Yes... that really clears some things up.
Ah yes, I've begun reading some about washing and slanting.
So if what you describe is a good quality shortcut, what is the full fledged over-the-cliff method?
So decanting is at least partly dependent on starter size?
From what I understand currently, my beer/wine licence will cover me. I will only have to pay simple sales tax as long as I stay under a certain limit of gallons sold. There is a big drive on here to encourage the small batch cider/wine small business ventures.
I do private on site catering. Mostly whole hog events at weddings for those looking for that rustic style event that has gotten so popular here in the Central Va. horse and wine country.
I also run a country store/BBQ take-out. I raise poultry and bees so that I can offer their products. I also stock beekeeping supplies, poultry feed and other backyard homesteader products.
I would LOVE to add small batch cider and an old fashioned soda fountain to my store.
Wow, you have quite the operation going! If you incorporate some of your honey in the cider, you'll definitely have something that sets you apart
There are a lot of opinions on yeast washing. One method is to pour out the slurry into jars, then let it settle for about 20 minutes. The idea is that the heavier debris will settle out first, but the yeast will still be in suspension. (If you let it settle completely, you'll eventually see 2 or 3 layers, one that's darker and thicker on the bottom, then a lighter, cream-colored layer on top. Sometimes two layers that are different shades.)
After about 20 minutes, you decant the liquid into another jar and let that settle again. You should get mostly creamy yeast with less debris.
Some people go even further and add distilled water so that you eventually end up with mostly yeast in mostly distilled water. Some argue that alcohol is a better protection for the yeast than water.
Personally, I think that each time you transfer, you run the risk of introducing more yeast or bacteria that you don't want, so the less you move it around, the better your sanitation is.
You can then store the yeast in jars in the fridge. Again, lots of opinions, from "use it within a week" to "indefinitely." My experience is that I have saved yeast for a year, then made a starter and grown it up to ferment a 3 gallon batch. I've done that twice with a special yeast that I don't use all the time. With a yeast that I use more often, I have saved it about 3-6 months and done the same thing.
Over time, the yeast can/will mutate, so you probably should only go 3-4 batches before starting over. BUT remember that it's exponential:
You make a batch and save the yeast (1). You can split that yeast into 4 parts, and use one for each new batch (5). You split those and make 4 new batches (20). Your next run gets you 80 batches, and that's 3 or 4 generations, depending on if you count the first one. So your $4 pack of yeast made 106 batches of cider, which means less than 4 cents per batch.
I don't think that example is realistic, though! I usually get 3-4 batches before something goes wrong - too much debris, no room in the fridge, no time, etc.
When it comes to slanting, people are really being careful to select only the yeast that you want to save, etc. I wouldn't worry about that if you're using a standard yeast that you can buy cheap (like S-04).
And some people do mix their washed yeast with glycerin and freeze it for later use. If you're doing a lot of batches, this might make sense. But I would wait until you have some yeast that you really like before doing it.
