, cooling, mixing and letting it settle first in the fermentor, or mixing/pouring to a bigger see through container to settle.

3 - Good, this should be covered/sealed or re-airlocked.

4 - Good

5 - Store washed yeast in fridge unless brewing right away. When ready to brew mix up washed yeast, pour one cup in new sanitized container and cover loosely at room temperature for an hour, re-store washed yeast in fridge. Pitch 1/2 cup -1 cup yeast slurry into wort.

6 - If brewing right away, pitch 1/2cup - 1cup of slurry to new wort, store the remainder of washed yeast in fridge for future.

The "repitch from slurry" is kinda relative to how good a job is done washing, etc. I usually pitch 3/4 cup slurry to a 1.070 wort.

Edit: Didn't realize we were talking small batch here, . . . .If we are, . . . . Are we?

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tips! I had forgot to mention it will be a 5 gallon batch... I'm still debating on whether to wash the yeast or just keg the 2 gallon batch and pitch from the fermenter..

samc said:

I never bother doing this but I was always under the impression that you just use a sanitized measuring cup and take the amount of slurry you need. Why go through all the washing if you are just going to use it soon.

I could be wrong on this.

Click to expand...

Would I still use around 3/4 cup if it's not washed?

terrencepickles said:

Purpose of washing yeast is to get all of the hop material, hot break, cold break, etc. out of the solution so it doesn't go into your next batch.

Click to expand...

there "shouldn't" be any hop material, or much at least since I used paint strainer bags for all the hops..

I need to research on what effect the hold and cold break will have though..

Thanks!

TheMan said:

...Just pitch on top of the yeast cake. After you rack the Hoppy Tire to the keg put a piece of tin foil over the mouth of the fermenter. Then the next day when you are brewing (this is what it sounds like to me) just pitch into the fermenter with the yeast.

Click to expand...

Actually the current yeast is in a 2 gallon batch (old mr beer fermenter), The new batch will be in a 6 gallon better bottle.