Reusing Yeast, no distinctive yeast layer?

[polishdude20]

Today bottled all my beer and poured the rest of the trub and bottom layer into a jar as shown in the photo. After about an hour in the fridge, I took it out and I notice it doesn't really have a distinctive lighter yeast layer. Is the bottom layer all yeast possibly? This was from a ~3 gallon batch of witbier.

I'm planning to brew the same recipe tomorrow and I'd like to make a starter from this but I'm not sure which of this stuff is yeast...

 

[Lefou]

What's good in that sample you have? I'd say all of it. It's light colored and still fairly fresh.
If you're going to use it within a day or two just refrigerate and pitch the whole container.

 

[polishdude20]

Won't pitching the whole thing into a 5 gallon batch be overpitching it?

 

[Lefou]

Underpitching is what usually stresses the yeast, producing more esters. I will underpitch certain yeasts to do that but if you have a young sample from a 3gal batch going into a 5gal wort, I'd see nothing wrong with using the whole container to get your fermentation going sooner.
That's my opinion, but someone else may not use the same method.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/why-not-to-pitch-on-your-yeast-cake.166221/

 

[VikeMan]

Won't pitching the whole thing into a 5 gallon batch be overpitching it?

Yes, pitching a whole yeast cake is usually an overpitch. The main consequence of overpitching is suppressed esters. That may or may not be desirable to you.

If you are going to get into repitching yeast, I'd recommend using a yeast calculator to help with figuring out how much to use.

 

[enkamania]

I use a pint jar of collected yeast for 6 gallons.

 

[IslandLizard]

I'd like to make a starter from this but I'm not sure which of this stuff is yeast...

Since it's relatively fresh, there's no need for a starter.

I'd use 1/5 to 1/4 of that saved out yeast/trub cake in a new batch of similar size and gravity.
If you want more yeast expression, use only 1/10 to 1/6 of it.
Or use the "pitch from slurry" tab in Mr. Malty's yeast calculator.

Reason for these rule of thumb re-pitch quantities is that most yeast pitches multiply 4 to 5 times in a batch.

 

[smata67]

I usually split my 5 gallon trub into four portions and jar. I think I calculated this was about 250 billion cells per jar. So you would be fine pitching at least half of what you collected from a 3 gallon batch. But the full amount would be fine also. It would be overpitching somewhat, but not enough to really be an issue. I wouldn't bother with a starter unless it has been stored for several months.

 

[Lefou]

Yes, pitching a whole yeast cake is usually an overpitch. The main consequence of overpitching is suppressed esters. That may or may not be desirable to you.

If you are going to get into repitching yeast, I'd recommend using a yeast calculator to help with figuring out how much to use.

Yeast is one of the most expensive ingredients in beer, so if you're doing multiple batches of the same types of beer it makes sense to reduce your costs by saving and re-using that healthy yeast.

 

[VikeMan]

Yeast is one of the most expensive ingredients in beer, so if you're doing multiple batches of the same types of beer it makes sense to reduce your costs by saving and re-using that healthy yeast.

No argument here. But that doesn't mean you have to repitch all of it in one batch.

 

[Lefou]

Thanks for replying VikeMan.
I used to follow some of your discussions on other sites on the Web before I found HBT.
Hope to see you around more.

 

[seatazzz]

I would go ahead and use the whole jar. Let it warm up a bit an hour prior to pitching; loosen the lid a bit and set it on a plate, as it will start to work again as it warms up and might overflow (speaking from experience here). When you're ready to pitch, screw the lid on tight and shake the heck out of it, as some of the yeast will have settled to the bottom of the jar; let it offgas a bit by loosening the lid again, then pitch it. I've never had an issue with overpitching, other than a super-vigorous fermentation (use a blowoff!), and I repitch slurry all the time.