Harvesting Wyeast 1056 from APA for Stout

I've got an APA in the primary right now that's been there for about 3 days and is almost fermented out (SG 1.049, FG 1.012, 23.8 IBU). I'm wondering if it would be a bad idea to harvest some of the yeast from the krausen and use in an AG Double Chocolate Stout recipe I have instead of White Labs WLP011 European Ale. It's nothing too crazy, 1.052 SG and 1.016 FG estimated, low hops (1.25oz Fuggles for 60 min and .25oz for 15 min for 21.4 IBU). Would I get any off tastes? Is there a more recommended way for me to harvest than skimming krausen into a sanitized jar of boiled and cooled water? I'm planning a rack to secondary tomorrow at the earliest depending on the gravity reading. Should I wait until then and wash the yeast from the trub instead?

it's called top cropping and it's supposed to work very well. I've never done it but you just spoon some krausen and you get very healthy active yeast that you can use straight away or make a starter.

If you're planning on putting it to the secondary tomorrow, I'd do that, or just be patient and wait a bit on your next beer. Top Cropping might not be the best way to get enough yeast for the proper pitching rate, so you'd have to make a starter, thereby putting off your next beer at least a day, if not two. So, maybe wait 2 days, rack to secondary, and the scoop some of that yeast cake into your next beer. Check Mr Malty's pitching rate calculator for how much yeast you should use.

Well next beer I was planning for early next week, so speed isn't a problem. I went ahead and got some into a starter on the stir plate. What I'm more worried about is if the harvested yeast will work well with the next beer, which is a different style than the one fermenting now.

APA to stout is no problem, especially if you're rinsing the yeast (as opposed to harvesting and storing with beer). The blackness will overwhelm anything the APA could throw at it.

This thread has a video of interest. It shows a very interesting method of top cropping using a closed system.

I'd just advise to not harvest the braun hefe because apparently that's where excess iso-alpha acids have congealed (read: it's super bitter).

944play said:

This thread has a video of interest. It shows a very interesting method of top cropping using a closed system.

I'd just advise to not harvest the braun hefe because apparently that's where excess iso-alpha acids have congealed (read: it's super bitter).

Click to expand...

Yeah, I caught both of those things before I skimmed... I primary in a bucket, so the carboy thing wasn't useful, but is a great idea. It seems to have worked well, the krausen that formed in the 500mL starter on a stir plate overflowed the 1L jar it is in. Much more vigorous than what I got right out of the smack-pack.

JerTheRipper said:

Yeah, I caught both of those things before I skimmed... I primary in a bucket, so the carboy thing wasn't useful, but is a great idea. It seems to have worked well, the krausen that formed in the 500mL starter on a stir plate overflowed the 1L jar it is in. Much more vigorous than what I got right out of the smack-pack.

Click to expand...

I think a bucket would make top cropping much easier as you could just scoop it out with a spoon.