Lager yeast harvest - darker layer on top?

[Nameless_Matt]

Hi all,

Rather than pitching directly onto the cake for my next batch I decided to try and harvest the yeast to give me a couple of batches worth...

Took the last litre or so of beer, swirled it around and decanted into a large-ish jar. Let the chunkiest bits settle for 5-10 minutes and then carefully decanted the rest off into several smaller containers.

I was expecting a smallish layer of darker material on the bottom and a large (being very hopeful) layer of good yeast above but I appear to have a large layer of light material and a small layer of dark material on top, as can be seen below (excuse the poor focus, stupid curved edges...)



Can anyone give me any confidence that the large layer is good yeast?

Cheers

NMatt.

 

[Nameless_Matt]

EDIT - Apparently attachment did work. Stupid phone app.

 

[EarlyAmateurZymurgist]

That crop is good to go! That's one of the best first attempts at the process that I have ever seen. I wouldn't worry too much about the trub on the surface. Lager yeast cultures are called "bottom fermenting" cultures for a reason. The small amount of trub on top is more than likely less dense than the culture.

 

[Nameless_Matt]

Excellent! Thanks for the reassurance and kind words EAZ.
I had read that lager yeast sediments out extremely quickly and often faster than the trub, but wanted to make sure.

I've got another 4x of those jars and one larger one that will be pitched into my doppelbock tonight

Time to ID and Date the jars and stick them in my storage fridge @ 2°C