Is this trub or yeast?

[Nate R]

Buy the large mouth jars, and the plastic lids.


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

Plastic lids?!?!? Easily found at walmart etc?

 

[Dave Sarber]

Plastic lids?!?!? Easily found at walmart etc?

Yes.

 

[GrowleyMonster]

So three times now I have simply poured new wort right into the BMB, right onto the trub from the last batch. I will be doing it again tomorrow. The previous batch gets transferred to secondary while the new batch chills. Parent yeast was US-05. I won't be buying any yeast until summer (April, in Louisiana LOL) when I switch to Hothead and do the same with it until winter. I have not tried saving my yeast in a jar yet, or making a starter with older yeast, but obviously it will work.

 

[nicweethee]

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.

What happens if you accidentally freeze the yeast? Can it be thawed out and used?

 

[Dave Sarber]

What happens if you accidentally freeze the yeast? Can it be thawed out and used?

It's most likely DOA.

 

[seatazzz]

What happens if you accidentally freeze the yeast? Can it be thawed out and used?

It might be dead, but there's only one way to find out; make a starter out of it. There might be enough viable cells to reproduce and build on. Make a small batch with it to grow even more of the viable cells, and although it might have mutated a bit from the original strain, you might have something awesome on your hands. Just let it thaw naturally, no hot water baths or microwaving; that will definitely kill it off. Yeast have been around a LOT longer than we have, and can survive a lot of nasty cr*p.

 

[seatazzz]

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

No need to siphon, just pour some of it off, carefully making sure the trub on the bottom doesn't pour out. Leave enough of the liquid to help liquidize (is that a word? I don't know) the trub, to make it easier to pour into the fermenter. Won't hurt the new beer, I promise. Done it many times over different styles, and I can't tell the difference.

 

[GrowleyMonster]

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.

One er maybe four questions.

1. This is better than just using the trub as is? I use whole hops in a spider during the boil only, and there doesn't seem to be any hops in my trub.

2. How much of the separated yeast should be used for 5 gallons of an ale fermented at around 70 degrees with a final ABV or around 8% to 9%? Assuming parent yeast was US05.

3. Is it possible/practical to dry the yeast?

4. What would be a good max storage time in the fridge, for the yeast slurry? And should it be fed periodically?

 

[Dave Sarber]

One er maybe four questions.

1. This is better than just using the trub as is? I use whole hops in a spider during the boil only, and there doesn't seem to be any hops in my trub.

2. How much of the separated yeast should be used for 5 gallons of an ale fermented at around 70 degrees with a final ABV or around 8% to 9%? Assuming parent yeast was US05.

3. Is it possible/practical to dry the yeast?

4. What would be a good max storage time in the fridge, for the yeast slurry? And should it be fed periodically?

1. There is more in there than just hops (proteins and dead yeast). Lots of people do it, with good results. I prefer my yeast as clean as possible.
2. If it's fairly clean and fresh, about a pint. If you're short, make a starter.
3. No. Too much stress on yeast.
4. Try to use in 3 weeks or less. If you have yeast older than that, I'd wash it again and make a starter from it. You could then wash and save that yeast, or pitch it.

 

[Bubbles2]

I'm still getting notifications for this thread. I just repitched 05 (love the yeast) I asked Fermentis if harvesting is a good idea, no reply. I wrote and asked because some brewery on youtube (looked large with 20 taps in the BG) mentioned the drying method and whatever additive used makes it NOT a good idea. So in the interim of asking I re pitched the yeast (after harvesting) and the second batch is almost done.
The easiest way to capture is a scooper ( I brew in a bag so my Trub is pretty clean) Scoop most of the top off the sediment in fermentor, put it in a 1/2 gal ball jar after you Star San it. Fill with (boiled off water... why? They say it takes out the o2. but if it did would I not be left with H instead of h2o...?) Anyhow I use my filtered water with no hitches thus far, no boil. Shake the jar good, put in fridge in about 20 minutes I pull jar and decant off in another clean jar what looks like coffee with creamer, keep this part, leave the heavy stuff at the bottom in 1st jar and the next morn you will have cleaner yeast at the bottom of 2nd jar and decant the clear water, to then if you care to (if small amount) Starter via 3oz DME in 6 oz h2o boil 15 min to have a 1040 starter. Pitch the whole thing or if you wait overnight decant the beer atop (pending on temp 70ºf will be done in 24 usually) You can stretch a pack of 5.00 yeast 10 batches. OR until you get a funny tasting batch from some stress you created.

THE EDIT- Another thing I do, is after capturing a Yeast (Some cost 7-8 bucks a pack) I clean aforementioned and toss a Fleck of Yeast Nute while it sits in the fridge for a month till the next batch is desired, prob would last 90 days. Urea Acid I have it cause I make wine too.

 

[jtrux]

[QUOTE="Fill with (boiled off water... why? They say it takes out the o2. but if it did would I not be left with H instead of h2o...?).[/QUOTE]


Boiling does not split the oxygen from hydrogen, those are held together by tight ionic bonds. What it does is drive off dissolved o2. Dissolved o2 can react with other chemicals where as water is relatively inert.

 

[Bubbles2]

[QUOTE="Fill with (boiled off water... why? They say it takes out the o2. but if it did would I not be left with H instead of h2o...?).

Boiling does not split the oxygen from hydrogen, those are held together by tight ionic bonds. What it does is drive off dissolved o2. Dissolved o2 can react with other chemicals where as water is relatively inert.[/QUOTE]
Thank you

 

[zeekyreagan]

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.

Can you tell me how long you let ur beer stay in the carif after you rack it, I'm John

 

[Dave Sarber]

Can you tell me how long you let ur beer stay in the carif after you rack it, I'm John

Depends on the beer. I'm not really sure what your asking.