Yeast harvesting/washing question

[Mitchum]

I am going to be harvesting my yeast for the first time on Wednesday. I will be brewing my next batch of beer Thursday. Ive been researching the process of harvesting and washingand feel confident doing it. However im not sure how to pitch the yeast.
should I make a starter that will only have about 24 hours? Or should I just decant the yeast from the mason jar and pitch it?

 

[Gavin C]

Don't wash the yeast just collect the slurry as is. Washing the yeast does not wash the yeast.There is a good sticky on this in the yeast section.

Collect it in sanitized jars and fill them all the way to the top. Cap loosely and put in fridge. Tighten down all the way after a few days.

If using the slurry in a short time frame, straight slurry no starter is needed. Just decant off what little beer will collect above the slurry. Use an online tool to work out how much slurry you need.

As the slurry ages a starter will be needed depending on how long the yeast is stored for.

Harvested slurry ready to pitch 1 day after harvesting (No washing)

 

[jwalker1140]

What Gavin said.

 

[DurtyChemist]

You could pitch directly onto your yeast cake.

Some people say use 1 cup of slurry and pitch that volume. I've pitched a quart of thick slurry and fermented fine.

You COULD wash and maybe clean out some trub if you wanted to then make a starter for that yeast in suspension and pitch your starter at high krausean (I can't spell that word) AND take some of the starter to save by making your starter an extra half liter bigger.

These are all viable options. Saving yeast from a starter is usually easier.

 

[normonster]

Yep...directly on the yeast cake unless you're doing a very light beer maybe. Less infection risk though maybe an over pitch.

 

[Mitchum]

I was worried about not washing because there is quite a bit of trub in the carboy.
It was one of my first brews, I need to work on filtering.
I also want to save some some jars for future batches. Will trub in the jars affect the yeast during storage? Or give off flavors?

 

[normonster]

I didn't catch that about the trub. Someone will know about that but my opinion is that if you're using cheaper dry yeast its best to go new every time unless you want to do it for fun.

 

[slym2none]

I am doing it "for fun", with some Notty. Sorta-kinda-not really washed some from my Blonde, it went into my Oktoberfest ale, and I am going to go one more time (maybe pouring right over the old yeast-cake!) with a RIS for my next batch.

I make small batches ( >2.5 gallons) so I still have half a pack of dried Notty in the freezer to use later.

 

[Mitchum]

Don't wash the yeast just collect the slurry as is. Washing the yeast does not wash the yeast.There is a good sticky on this in the yeast section.

Collect it in sanitized jars and fill them all the way to the top. Cap loosely and put in fridge. Tighten down all the way after a few days.

If using the slurry in a short time frame, straight slurry no starter is needed. Just decant off what little beer will collect above the slurry. Use an online tool to work out how much slurry you need.

As the slurry ages a starter will be needed depending on how long the yeast is stored for.

Harvested slurry ready to pitch 1 day after harvesting (No washing)View attachment 288734

Thank you Gavin. I think Im going to take this route.

I didn't catch that about the trub. Someone will know about that but my opinion is that if you're using cheaper dry yeast its best to go new every time unless you want to do it for fun.

I am using liquid vials which cost me about $9 a batch. So it is to save money (a little bit). However if I was using dry yeast I would still want to learn how to do this. I think this whole hobby is about having fun.