First time yeast ranching question....

[mikesalvo]

So Ive decided to start trying to ranch yeast out of my 6.5 gallon plastic primary. Figured it would be a good way to save some $ and learn how to do this....

I followed the instructions in Palmers book. Poured some slurry from the bottom of my bucket after racking, into a mason jar. added water, let the trub settle, poured off the trub into another jar, and repeated this 2 or 3 more times. What I now have is a pint jar that is filler with a really nice amber colored liquid, with about 1/4" of yeast cake on the bottom.

Is this what I should have ended up with? What do I do with this now? I would like to use it for a double IPA. Should I create a starter with this? Should I just pitch it? What to do, what to do!? FYI, it was ranched from another IIPA I did that took 2 Wyeast Smack Packs.....

 

[FreshZ]

So Ive decided to start trying to ranch yeast out of my 6.5 gallon plastic primary. Figured it would be a good way to save some $ and learn how to do this....

I followed the instructions in Palmers book. Poured some slurry from the bottom of my bucket after racking, into a mason jar. added water, let the trub settle, poured off the trub into another jar, and repeated this 2 or 3 more times. What I now have is a pint jar that is filler with a really nice amber colored liquid, with about 1/4" of yeast cake on the bottom.

Is this what I should have ended up with? What do I do with this now? I would like to use it for a double IPA. Should I create a starter with this? Should I just pitch it? What to do, what to do!? FYI, it was ranched from another IIPA I did that took 2 Wyeast Smack Packs.....

I'm following this so I can figure it out as well.

When you say, "poured off the trub", how would you do that, since it's at the bottom?

 

[LabRatBrewer]

There is a good easy to follow picture guide here (I think its a sticky). I have had great success following this:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/

 

[FreshZ]

There is a good easy to follow picture guide here (I think its a sticky). I have had great success following this:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/

What sizes are those jars?
Do you fill the small jars from the large jar after it settles or from the carboy/slurry?
How long do they last in the fridge?
1 jar per 5 gallon batch when pitching?
I assume you do not want to pitch in the trub in the bottom of each small jar when pitch a new batch?

 

[mikesalvo]

I'm following this so I can figure it out as well.

When you say, "poured off the trub", how would you do that, since it's at the bottom?

I guess better wording would have been poured IT off the trub. Basically leaving the nasties behind....

 

[mikesalvo]

nice! thanks for the link. Looks like Im in good shape. My only concern now stems from what the lady at my local HBS told me. She said that making a stater with one of these would cause to much fermentation, and potentially cause an explosion. Ill be using a plastic bucket fermentor for this primary, should I not be worried???

 

[LabRatBrewer]

I use a half gallon jar for the big jar, and 4 pint jars. Then because I have a lack of fridge space, I ultimately transfer the yeast into small flat canning jars (1/4 pint?). I follow the instructions in the link. That thread is way more clear then I can be, but here's what I do:
I boil all 5 jars for 20 minutes. After they cool, I pour the sterile water from the jars into the fermenter and stir it to get the yeast suspended. Then I let it settle for 20 minutes. Then I fill the big jar, trying to avoid the trub on the bottom for the fermenter. Let it settle in the big jar for 20 minutes, and then fill the smaller jars, again trying to avoid the settled trub. Place the four jars in the fridge. A layer of trub will settle in them with a layer of yeast on top, and a layer for liquid on top of the yeast.

At any rate, I highly recommend the original link and the whole thread.

 

[dcp27]

What sizes are those jars? half or full pints. i use halfs
Do you fill the small jars from the large jar after it settles or from the carboy/slurry? from the large jar
How long do they last in the fridge? a long time. ive used some over a year old
1 jar per 5 gallon batch when pitching? id make a starter
I assume you do not want to pitch in the trub in the bottom of each small jar when pitch a new batch? doesnt matter, its an insignificant amount

nice! thanks for the link. Looks like Im in good shape. My only concern now stems from what the lady at my local HBS told me. She said that making a stater with one of these would cause to much fermentation, and potentially cause an explosion. Ill be using a plastic bucket fermentor for this primary, should I not be worried???

theres no cause for concern

 

[tennesseean_87]

I assume you do not want to pitch in the trub in the bottom of each small jar when pitch a new batch?

Once you refrigerate, the 'trub' in the bottom of the small jars is yeast. If you got some actual trub in there, it'll be a tan layer on the bottom and the yeast will be a white layer on top of that. If you just pitch the liquid, you're leaving the yeast behind. Many people pour off most of the liquid and pitch the yeast with a little liquid used to rinse it all out.

 

[FreshZ]

Once you refrigerate, the 'trub' in the bottom of the small jars is yeast. If you got some actual trub in there, it'll be a tan layer on the bottom and the yeast will be a white layer on top of that. If you just pitch the liquid, you're leaving the yeast behind. Many people pour off most of the liquid and pitch the yeast with a little liquid used to rinse it all out.

I see. I'm going to try this when I bottle my stout.

I can't imagine home brewing before this forum. I've got palmers book and everything, but this forum and it's users are the single biggest factor in any good beer I make. Thanks.