How to pitch collected yeast

[youngson616]

Kind of a newb question, but can a yeast junkie tell me how to pitch yeast I have collected from my last batch? I collected it from an open ferment 5 days ago and put in a mason jar. I poured out all the wort that settled and rinsed with water 3 times, water clear now , yeast looks and smells great. Do i need a starter or what would a process look like?

 

[day_trippr]

I store overbuilt starters in mason jars, and try to end up with around 400 ml of thick yeast once they've had time to settle out in the fridge. I assume 1 billion cells per milliliter of that thick slurry when "fresh", which puts me in reach of enough cells for my typical 10 gallon batches with a single step up. As time passes I apply the degradation algorithm found in the Brewer's Friend Yeast Calculator and adjust my starter strategy accordingly...

Cheers!

 

[Kickass]

I just dump from the mason jar. You can build a starter if you’d like but if it’s relatively fresh and you have enough, just plop it in.

 

[DBhomebrew]

For next time, skip the rinsing. Beer is a better environment than water for storing yeast in the short term.

 

[Jack Arandir]

For next time, skip the rinsing. Beer is a better environment than water for storing yeast in the short term.

Agreed. According to Chris White's book Yeast, rinsing yeast doesn't provide enough benefit to overcome the risk of introducing infection. Also it stresses the yeast and causes them to use up some of their energy reserves.

Remember that harvested yeast has a short shelf life. Like REALLY short - days if you listen to Chris White. Run some numbers using a yeast calculator and see if you have enough yeast for your brew. If so, just pitch it direct. If not, a starter will reawaken the yeast and multiply.

 

[youngson616]

Ok I will use the rinsed yeast this time, then no rinse next time see what works best for me. Thanks

 

[youngson616]

Looks like this...

 

[youngson616]

Should I pour the water out before pitching or Shake It Up and mix with the yeast

 

[Airborneguy]

I’d pour the water out. I don’t rinse. My typical practices with hop additions tend to yield a very clean yeast cake. I simply drain as much beer as possible before scooping up the yeast in a sanitized mason jar. The jar ends up mostly filled with yeast with a little beer on top.

Depending on the yeast I either make a starter, tossing what’s left, or pitch the whole mason jar into the next beer after warming it and pouring off the beer.

 

[madscientist451]

Remember that harvested yeast has a short shelf life. Like REALLY short - days if you listen to Chris White.

I've saved yeast for years with mixed results. Some beer yeasts, like WL500 seem to be pretty bulletproof, producing expected results over many brews. Some Lager yeasts are also very reliable. SF lager yeast is another one I've kept for a long time. But others get funky after a while. After a few spoiled brews, I decided to change it up and clean up my yeast handling. I make a big starter, then pitch half and save half of the slurry (about 8 oz) for the yeast bank. Then repeat the process for the next brew. The saved yeast never gets used in an actual brew, only the starter. I've been discarding the saved yeast after about a year and then start over, but some will last longer than that. I haven't had any issues since I've adoped the method. I like variety and usually have 5-6 yeast strains in the 'fridge.
I stopped washing the yeast years ago.
I've never used a yeast calculator, and don't have a clue how many billion cells I have.
I pitch more yeast in lagers and high gravity brews.

 

[youngson616]

I’d pour the water out. I don’t rinse. My typical practices with hop additions tend to yield a very clean yeast cake. I simply drain as much beer as possible before scooping up the yeast in a sanitized mason jar. The jar ends up mostly filled with yeast with a little beer on top.

Depending on the yeast I either make a starter, tossing what’s left, or pitch the whole mason jar into the next beer after warming it and pouring off the beer.

Exact answer I was looking for plus more. Thanks!

 

[youngson616]

Well I pitched it in a batch and all seems good - on day 2 of an open fermentation. It came right to life after being out of the fridge for an hour. I poured most the water out, shook it up and pitched it. Nice creamy yeast smells good. Didnt use a yeast calculator, seems a little over pitched. Ill play with it next time maybe do half the amout.