Harvesting for the first time

So I'm trying to reuse my yeast for the first time and have two questions, is that very bottom layer on the right the yeast? (The one on the left has a very small amount that you can really see in the pic)

How do I measure it? I've only ever used dry yeast and if that is the yeast it looks like a tiny amount.

Thanks!
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1456703614.275244.jpg

 

Don't worry about measuring. When you want to make your next beer make a starter, decant the beer in these two jars, mix the starter with these to get it all into the starter batch and focus on the starter. You're better off getting a homogenous sample then harvesting from starters.

 

So bows where my stupid questions:

So dump some of the top layer off both of these to combine them, then put it on a stir plate to make a starter?

Sorry, I've never done liquid yeast or harvesting or starters so I didn't really understand that (but I appreciate it)

 

I believe what Durty was suggesting is to decant the spent wort from both jars and add to fresh starter wort. Don't worry about trying to separate the trub from the yeast.

Just for your reference, the thin creamy white layer is the yeast, the slightly tan layer is yeast mixed with trub. If you try to separate those two layers, you will lose some of the yeast.

 

Ah cool. Great, thanks! Is there enough there for 5 gallons? I read if you harvest you won't need a starter if it's within a week or 3 of your next brew.
(If so I gotta make a stir plate)

 

If you are going to pitch within 5 - 7 days, you could probably pitch without a starter. A stir plate is not an absolute must to have for a starter. A 1 liter flask and foil is all you really have to use. Even a 1 liter ball/mason jar with foil over the top with work. The foil is to keep things from falling in and let out the CO2. Just swirl the starter ever time you walk by it.

 

Awesome, thanks!!

 

If you're really concerned about pitching enough yeast slurry use an online calculator like the one below to figure out a ballpark of how many cells you need. I estimate that my harvested yeast cakes have about 30 billion cells per fl oz (pretty safe #) and calculate how much slurry I need from there. This takes like 2 minutes, no worries if you're a little under or over. Pop your slurry in a starter a day or two before pitching and you should be good.

BTW mason jars are really nice to have for yeast harvesting/storing because they have the volume marks on the side, and they are pretty cheap.

http://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/