Yeast harvesting

[evan5159]

Can you harvest yeast from the secondary?

 

[acuenca]

as opposed to the primary when there is a crap ton? Or are you thinking that there will be less trub in the secondary?

I always use the primary... I don't secondary and don't really know how much yeast there would be in the secondary but there is always a crap ton in the primary...

 

[FoundersBrew]

I'm going to harvest for the first time this week. Just from reading it seems it would be more practical to harvest from the primary. I'm not sure about secondaries, I never use them.

 

[evan5159]

The reason I ask, it is My beer is currently in the secondary and I've cleaned out the primary

 

[acuenca]

You can use them from where ever but you will just have to be aware that when you spike your starter to use that yeast, you may need to give it more time if the yeast count/viability isn't as high...

But it should be fine... people on here harvest yeast from filtered commercial microbrews...

 

[JonM]

You've read the yeast washing sticky, right?

If there's yeast at the bottom of the secondary I'm sure you can harvest it.

 

[jldc]

Not that it will help you but IMO the easiest place to harvest yeast is from the starter. Just store a little of the starter in a sterilized mason jar and use it to make the next starter. Keeps well in the fridge for 6 months or more and is good for 5-6 generations, maybe more, in my experience. I use pretty big starters and store the yeast in 1/2 pint jars.

L

 

[Calder]

You can harvest yeast from the primary or the secondary.

BUT ...... by harvesting from the secondary you run the risk of getting mutations quicker. That is, the yeast characteristic will change quicker. By harvesting from the secondary, you are selecting the yeast that doesn't flocculate, as opposed to the yeast that did the job and then flocculated.

Sure, use the yeast from the secondary for another beer (maybe 2), but if your intention is to continue the line and get 5, or maybe 10, more batches from it, you really need to use the yeast from the primary if you expect to retain the original yeast characteristics.

 

[HItransplant]

You can harvest yeast from the primary or the secondary.

BUT ...... by harvesting from the secondary you run the risk of getting mutations quicker. That is, the yeast characteristic will change quicker. By harvesting from the secondary, you are selecting the yeast that doesn't flocculate, as opposed to the yeast that did the job and then flocculated.

Sure, use the yeast from the secondary for another beer (maybe 2), but if your intention is to continue the line and get 5, or maybe 10, more batches from it, you really need to use the yeast from the primary if you expect to retain the original yeast characteristics.

what he said.