Can I use a large mason jar for yeast harvesting?

[Aristotelian]

My God, what have I done? Siphon started gurgling so I pulled it. Left a lot in the bucket. Like a half gallon including trub and beer. I was able to swirl up into a very thin consistency but the result is this very green solution in the quart jar. I had enough to fill another quart but decided to just dump it. Going to see what some refrigeration does but have I wasted my time? Thanks
Can produce photo if it will help.

First of all, you are fine just saving trub as you have.

However, if the trub bothers you, you can "wash" the yeast out of it. What you want to do is shake it up into a uniform consistency. (You can add some distilled or sanitized water to thin it out). Wait about 15 minutes. At that point you should have a thin milky liquid on top - that is your yeast suspended in beer - with a solid layer of trub on the bottom. Decant the thin milky liquid and refrigerate. After a day or two you will have a pure yeast layer on the bottom.

 

[ILMSTMF]

Five days after harvesting, here's where it's at. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1478478266.581703.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1478478284.239342.jpg

I think more solid has packed together leaving more liquid on top. I could be dreaming but perhaps some of the dark green has gone lighter.

However, lifting the jar and looking at very bottom shows no white layer below that green. I'm not so concerned about based on the responses I've received here. Will keep thread posted thanks!

 

[Aristotelian]

Five days after harvesting, here's where it's at. View attachment 376330View attachment 376331

I think more solid has packed together leaving more liquid on top. I could be dreaming but perhaps some of the dark green has gone lighter.

However, lifting the jar and looking at very bottom shows no white layer below that green. I'm not so concerned about based on the responses I've received here. Will keep thread posted thanks!

The stuff that you want to keep is the pale layer about 1/8" thick on top of the trub. The trub serves no purpose other than taking up space in your fridge (and later in your fermenter). You can get rid of all that trub following the instructions for washing above.

 

[Jim311]

Man just pitch that whole jar it'll be fine. Washing is a waste of time if you ask me. I shake up he fermenter and pour that sludge into a jar and pitch it on the next brew day, simple as that. There's tons of yeast in that jar and the grub won't hurt it a bit.

 

[flars]

There is some useful information in this sticky on harvesting yeast. Worth reading the first page.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=579350

 

[ILMSTMF]

I suspect it should settle out with wort/beer on top, hop and break material (trub)in the middle with your yeast layer on the very bottom. Simply pour off the wort and trub layers, and the yeast should remain on the bottom.

The stuff that you want to keep is the pale layer about 1/8" thick on top of the trub. The trub serves no purpose other than taking up space in your fridge (and later in your fermenter). You can get rid of all that trub following the instructions for washing above.

Thank you, friends. But which is it - yeast settling on top of or under the trub?

I respect those in the community who are washing their yeast, however, I've decided against employing this process.

There is some useful information in this sticky on harvesting yeast. Worth reading the first page.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=579350

Yup, I saw that thread too during my research and it is one of the reasons I have decided not to wash.

 

[Morrey]

There are tons of folks who harvest yeast including me and I've never had a failure to launch. Lots of harvesters use this slurry to build a starter while some pitch direct and I've had success with both.

The best method I've used is to build a large starter and save some back to use in a following batch. This ensures you are saving clean, fresh yeast uninfluenced by dead cells, flavors from hops and other trub, and just healthy yeast in general. Even if you only save 1/2 pint back, make a starter and I'd say you'll have at least as many or more cells than you'd have in a vial of lab yeast.

 

[Aristotelian]

Thank you, friends. But which is it - yeast settling on top of or under the trub?

I respect those in the community who are washing their yeast, however, I've decided against employing this process.



Yup, I saw that thread too during my research and it is one of the reasons I have decided not to wash.

The fresh yeast is the stuff that is suspended in solution, and it is the last to settle. It ends up as the top layer.

There is no harm in not washing, but if you decide not to wash then you don't get to worry about the trub.

 

[ILMSTMF]

Update for anyone who cares!

Put the yeast into a starter and it went well!

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1479490364.615507.jpg

Stir plate for 48 hours. This is it in fridge after only an hour, settling nicely!

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1479490555.788880.jpg

 

[atcsat]

Update for anyone who cares!

Put the yeast into a starter and it went well!


Stir plate for 48 hours. This is it in fridge after only an hour, settling nicely!

Success! The KitchenAid in the pic just next to the stir plate so reminds me of my space!

I've been washing my yeast lately, but the two recent batches I did from straight slurry did great. I think the only reason I bother washing is for the looks of it. People are always reaching in my brew fridge asking "what the hell is that?"