Harvesting Yeast help

[HH60gunner]

Ok,

I'm on my second all-grain batch now, and I saved some of the wort from my first batch and put it in a growler, then into the fridge. Well now that my last batch is done I took some of the yeast cake off the bottom and put in into the growler (after I re-boiled and cooled down the wort). When should I put it back in the fridge so that the yeast can go dormant? It's been in there now for about 1.5 hours and is already bubbling quite often. Also do I keep the airlock on and put it in the fridge or do I pull the airlock and put the growler cap on?

 

[avidhomebrewer]

You can put it back in the fridge the day or two before you are ready to brew. Then decant and pitch the solids. I would store it in the fridge with the airlock on.

 

[HH60gunner]

What about for longer term storage? How long can I store it in the fridge? Also how long should I let the yeast eat away at the wort in the growler before I put it in the fridge? I just racked the brew that I did today on top of the old yeast, but kept a few scoops and put it in a growler of wort to save for a later date. I would just rack again on top of the yeast but I did a spice / Christmas ale this time so I don't want residue of it to carry over to another batch. So I figured I could harvest some, store it in the fridge then bring it back out say a month from now to use again. From what I've read it says you can do it, but I just haven't found anything with all the small details.

 

[lumpher]

i pour off the cake into a bomber, so it's about 1/2 full with cake and some liquid, and put a cap on the bottle (loose, not capped). then i put it in the fridge, and wait an hour or 2, then cap. when ready to use, i decant and use the solids

 

[njbabs]

Most of the fermentation will be finished quickly based on how much I imaged you pitched. In that case 48/72 hours to ferment (it may happen quicker, but the goal was to let yeast store up glycogen after the main fermentation is finished). And then in the fridge.

If your goal is a starter, and lots of healthy yeast, I say no airlock. O2 is important. I always use tinfoil (it's what I used to use in lab too with expensive machines and delicate research projects... tinfoil on a beaker in a shaker set to 72F made some great E. Coli broth). Even if you pitch the whole thing in the beer, O2 will be very minimal as yeast suck that junk up. Decant if you're worried (but in that case it will be better to follow the method bellow 'cuz with an active fermentation you'll decant off a lot of higher attenuating/less flocculating yeast).

... but I'm not sure when you're planning to brew? If it's soon, just use what you have as a starter for that. Or if it'll just be a few days I like avidhomebrewer's suggestion.

If it's going to be awhile before you brew with it I would suggest letting it ferment out, 48/72 hours, cooling it for 48h in the fridge to help drop yeast and promote triulose. Then pour off the beer (possibly even give it a rinse the yeast with cool, sterilized, distilled water) and store it under distilled sterilized water. At that point you could decant and pitch that on brew day, or 'wake it up' with a starter at the beginning of the brew day.

I've done both.

If you're interested in more info there are several Brewstrong shows on yeast and I think a lot of what they had to say jives with my experience in lab and in brewery.

 

[HH60gunner]

Thanks very much... I added about 3 table spoons of the slurry to about a half full growler and don't plan on brewing with this yeast any time soon. So I think I'll go with the let it ferment out, poor off the beer, and add distilled water method. Thanks a lot guys.

Most of the fermentation will be finished quickly based on how much I imaged you pitched. In that case 48/72 hours to ferment (it may happen quicker, but the goal was to let yeast store up glycogen after the main fermentation is finished). And then in the fridge.

If your goal is a starter, and lots of healthy yeast, I say no airlock. O2 is important. I always use tinfoil (it's what I used to use in lab too with expensive machines and delicate research projects... tinfoil on a beaker in a shaker set to 72F made some great E. Coli broth). Even if you pitch the whole thing in the beer, O2 will be very minimal as yeast suck that junk up. Decant if you're worried (but in that case it will be better to follow the method bellow 'cuz with an active fermentation you'll decant off a lot of higher attenuating/less flocculating yeast).

... but I'm not sure when you're planning to brew? If it's soon, just use what you have as a starter for that. Or if it'll just be a few days I like avidhomebrewer's suggestion.

If it's going to be awhile before you brew with it I would suggest letting it ferment out, 48/72 hours, cooling it for 48h in the fridge to help drop yeast and promote triulose. Then pour off the beer (possibly even give it a rinse the yeast with cool, sterilized, distilled water) and store it under distilled sterilized water. At that point you could decant and pitch that on brew day, or 'wake it up' with a starter at the beginning of the brew day.

I've done both.

If you're interested in more info there are several Brewstrong shows on yeast and I think a lot of what they had to say jives with my experience in lab and in brewery.