Yeast Washing Illustrated

[El_Borracho]

well, i make a beer constantly called "death by dunkel" and i continually wash/reuse my yeast, and have for the last 5 batches of it, and it's gotten my total cost down to $16.95 per 5 gallon batch. basically, you just save the cost of the yeast per batch, which for liquid yeast is around $8.00 i believe.

That's pretty nice really, I'm just starting out. So I still have to do my time, and spend my $'s.. But I'm sure when I'm brewing a batch a month this will make things nicer..

 

[DAAB]

Nice how to, I wish I had seen it before I tried yeast washing.

I tend to use a very flocculant brewery yeast and washing seems to lead to collecting the least flocculant cells so you'll probably end up with a far less flocculant yeast than the original, particularly if you collect from the secondary. I prefer to skim or drop and use the yeast as is from the primary. Better still harvest from a conical if finances and or space allows.

 

[oooFishy]

A few obvious questions to you guys-

After you wash yeast and store it for a while like it was illustrated, how do you then go about actually using that yeast for your next batch. I'm not really sure what a yeast starter is actually. Do you do this with dry yeast? I've only been using liquid so far...

Why do you need to let the washed yeast sit for so long before using it?



How do you get the yeast from your primary (assuming you go this method to get the more flocculating yeasties) separated from all that trub?

Also, it seems insane to pitch wort directly to a unclean primary vessel with the yeast cake already there... Or would you do this only with secondary? Anyone ever have sanitation issues?



Thanks for helping out an aspiring newbie brewer

 

[IowaStateFan]

A few obvious questions to you guys-

After you wash yeast and store it for a while like it was illustrated, how do you then go about actually using that yeast for your next batch. I'm not really sure what a yeast starter is actually. Do you do this with dry yeast? I've only been using liquid so far...

Why do you need to let the washed yeast sit for so long before using it?



How do you get the yeast from your primary (assuming you go this method to get the more flocculating yeasties) separated from all that trub?

Also, it seems insane to pitch wort directly to a unclean primary vessel with the yeast cake already there... Or would you do this only with secondary? Anyone ever have sanitation issues?



Thanks for helping out an aspiring newbie brewer

A yeast starter is a mini batch of unhopped wort that you use to grow yeast. One of the first thing that the yeasties do after you pitch is to multiply. You can increase the number of yeast dramatically by making a mini wort just for growing the yeast. That way there will be enough yeast for your beer and they'll start fermenting right away and won't spend a lot of energy multiplying. Generally, people do this with liquid yeast. Dry yeast usually have a large enough cell count in a pack that you don't need to worry about a starter. The other reason to use a starter is to make sure that your yeast are still alive and viable. If they don't ferment the starter you know they're no good anymore without wasting a full batch of beer.

You can use the washed yeast immediately.

The whole point of washing the yeast is to separate it from the trub. By mixing the trub with water, the yeast end up back in suspension and the heavier hop particles and other junk settle back to the bottom of the jar. If you carefully pour the liquid off the stuff that's settled, you'll have mostly yeast in the new jar. Wait for a few days and the yeast will fall out of suspension and the bottom of the jar will have a layer of yeast on it.

As for repitching directly into a "dirty" fermenter, I've done that several times with great results. Really, the primary isn't dirty. The beer you racked out of the primary was clean, right? You're just pouring more beer into the container. The only problem that you might encounter is that some of the flavors from the previous beer could transfer to your new brew. This can be minimized by brewing the same (or very similar) beer or going for a darker style in the second beer.

 

[Spoonta]

thank the pics weer great

 

[delboy]

I think Palmer recommended harvesting from secondary, because there is less trub in the secondary but I have used both with little difference. the yeast from the secondary will be faster to floculate

I thought it was the opposite, that yeast in the primary yeast cake are the flocculant ones and those still in solution which are in the secondary are less flocculant (that would make sense to me).

 

[Dycokac]

Thanks so much for this, Took a lot of the mistique out of it.

I used a quart, and 4 pint jars and i didn't fill the 4 pints all the way up like the smaller jelly jars in the pictures, is it a problem to have head space in the jars?

 

[hellfireSam]

I have a question:

if I do a starter with only one pint sized Mason jars...how many liter of beer I can do?

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I have a question:

if I do a starter with only one pint sized Mason jars...how many liter of beer I can do?

Depends how big the starter is. You pitch the yeast that is washed into the starter, then you pitch the yeast starter into the beer.

 

[hellfireSam]

Depends how big the starter is. You pitch the yeast that is washed into the starter, then you pitch the yeast starter into the beer.

I usually do 23 liters = 40 pints = 6 gal of beer... how big my starter should be ?

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I usually make my starters about 1400ml at a gravity of 1.040. That is plenty for me for a 10-gallon batch.

 

[hellfireSam]

I usually make my starters about 1400ml at a gravity of 1.040. That is plenty for me for a 10-gallon batch.

ooook

thank you!

 

[Jesse17]

I thought it was the opposite, that yeast in the primary yeast cake are the flocculant ones and those still in solution which are in the secondary are less flocculant (that would make sense to me).

I think this was a type-o the yeast in the secondary are less flocculant than the yeast in the primary. Palmer recomends using the yeast from the primary if you're goin to save it for several generations, but he says that if you're only going to save it for 1 or 2 generations, than the yeast from the secondary is easier to clean.

 

[Jesse17]

OK, I tried saving my yeast yesterday (before finding this thread). I had searched for recycling yeast first, and I saw someone saying to stir up the stuff on the bottom. This is a batch of apple cider F.Y.I. So when I racked my cider to the secondary, I left a 1/2" of cider on top of the yeast cake (pitch looks like peanut butter) I stirred this 'peanut butter' until none was left stuck to the bottom, then I poured it all into a sanitized qt. mason jar. It is settling out in my fridge nicely, but I'm worried about that peanut butter stuff that I purposely added.

I figured that since this was cider and there is no grains in the bottom, that what ever that peanut butter stuff was will just be nutrient for the yeast starter. Am I right on this or (ok....here it is....noob in action...) 'DID I RUIN MY YEAST STARTER'?

 

[rabidgerbil]

ooook

thank you!

You can also get more information on yeast pitching rates over at www.mrmalty.com . He has a pitching rate calculator, etc... here is one page in particular that I find useful
http://www.mrmalty.com/pitching.php

 

[Mutilated1]

Concerning washing the yeast...

I notice that when you put the yeast in the fridge, that it seperates into basically three layers. Can you tell me if this is correct...

1. Top layer - this is basically just left over beer - you can pour it off before making the starter or get rid of it. Its not needed.

2. Middle layer - this is the yeast that you want to save ??

3. Bottom Layer - this is gunky stuff to throw away and not use ??

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Hmmm, I only get two layers. Check out the last pic in post #3. That's what my yeast looks like after a couple days in the fridge. I just pour off most of the top layer and shake the rest up to get everything back into suspension, and then pitch.

 

[The Bone2]

If I do wash and save my yeast, I should only re-use this yeast for a recipe that calls specifically for the yeast strain that it originally came from, correct? If this is correct, then that leads me to believe after one has experimented and come up with some "reliable" beers they like, this would really be the ticket....

 

[DeathBrewer]

yes, it's going to be the same yeast strain

 

[chione]

You're right, that was a bit confusing, but you assumed correctly. Thanks for clearing that up.

fixed this in wiki as well

 

[explosivebeer]

Someone pointed me to this fantastic thread and I have now harvested two yeast cakes, putting each into five sterilized 12-oz bottles and capping them. Each bottle had about 6 oz of settled yeast cake.

I was actually able to put one of them to use. I don't know if I did it right, but I put the refrigerated bottle in lukewarm water to help activate the yeast. Then I poured off the watery top layer and shook out the yeast into my primary. The fermentation went like gangbusters! Instead of one bubble in the airlock, sometimes three were making their way up in succession. I've never had a fermentation go that fast.

I assume that's due to the large amount of yeast I started with. Does that mean I should split my next yeast cake into ten bottles instead of five?

Another question that comes to mind is how many generations is yeast usually good for? Should I harvest the yeast cake from this rapidly fermenting batch? Or just use the rest of my second-generation bottles when the appropriate batch calls for them and start anew after that?

Thanks for any insights you can provide.

 

[rabidgerbil]

I assume that's due to the large amount of yeast I started with. Does that mean I should split my next yeast cake into ten bottles instead of five?

Another question that comes to mind is how many generations is yeast usually good for? Should I harvest the yeast cake from this rapidly fermenting batch? Or just use the rest of my second-generation bottles when the appropriate batch calls for them and start anew after that?

Thanks for any insights you can provide.

As to splitting it into more bottles, your whole point of doing this is to get a good strong fast fermentation, and if you are getting five more batches out of the previous batch, you are getting a good return on your money, so why bother?

As to how many generations, that is a common topic of discussion. There are those that will only go five generations, there are those that say you can go to ten or more generations, if you are using good sanitation techniques. The biggest thing to remember is, if the you know the yeast well, and know how it should ferment, and it is still doing that, then it is still good. If you are getting odd flavors, or it is taking forever to kick off, etc, then you have probably had a mutation happen, and you should start with a fresh batch.

 

[explosivebeer]

As to splitting it into more bottles, your whole point of doing this is to get a good strong fast fermentation, and if you are getting five more batches out of the previous batch, you are getting a good return on your money, so why bother?

Logistically, I guess I don't really want my fridge filled with ten bottles of every yeast strain I try. I was just curious if there was a minimum amount of yeast you'd want in each container. As it is, I think I'll have more than enough with my current process.

If I find some smaller, stackable containers I might split my batches up a bit more but for now I'm happy to have seemingly learned how to wash and store yeast!

Thanks again to the OP.

 

[Kevin Dean]

Logistically, I guess I don't really want my fridge filled with ten bottles of every yeast strain I try.

I try to do just that. Hell, I've got strains that I haven't brewed with yet.

But I'm quickly finding it to be a bit pointless since I've used English Ale in a ratio of 5:1.

I keep my yeast banked in baby food jars and just line them up in the freezer door. Each jar is enough to grow a starter and replace the jar. That said, I've got a few dozen strains in there and it doesn't take up too much space though using vials in a rack could dramatically reduce the amount of space that collection is using up.

 

[rabidgerbil]

Logistically, I guess I don't really want my fridge filled with ten bottles of every yeast strain I try. I was just curious if there was a minimum amount of yeast you'd want in each container. As it is, I think I'll have more than enough with my current process.

If I find some smaller, stackable containers I might split my batches up a bit more but for now I'm happy to have seemingly learned how to wash and store yeast!

Thanks again to the OP.

I use half pint canning jars, they hold enough to make the next starter with, so that is perfect, and they stack pretty nicely, and are easy to label with some freezer tape.

 

[Smogre]

Sweet thread!
Thanks for sharing.

 

[SuperiorBrew]

Thanks Bernie, I gave it a shot today. I had just racked 10G of a Fat Tire clone with the Wyeast VSS Fat Tire yeast.

I had to much yeast in that fermenter I was able to dump about 2 quarts of sterilized water into it and come up with this gallon of mostly suspended yeast & left almost all the trub behind.

I had only boiled 5 mason jars, or I am sure I could have easily filled 7 or 8 jars. But chances are I wont even use the 5 before it's too old.

I used the Fermtech Mini Auto Siphon, it worked great I was able to keep the tip right in the middle of the suspended yeast and not disturb the trub at all.

All labeled and put in the fridge. Now just waiting for them to clear to see how much I ended up with.

 

[SuperiorBrew]

 

[cowgo]

That's just a beautiful picture!

 

[FlyGuy]

That's just a beautiful picture!

Indeed!!!!!!!!!