Yeast Washing Illustrated

[jessej122]

How does this look and tips or suggestions?

 

[Brulosopher]

How does this look and tips or suggestions?

If you accurately rinsed your yeast, the liquid in top would be almost clear. Harvesting from starters is easier and cleaner

 

[bzwyatt]

Yeah, the dark stuff under the off-white stuff isn't yeast, it is break material/trub. The palest stuff is the yeast, so you can tell there is not as much yeast as other stuff. That is ok, but it could have been rinsed better, and left a higher ratio of yeast to trub. You need to let it settle longer, and pour more carefully, to get more yeast and less trub.

 

[jessej122]

Will it still be viable to make a starter with?

 

[brewski09]

Will it still be viable to make a starter with?

Yes. Definitely. I would caution against leaving it too long as the darkness indicates substantial highly kilned malts which cause a drop in pH. In other words, it's a stressful environment for the yeast.

 

[jessej122]

The yeast was used got an oatmeal stout

 

[bwalcottayers]

I have a question for the guys who really know the details. Always wanted to try this so i picked up everything and its pretty easy. Using the small mason jars i end up with abut 1/2 in of yeast. I know i need a starter for a big batch but will 1 or 2 jars in a pinch do a 1 gallon pilot batch?

How many of the jars did you end up with? On average I'll get 4 jars filled and each contain roughly 200B cells. 200B is just under a normal pack or vial you'd buy.

 

[tgmartin000]

Here's another "how does this look" question. I think I added too little water. I think the darker brown layer on top is my Conan, is this correct? Should I just dump the wash water and yeast layer into a new starter? It's been in my fridge for 2 weeks, but even small disturbances cause the yeast to re-suspend.

 

[brewski09]

Here's another "how does this look" question. I think I added too little water. I think the darker brown layer on top is my Conan, is this correct? Should I just dump the wash water and yeast layer into a new starter? It's been in my fridge for 2 weeks, but even small disturbances cause the yeast to re-suspend.

If it re-suspends that easily I would just add it all. Pretty much looks like it's all usable to me.

 

[tgmartin000]

If it re-suspends that easily I would just add it all. Pretty much looks like it's all usable to me.

Awesome. Thanks brewski.

 

[msa8967]

Reading the comments in another thread about yeast washing there were several brewers that are convinced that it is bad to use boilled (and then cooled) water for washing the yeast. Anyone else have an opinion on this? Has the thinking changed about the water we use?

 

[brewski09]

Reading the comments in another thread about yeast washing there were several brewers that are convinced that it is bad to use boilled (and then cooled) water for washing the yeast. Anyone else have an opinion on this? Has the thinking changed about the water we use?

I believe they are saying there is too much chance for infection and don't think you should use any yeast washing at all. As far as washing goes, I use it to remove large amounts of grub. If you want to remove biological containments, acid washing is the way to go, but not something I will be investing in. I'll just buy a fresh vial of yeast if I have to many mutated cells or an infection is likely.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeast washing is completely fine as long as everything is sanitized. And you leave the beer/water mix that was in it in there to top off the jars. Just let the boiled water cool covered. Masybe even in the fridge till it gets down to a temp safe for the yeast.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

I think it's worth reading the posts from EarlyAmateurZymurgist about why NOT to rinse yeast and store under boiled water. Even though he had rubbed some the wrong way, he seems to know his stuff.

 

[celtic_dude]

So I was wondering that if you re-use yeast and find out later that the batch of beer that the yeast came with developed 'off-flavors' maybe due to ferm temps, will those 'off-flavors' follow the yeast when it gets re-used??

 

[bzwyatt]

It is possible. If the yeast are stressed enough, they will not have the vitality for optimum performance in subsequent generations. But it depends on the strain and how much out of the optimum temp range they were fermenting in, other variables.

 

[grndslm]

I think it's worth reading the posts from EarlyAmateurZymurgist about why NOT to rinse yeast and store under boiled water. Even though he had rubbed some the wrong way, he seems to know his stuff.

EAZ also thinks that using boiled water is a "poor brewery practice".... so I wouldn't listen to everything he says.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/saving-yeast-432059/index3.html

He does have a point about petites (mutants), but that's about it. He ignored the obvious data that says yeast stored in boiled water will last FAR longer than than yeast stored in the alcohol that it just created. If long term storage is your intent... then, short of freezing the yeasties, dropping them in some previously boiled water is your best bet.

In the last post of that thread, I clearly show Pros/Cons of rinsing yeast. And the cons are really not cons at all. The sanitation process should really be no different from the sanitation process of keeping your wort "pure".

Rinsing/Washing Yeast
===

PROS:
- Long-term yeast viability, particularly past one month or so.
- Ability to remove ALL prior beer flavors, trub, dead yeast from the prior recipe [particularly useful when making a new recipe].
- Better estimates as to yeast count for next pitch.

CONS:
- Virtually non-existant possibility of adding contamination (because you'll be sanitizing your autosiphon & sterilizing the water and jars).
- A matter of adding a couple extra minutes of actual work to your process, along with waiting time (hour for water to boil and cool, 30 min. for trub to settle, few hours to a day for yeast to settle; however, pitching yeast cake should preferably also wait few hours to a day for yeast to settle and pitch the top liquid with potentially respiratory deficiant mutants (i.e. - "petites")).

 

[TungstenBeer]

After a "batch" of rinsed yeast has been allowed to sit in the fridge for a few days, are people decanting off any of the brown layer (proteins and whatnot) on the top?

I wasn't planning on doing it due to risk of increased infection, but just figured I'd check and see.

 

[bolus14]

I don't. It's either trub remnants or dead yeast cells, neither are going to hurt the living yeast that your saving. And like you said not worth the contamination risk, IMO.

 

[mtnagel]

If you are talking about the clear layer on top, yes I decant most of it off and leave a little so I can shake it with the yeast slurry so that I can pour it out of the container.

 

[bzwyatt]

Only before pitching. Not any other time

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[TungstenBeer]

Just to be clear, I was only talking about the thin brown layer (which is above the clear layer which is above the yeast). Thanks for the responses.

 

[bolus14]

Just to be clear, I was only talking about the thin brown layer (which is above the clear layer which is above the yeast). Thanks for the responses.

Are you saying you have a brown layer on top of the water? Might be worth taking a pic. If you have yeast, then clear liquid, then a brown layer you might want to toss the yeast. Others may know better then me, but if this is what you're saying i don't think thats normal.

 

[bzwyatt]

Yeah there should be two layers - yeast and water. The jar should be completely full, so even if there is a layer you couldn't see it (but there shouldn't be). Sometimes there is a little trub that is below the yeast, but nothing above the yeast.

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[high5apparatus]

My washed 05 partially froze. It's in a full size growler. Will the yeast survive?

 

[brewski09]

My washed 05 partially froze. It's in a full size growler. Will the yeast survive?

Only way to tell is to make a starter.

 

[TungstenBeer]

Are you saying you have a brown layer on top of the water? Might be worth taking a pic. If you have yeast, then clear liquid, then a brown layer you might want to toss the yeast. Others may know better then me, but if this is what you're saying i don't think thats normal.

Sure, I'll show a pic. This effect is normal, but I'm hesitant to even call it a layer. It's a slight discoloration at the very very top of the jar. There's no harm in it - just some light proteins that didn't settle as fast as other trub from the initial harvest (which would have obviously been discarded).

Now that I've taken the picture, it's so small you can't even see it (please hold jokes).

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

Now that I've taken the picture, it's so small you can't even see it (please hold jokes).

Only because you're making it too easy.

 

[bolus14]

Looks good to me. Like you said I'm not seeing the thin layer you're talking about. But that looks like son fine yeast there

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[SABRES32]

Thanks to all who've posted to this topic it's now made me want to try re-using my yeast. I've never attempted collecting my yeast before but plan on giving it a try. I'm assuming that the majority of the yeast is collected after the primary? Is any of the yeast that settles from the secondary worth collecting or is it not worth it?