Weird yeast washing experience

[Flaviking]

Granted this was my first try at it.

Here's the problem... I had the yeast in two mason jars. They started to separate like it shows in the stickie... However when I went to go open them to pour off the top solution into smaller jars... They "boiled up" and all of the yeast remixed so I'm right back where I started.

Has anyone had that happen before? Did the influx of oxygen start some kind of reaction when I opened the lid?

Some back ground... I basically just poured my yeast cake from the primary into these sanitized jars... I did not boil them in water or use the boiled water to replace the beer.

 

[pdxal]

One possibility is that they hadn't finished fermenting and you opened them and they gushed with all the nucleation points of yeast. How long had they been closed/sealed? Perhaps they warmed up a great deal, increasing pressure in the jars?

 

[The Moravian]

sounds like your liquid carbonated. Did you have the lid sealed tightly? Refrigerated or room temp?

 

[fpweeks]

^ this

 

[VaBrewer]

You didn't "wash" your yeast, you harvested the cake/slurry from the bottom of the fermenter. It stayed in the fridge like this long enough for the yeast to keep working on the beer and causing it to carb up.

 

[Flaviking]

One possibility is that they hadn't finished fermenting and you opened them and they gushed with all the nucleation points of yeast. How long had they been closed/sealed? Perhaps they warmed up a great deal, increasing pressure in the jars?

I harvested them after 3 weeks in primary. Fermentation was not active. They had only been sealed for about 2 hours.

I had the lid sealed tightly at room temperature.

This all happened yesterday. There was not really any significant amount of time between when I harvested the yeast to when I opened the lid. and it all happened at room temperature.

 

[acidrain]

Should have put it right in the fridge. Live and learn.

 

[Flaviking]

Just read a BYO article that says your supposed to put the cap on loosely and vent a couple of times over the course of 4 days. Then tighten and refrigerate.

That seem right to everyone?

 

[Flaviking]

Should have put it right in the fridge. Live and learn.

Even during the separation stage? Before I decanted for the first time?