My shot at yeast washing

[nostalgia]

I think the general thought is that when you wait for the separation to occur, you are "mostly" just pulling out the yeast. And what little beer that you will also pull out would be so minimal to your next 5 gallon batch that it really wouldn't matter.

That's about what I was going to say. You'll be diluting the leftover beer a lot during washing. Then when you make a starter with your washed yeast, you'll be decanting most of that (already well-diluted) liquid off and diluting it further in a starter.

But it's your beer and your yeast. If it's easy to pull off that last bit of beer, go for it. You shouldn't be removing a significant amount of yeast.

-Joe

 

[AstroBrew]

I have a big question about washing/storing yeast. I have washed and saved yeast with a good deal of success, but I am really concerned about the shelf-life of washed yeast. I have read some articles lately that say that the viability of the yeast drops off dramatically; see:
Brew Your Own: The How-To Homebrew Beer Magazine - Techniques - Harvesting Yeast: Techniques

So, I am wondering how you guys store your yeast. I know some folks freeze them (with glycerin), but it doesn't look like that's what you're doing, homebrewer_99 (nice collection, btw). I stored some of my washed yeast in my beer fridge and I think it is all now dead after a month. The yeast cakes are dark, indicating autolysis. This is probably because my beer fridge is set a 38F, i.e., not cold enough!

Thoughts?

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I have a big question about washing/storing yeast. I have washed and saved yeast with a good deal of success, but I am really concerned about the shelf-life of washed yeast. I have read some articles lately that say that the viability of the yeast drops off dramatically; see:
Brew Your Own: The How-To Homebrew Beer Magazine - Techniques - Harvesting Yeast: Techniques

So, I am wondering how you guys store your yeast. I know some folks freeze them (with glycerin), but it doesn't look like that's what you're doing, homebrewer_99 (nice collection, btw). I stored some of my washed yeast in my beer fridge and I think it is all now dead after a month. The yeast cakes are dark, indicating autolysis. This is probably because my beer fridge is set a 38F, i.e., not cold enough!

Thoughts?

Make a starter with it anyway. I betcha a bright shiny new nickel it takes off.

 

[de_ronde]

If I am only storing for a short time, could I get away with using jars other than Mason jars? Perhaps I could even pour the slurry into 12 ounce beer bottles and cap for just a week or two?

 

[steelerguy]

Personally, I never pitch on the yeast cake. It only takes a few minutes to wash yeast and take all that old trub out. I'd rather start a batch with a fresh batch of clean yeast than to hold over old residues from batch to batch.

Was going to say the same thing...trub can break down also and impart off flavors to a beer. I think people forget this when the leave beer on the cake forever, it is not just yeast...but trub.

 

[steelerguy]

Nice thread, wish I found it before I did my first washing of a cake a few days ago.

Hope this isn't a hijack, but but I am skeptical as to my yeasts' viability in the future if I believe the more vocal HB guys (Jamil Z) on some of the podcasts I've been listening to lately. You think two smack packs of Wyeast Pacman (no starter) after a 70+ IBU 1.077 OG beer still have any fight left? I'd plan on giving the jar contents a proper starter.

Anyone notice not-so-happy yeasties after washing a cake from a high ABV and/or IBU beer? I'm not planning on entering any contests, but don't want to waste a brew day by pitching tired yeast.

Thanks

So I just started doing the yeast washing and saving also, but what I do in a situation like this is make a starter for the yeast and save some of the starter rather than wash the cake when the fermentation is done. This gets you good yeast that has not been stressed. Of course, no need to wash this. Then you can just build starters from your sample in the future and save a portion of that rather than use stressed yeast from the cake. Yeast that has been taken care of can be used for A LOT of generations rather than just 6 or so.

 

[nostalgia]

So I just started doing the yeast washing and saving also, but what I do in a situation like this is make a starter for the yeast and save some of the starter rather than wash the cake when the fermentation is done.

Now that I have a stirplate and some big flasks on their way I'm going to try this out. Make more starter than I need and bottle some of it. I'll report back on how that works

-Joe

 

[flyangler18]

Now that I have a stirplate and some big flasks on their way I'm going to try this out. Make more starter than I need and bottle some of it. I'll report back on how that works

-Joe

Don't worry - before too long, you'll be pressure canning wort for sterile media and slanting strains. Welcome to the world of yeast ranching, cowboy.

 

[gifty74]

One question, I see you added a growler of water, and all three mason jars full. Then when you emptied you only filled up the growler. Wasn't a bunch of yeast left behind? Don't you want to put in what you plan to pull out? Or, do you lose so much water in the trub that you need to exceed the amount you wish to pull out for the second washing?

 

[antheus]

I read the wiki and it said to store liquid yeast like this at 33-38 F. I'm guessing that the 33 F is so as to avoid puncturing the yeast cells with ice molecules at 32 F. This basically means it's ok to just keep it in the fridge correct?

 

[nostalgia]

I've condensed this into a tutorial on my website. Linky here.

-Joe

 

[joety]

Bookmarked. Wish I would have tried this with my Two Hearted clone.

 

[gifty74]

This procedure worked great. Tipping the carboy on the side is a nice trick. Got perfect washing of my Pacman yeast. Thanks for posting.

 

[ultravista]

nostalgia - awesome post. I like the idea of the carboy on the side, make sense to me. It should make it a whole lot easier to drain off the good yeasty stuff.

 

[cklages]

I attempted to wash yeast from my last batch, but figured since I was just going to pitch it into the next beer, i could cut back on the water and just dumped in enough for a couple of mason jars. Big mistake, the yeast and trub never seemed to separate, and I ended up with this (after pumping the trub out of the carboy with the autosiphon). I pitched it, and the beer took off after 12 hours, but it was certainly not ideal.

Next time, I'll use more water. Only I could mess up something this idiotproof, but I'm posting this so you can learn from my fail.

 

[chrislehr]

Nice. I loved doing yeast washing. Saves money, sustains supplies, and it's just dang neat. I like the carboy on it's side idea too. I have been straining it into a thinner sanitized Tupperware pretty nicely. I have also direct pitched without a starter successfully a few times now.

 

[HoppedIPA]

Hmmm i already pressure cook stews,pate,tomatoes, and other veggies.. why not Wort
So would this sterile media be used for the starters?

Don't worry - before too long, you'll be pressure canning wort for sterile media and slanting strains. Welcome to the world of yeast ranching, cowboy.

 

[Beer_Guy]

Yes or if you can enough high OG wort you could delute it and make beer!

Can you say, "Wort concentrate."? I knew that you could.

 

[Gamer]

Have a question on temperature. I keep my fermenter cabinet 65-68 degrees all the time. Would that be cold enough to store the yeast/wash?

 

[Jukas]

Have a question on temperature. I keep my fermenter cabinet 65-68 degrees all the time. Would that be cold enough to store the yeast/wash?

Holy thread necro batman!

I wouldn't store washed yeast for an extended period of time at 65-68. That is within the fermentation temperature range for many yeasts.

Store in a refrigerator between 33-40 degrees if you are't going to use it within a week. You can likely store it up to a year or maybe longer. If the yeast starts going the color of peanut butter it's no longer viable.