Washed wlp007 won't seperate from Trub - advice needed

[terrapinj]

I just tried my 1st attempt at washing yeast with wlp007 from a 1.055 ESB.

Followed the directions in the Sticky Washing thread except I waited about 10min after agitating to start pouring into the jars based on what others had experienced with trying to wash wlp002 and wlp007 since it flocs so quickly. I harvested yeast into a 1 gallon jar and 2 pint jars.

I've tried shaking the jars several times after being refrigerated to try to get clean layers to form but all i get is 1 mixed layer of yeast/trub and the liquid on top (as seen in photo below)

I was planning on using the yeast from the 1 gallon jar for my barleywine this weekend (1.105) and am not sure what to do.

Any suggestions on how to separate the yeast/trub better?

Should I just pitch the yeast and trub together?
Should I just use dry yeast instead and not bother with this failed attempt?

Open to any and all suggestions.

 

[MNDan]

I wouldn't worry about pitching the yeast & trub at all - trub won't have a flavor impact, and as long as the yeast is in good shape it'll work fine. How long ago did you harvest/wash the yeast?

 

[terrapinj]

harvested on Monday so it will be less than 1 week old when I plan on brewing on Sat

 

[Hophazard]

I've never been able to really wash WLP007. My best technique involves limiting the amount of trub into the fermenter if I'm going to wash it. Otherwise, that trub is going right back in the next batch because it's impossible to seperate.

 

[jubelale]

You can use the trub yeast mixture just use a larger pitch.

As to the washing, you want the yeast suspended in the liquid. Then pour off that yeasty liquid into a new container. I only wait long enough for the trub to settle to the bottom. This not long enough for the yeast to layer on top of it maybe 20 minutes. Also you may need to add more water to get a thinner slurry when it is shaken up.

 

[nutty_gnome]

I just washed 007 last week. It is a tough one to seperate. Its 'no biggie' if you get an ounce of trub in there with it.

 

[terrapinj]

You can use the trub yeast mixture just use a larger pitch.

As to the washing, you want the yeast suspended in the liquid. Then pour off that yeasty liquid into a new container. I only wait long enough for the trub to settle to the bottom. This not long enough for the yeast to layer on top of it maybe 20 minutes. Also you may need to add more water to get a thinner slurry when it is shaken up.

it was hard to see in the bucket whether or not a large layer of trub was forming but after 10min i could see thin liquid settling on top in the bucket and had read that others had better luck with this strain after about 10 min

i may try to experiment with one of the smaller jars by adding more water to see if a thinner slurry helps the separation.


that's about 1000ml (1/4 gallon) of trub/yeast slurry - i figure its about 40-50% yeast maybe. Malty recommends ~200ml of slurry based on 25% non yeast (not really sure how to use the slider to determine thickness of the slurry) but I figured i need about 500ml or so of slurry that's 40-50% yeast

should i try to just pitch 1/2 of that in there or go for the whole slurry?

i figure it'd be pretty hard to over pitch a 1.105 barleywine

 

[bottlebomber]

So glad I read this, I will be trying to wash 007 tonight, but based on what I read I think ill just wash it once and pitch everything that drops

 

[terrapinj]

So glad I read this, I will be trying to wash 007 tonight, but based on what I read I think ill just wash it once and pitch everything that drops

def curious to hear about your experience

 

[jubelale]

I wouldn't worry about overpitching. You could pitch the whole thing and watch it RIPPP!

 

[MNDan]

harvested on Monday so it will be less than 1 week old when I plan on brewing on Sat

No worries then - it'll work great!

 

[ghpeel]

I never had any luck trying to separate the trub from the yeast anyway. I harvest from the secondary (not ideal, I know) or I just store a quart of the trub/yeast cake in a jar until time to re-pitch.

 

[bottlebomber]

def curious to hear about your experience

It did what you guys were saying... its just a big spongey mass of yeast/trub. No layers whatsoever. I decanted the liquid off of it and hit it with distilled water again, shook it but im not expecting any different results

 

[terrapinj]

thanks for the update - I'll have to try again with a different strain

i'm gonna pitch the 1/4 gallon slurry tomorrow when i brew up my barleywine

when i try to use the other 2 pint jars I'll try to see if i have any better luck with separation after using a starter