Is this trub or yeast?

[BandonBrewingCo]

Looking at the middle layer the lack of stratification has me wondering if it is indeed yeast or just proteins and gunk? Also, now I've added a hop sock for dry hopping to my shopping list.

 

[Sadu]

Middle layer is mostly yeast. Lower layer is yeast and gunk.

Good luck separating them, so just pitch the whole lot next time you brew. I don't think you'll notice any ill effects.

Hop spiders, whirlpooling, and hop socks are all good ways to clean up the yeast though I'm not sure it makes much difference.

 

[rhys333]

As per above. Another simple way to limit trub and hop debris is to pass everything through a sanitized strainer on its way to the fermentor. You get the added aeration for free.

 

[carluchi]

Agree with Sadu,

I wouldn't worry about it and just pitch the whole thing. Not much there compared to 5 gallons of liquid.

 

[seatazzz]

I agree with the above. I did a starter, once, with liquid yeast. The beer turned out fine, but I've had much better luck (and less hassle) with just pitching slurry that's been saved properly. I once even pitched yeast from a very dark stout onto a light IPA and had no issues. I was washing yeast for a while, but I have much better things to do with my time.

 

[Bubbles2]

Brew in a bag, Ebay has some over there for a couple bucks food grade, very large, very fine mesh. I order right from China and get like 4 for 8 bucks delivered, takes two weeks, but I am not in a hurry.

 

[PaisanMaisano]

I agree with everyone above. If you really wanted to try something, sanitize a spoon and skim the top most layer which is for sure yeast. Put the skimmed yeast in a sanitized jar with sanitized water and make your starter from there. I think you'd be ok as is though. As previously stated, per 5 gallon you won't even notice.

 

[PaisanMaisano]

I just reread your post too. I swear by this for dry hopping. Sanitized and it works wonders. Never any hop floaties or hops in the trub. And yes, plenty of dry hop goodness goes straight through it! I recommend putting glass marbles in the bottom to keep it suspended otherwise the hops will push it upwards. https://www.amazon.com/Hopper-Filte...ocphy=9007872&hvtargid=pla-361584387330&psc=1
I use a Big Mouth Bubbler though. This will not fit in a traditional glass carboy fyi!

 

[Brewbuzzard]

I know this reply is late but here goes. It looks like a 1 gal batch and with that much hopes it must have been an imperial IPA. Whirlpool, hop sock.

 

[BrewSavage]

Are you concerned about infections using a sock for dry hopping?

 

[jcaggiano]

Spray the sock with starsan if you are concern with infection. It will carry no flavor.

 

[Dave Sarber]

The middle layer is yeast. You can easily wash that to remove about 99% of the hops.

 

[Nate R]

Hi all. Stumbled on this thread as i am considering re-using my yeast.
I have the abiltiy and have done starters before. Have a stir plate, dme, nutrients, etc.
However, once i found a lhbs with very fresh Imperial 200 billon cell count packs, i have stopped making starters and my beer has gotten much better (may not be a direct correlation as i am still learning).

Anyhow... any thoughts on this yeast? Was a traditional hefe (no dry hop) that i saved in a sanitized 1L flask. (From a conical). It has been kept in a very cold (a few °f above freezing) beer fridge for a few weeks.
(Stefon Imperial)

Does this look like i can:
-just direct pitch all
Or
-pour off the top wort and pitch the yeast cake?
Or
-does this require a starter? (I understand there are various opinions on this question)

Thanks all!

 

[Dave Sarber]

Yes. Pour off the juice and repitch.

 

[Blazinlow86]

Hi all. Stumbled on this thread as i am considering re-using my yeast.
I have the abiltiy and have done starters before. Have a stir plate, dme, nutrients, etc.
However, once i found a lhbs with very fresh Imperial 200 billon cell count packs, i have stopped making starters and my beer has gotten much better (may not be a direct correlation as i am still learning).

Anyhow... any thoughts on this yeast? Was a traditional hefe (no dry hop) that i saved in a sanitized 1L flask. (From a conical). It has been kept in a very cold (a few °f above freezing) beer fridge for a few weeks.
(Stefon Imperial)

Does this look like i can:
-just direct pitch all
Or
-pour off the top wort and pitch the yeast cake?
Or
-does this require a starter? (I understand there are various opinions on this question)

Thanks all!View attachment 655862 View attachment 655863

I would decant as much liquid as possible and pitch it. Cheers

 

[Nate R]

That's what i did... decanted as much liquid as i could, let it warm up a bit, then pitched it.
I then added oxygen via a carb stone.

It smelled great (like the strain should) and here's hoping it takes off!!

Thanks all for the advice & help!

 

[davidabcd]

I agree with the above. I did a starter, once, with liquid yeast. The beer turned out fine, but I've had much better luck (and less hassle) with just pitching slurry that's been saved properly. I once even pitched yeast from a very dark stout onto a light IPA and had no issues. I was washing yeast for a while, but I have much better things to do with my time.

Would it be in any way beneficial to siphon off the liquid in the top layer?

 

[Dave Sarber]

Would it be in any way beneficial to siphon off the liquid in the top layer?

No need to siphon, just carefully pour it off.

 

[Nate R]

No need to siphon, just carefully pour it off.

+1 to this... i did it. Super easy.
You want a little liquid left to re-swirl the yeast with. So you dont need to drain all of it. Just go slow until its almost gone.

 

[davidabcd]

just carefully pour it off.

So because of the compactness of the yeast, the top pours off easily?
Full disclosure, I don't save yeast. I do get a very nice, compact yeast in the primary though. I look at it and wonder how vital it is--and then I flush the poor thing down the toilet. I'm a murderer.

 

[Blazinlow86]

So because of the compactness of the yeast, the top pours off easily?
Full disclosure, I don't save yeast. I do get a very nice, compact yeast in the primary though. I look at it and wonder how vital it is--and then I flush the poor thing down the toilet. I'm a murderer.

Yup. I personally prefer to overbuild my starters saving some for next time however. Cheers

 

[Nate R]

So because of the compactness of the yeast, the top pours off easily?
Full disclosure, I don't save yeast. I do get a very nice, compact yeast in the primary though. I look at it and wonder how vital it is--and then I flush the poor thing down the toilet. I'm a murderer.

Ha ha!!
Well i only just today re-pitched my first saved yeast.
I let it sit in a cold fridge for a while which really helps.

 

[Dave Sarber]

So because of the compactness of the yeast, the top pours off easily?
Full disclosure, I don't save yeast. I do get a very nice, compact yeast in the primary though. I look at it and wonder how vital it is--and then I flush the poor thing down the toilet. I'm a murderer.

Yes. After the primary ferment, I rack off the beer, then pour the trub into one or two 1/2 gal Mason jars. Add enough cold water to top up the jars, then stir well, then allow to settle for about 15 or 20 mins. Most of the hops will settle out in this time. Then pour off the milky liquid, leaving the hops behind. The milky liquid goes into one quart Mason jars, filling each one about halfway.
You can take those jars and top up with cold water, stir, allow to settle for about an hour. At this point, you should have a layer of clean yeast in the bottom of the jar (a white layer). If it still looks a bit nasty, repeat. Once you have your kitchen looking like a meth lab, you let it final settle for about an hour. Then pour off most of the liquid and toss it. Pour the resultant yeast slurry all in one clean jar, cap it and refrigerate.
P.S. leave a little liquid on top of the yeast.
You should get enough yeast to pitch another 5 gallon batch. If you do this several times, with similar worts, the yeast will begin to mutate to adapt to their environment. That can be a good thing, or not. Only taste will tell. This is one way of creating your own strain of yeast, adapted to your beer recipe.

 

[davidabcd]

This is one way of creating your own strain of yeast, adapted to your beer recipe.

It doesn't sound so difficult when you explain it that way. I laughed about the meth lab part. I heard here that reusing dry yeast was a no-no? I'm going to do a liquid Belgian yeast soon and will apply what I've learned here.
I really appreciate the info.

 

[Dave Sarber]

I do the same with dry yeast. At this point, the daughter cells never knew momma was dried.

@davidabcd

 

[BandonBrewingCo]

Just to throw my 2c in on how I've made life much easier for myself...

I got my hands on some Voss Kveik for utility purposes:

• I only have a crappy IC chiller so getting down to 20C in summer is a pain in the hole (shipping Jaded to Europe is too expensive).
• If I do get down to 20C, Voss is very clean. I can under pitch and/or ferment at a higher temp if I want esters.
  
• I harvest from a brew with little or no dry hops that hasn't pushed the yeast hard, then grab a bit (tablespoon or two) of that and get a vitality starter going on brew day. This means no worrying about hops in yeast harvest. Less harvesting to do in general, etc etc.*
• Having a house yeast that I use for most of my beers keeps the yeast active. By Kveik standards, that's mega fresh & active.

Bear in mind, I don't really go chasing esters (only in wheat beer). I just have 3 solid house beers that I brew (Pale Ale, Wheat and Fake Pilsner) and if I had an endless supply of US05 with no lag time that's all I would ever use for the Pale Ale. The odd time I might go for a Stout or Saison or something else but not if I need to spend a tenner on the yeast that I might not use again for a year at least.

*This post went on a bit longer than I planned. This point was what I wanted to say initially.

 

[Nate R]

That's what i did... decanted as much liquid as i could, let it warm up a bit, then pitched it.
I then added oxygen via a carb stone.

It smelled great (like the strain should) and here's hoping it takes off!!

Thanks all for the advice & help!

...and It's Alive!!! Ha ha ha!!!
Thanks all! If this batch comes out i will have to invest in some mason jars... (lid loose of course!)

 

[Mer-man]

Just to throw my 2c in on how I've made life much easier for myself...

I got my hands on some Voss Kveik for utility purposes:

• I only have a crappy IC chiller so getting down to 20C in summer is a pain in the hole (shipping Jaded to Europe is too expensive).
• If I do get down to 20C, Voss is very clean. I can under pitch and/or ferment at a higher temp if I want esters.
  
• I harvest from a brew with little or no dry hops that hasn't pushed the yeast hard, then grab a bit (tablespoon or two) of that and get a vitality starter going on brew day. This means no worrying about hops in yeast harvest. Less harvesting to do in general, etc etc.*
• Having a house yeast that I use for most of my beers keeps the yeast active. By Kveik standards, that's mega fresh & active.

Bear in mind, I don't really go chasing esters (only in wheat beer). I just have 3 solid house beers that I brew (Pale Ale, Wheat and Fake Pilsner) and if I had an endless supply of US05 with no lag time that's all I would ever use for the Pale Ale. The odd time I might go for a Stout or Saison or something else but not if I need to spend a tenner on the yeast that I might not use again for a year at least.

*This post went on a bit longer than I planned. This point was what I wanted to say initially.

Buy a 500g brick of US05 then.

 

[BandonBrewingCo]

Buy a 500g brick of US05 then.

Why would I? I have Voss sitting around costing nothing, I can pitch at a stupid range of temps, there is so little lag time it could play call of duty and not cry foul...

 

[Dave Sarber]

...and It's Alive!!! Ha ha ha!!!
Thanks all! If this batch comes out i will have to invest in some mason jars... (lid loose of course!)

Buy the large mouth jars, and the plastic lids.

Buy a 500g brick of US05 then.

I keep a 500g brick in the fridge, just because US-05 is useful for just about anything.