Yeast Washing

I know this has been talked about alot, but I have a question. I am trying to do this tonight for the first time. I am trying it with a dry yeast only because I want to know I can do it before doing it with Wyeast. Anyways, I poured the water from the jar onto the yeast cake which was in the bottom of the primary. Placed the jar in the refridge and now I have a very very thin layer of what looks like water on top, a huge brown looking center, and then a rougher looking bottom, but there isnt much difference between the middle and bottom. I was thinking I just have to pour the water off the top, the center into another jar, and then wait for it to seperate again. At that time water off the top and split the center (the yeast up into smaller jars. (Using Starbucks Frappaciono bottles). Is this right?

You don't want to wait to long before pouring off the yeast which should be on the top. I take a large 1/2 gallon glass pitcher and pitch the mixture in there. I only wait maybe 25-35 minutes before pouring off the tannish yeast that is on the top or in suspension in the top liquid. The heavier trub falls pretty quick.

I really dont have much color difference between the middle and bottom. I clearley have liqued on top, and then but thats only about half inch thick. The rest of the jar is and off whit/brown stuff, that I am guessing is still yeast and trub. If I pour that top off, thats just clear water/beer, there is no yeast there.

Pour off the clear liquid AND the middle, brownish stuff. That is mostly suspended yeast in there. The bottom layer, while being close in color, has most of the trub. Blender has it right--don't wait too long, it doesn't take forever for the trub to fall to the bottom. I usually have to pour twice to get all of the trub out of there, then let it sit overnight for all the yeast to fall to the bottom.

A couple of times, I had to wash more than once or twice to get the yeast out. Try using the top and middle layer (since you know the bottom is trub) and use more boiled water and wash it again. Leave it at room temperature for 1/2 hour and the trub will fall. Then do it again. This worked for me in my last batch, when I had very little noticeable separation.

Lorena

If you are having that much trouble maybe washing isn't for you.

Try this...once your trub and sanitized water are mixed in the primary give it a swirl to break up all the chunks (if you have any).

Have a couple of sanitized jars ready on the side.

Pour it into a sanitized jar (from your primary). Then wait 3 minutes. Within that time much of the heavier trub will fall out. Pour the water into another container. You want to keep the water. Pour the trub down the sink.

Within the cloudy water (that's yeast in suspension) is still more trub. Allow the second jar to sit for 5 minutes. Pour the liquid off into another container (or re-sanitize the first one for re-use). Pour the new trub down the sink.

After maybe 1 or 2 more times only very fine trub will remain. I wouldn't worry about it.

Place the container in the fridge (cover opening with aluminum foil or an airlock if it'll fit). Allow it to set overnight.

In the morning/next day or two pour off 3/4 of the water. Re-swirl the container to get all the yeast mixed in and pour this into smaller containers for future starters.

I re-use the vials and baby food jars.

Make sure you make a label and list the yeasts number (like WLP351 Bavarian Weizen), the date, batch number (for reference in case the first batch goes bad or something), and how many times it has been re-used.