Washington_Brewologist
THE PNW BIAB BrewOlogist
Sorry if this is a dumb question. I've just kegged an IPA that has been sitting in the primary for 2 1/2 weeks and I'd like to try and save some money by harvesting the yeast. At the moment I've got about 1 or 2 inches of green beer sitting on top of about 5 fingers worth of trub in a 6-gallon carboy.
Do I need the entire yeast cake to ensure I have enough cells to repitch or can I just pour off 1 or 2 mason jars full from the fermenter and make a starter for the next batch?
Also. Is it worth harvesting yeast that you don't plan on using frequently? I've never used this particular strain before and thought it might be cool to have some stored away. I have another beer about a week into fermentation and that one was brewed using Wyeast 1056 which I use more than any other. My gut tells me I should hold off on harvesting this slurry and just wait to harvest the 1056. Let me know what you guys think...
Do I need the entire yeast cake to ensure I have enough cells to repitch or can I just pour off 1 or 2 mason jars full from the fermenter and make a starter for the next batch?
Also. Is it worth harvesting yeast that you don't plan on using frequently? I've never used this particular strain before and thought it might be cool to have some stored away. I have another beer about a week into fermentation and that one was brewed using Wyeast 1056 which I use more than any other. My gut tells me I should hold off on harvesting this slurry and just wait to harvest the 1056. Let me know what you guys think...