Yeast Washing: Coagulated Yeast Settling on Bottom

[sailinsax]

Has anyone else tried to wash/harvest WLP002 (English Ale Yeast)? I know part of the characteristic of this strain is that it coagulates/clumps together. It even looks like this when dumped fresh from the vial. My problem is that when I tried to wash everything left in the carboy, the creamy white stuff (which I'm assuming is the healthy yeast) settles to the bottom along with the heavy hop particles. I agitated it for several minutes including my paint stirrer to try to dissolve the clumps more, not much luck. Any suggestions? Is this a strain that can only be top-cropped? Not sure how I would do that in a 6.5 gallon carboy...

Sorry I can't upload a pic but my phone is not cooperating.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Jayhem]

I harvest yeast like that (and Lager yeast) which tends to stick to the trub by simply harvesting trub and all. The amount of trub you will end up pitching from your starter to your primary wort will be insignificant. The trub is loaded with yeast cells!

 

[sailinsax]

Good to hear it works for you. I think I am going to try it and do as you say. With hop leaves and seeds floating on the top and all the healthy yeast at the bottom, I was a little surprised to have gotten the exact opposite result of what all the tutorials show. Thanks!