I use SS Brew Bucket fermenters. The racking arm rotates around as to rack clear beer off the yeast cake.
My practice is to preboil about 4 quart size mason jars and store the water in the sealed jars at cold crash temps along with my fermenter. After racking to a keg, I pour the 4 jars directly into the fermenter and vigorously swirl up the yeast. I let the slurry sit for approximately 15 minutes, then fill back into the same 4 quart jars through the racking port. After letting the washed yeast sit for 24 hours, it’s generally compacted into the lower 1/4 or less of the jar.
I try to use the yeast within a month of storing it. For a higher gravity beer, I might pitch two jars worth. For a lager, maybe more. I’ve had good success with this up until my latest batch. Yeast was about 3 months old. I have no been making yeast starters for any of the batches as the volume of yeast is so large already. What I don’t know is the viability.
Do you guys have a strict practice of making a starter every time with washed yeast? If so why or why not.
How long can you realistically store yeast in the way that I have mentioned.
Would you change anything about my process?
My practice is to preboil about 4 quart size mason jars and store the water in the sealed jars at cold crash temps along with my fermenter. After racking to a keg, I pour the 4 jars directly into the fermenter and vigorously swirl up the yeast. I let the slurry sit for approximately 15 minutes, then fill back into the same 4 quart jars through the racking port. After letting the washed yeast sit for 24 hours, it’s generally compacted into the lower 1/4 or less of the jar.
I try to use the yeast within a month of storing it. For a higher gravity beer, I might pitch two jars worth. For a lager, maybe more. I’ve had good success with this up until my latest batch. Yeast was about 3 months old. I have no been making yeast starters for any of the batches as the volume of yeast is so large already. What I don’t know is the viability.
Do you guys have a strict practice of making a starter every time with washed yeast? If so why or why not.
How long can you realistically store yeast in the way that I have mentioned.
Would you change anything about my process?