Yeast Washing Noob. (How's this yeast look?)

tempestam83 · Feb 16, 2016

Hi guys. Washed my first batch of yeast on Saturday. WL California Ale yeast. Going to reuse it again this weekend for a 3-gallon IPA.

I have about 400 ML in a jar. How does this look?

Would I need to use a starter if I'm only storing it for a week?

How much of this do you think I should use for a 3-gallon batch?

Thanks for your help!

Pkrd · Feb 16, 2016

No need for a starter. Use about ⅓ to ½ for an equal sized batch. Pour off the excess liquid before you pitch.

Izzie1701 · Feb 19, 2016

I just did one with a starter and without. The yeast was harvested from 5g and split amongst 2 beers with similar OG. The one with a starter started fermenting with 5 house the one without started in about 18 hours. The yeast was refrigerated for 2 weeks from original batch.

johnhenryrolf · Feb 21, 2016

Was that a fresh pour? I did this also this weekend, and filled pint jars to the neck. Looked just like that until the next morning, and then actually looked like what others had posted. Just want to keep others informed as to what to expect.

tempestam83 · Feb 21, 2016

I combined two jars into one and kept dumping off the liquid every few days until it was just all yeast. Pitched today at around 4 pm at 70 degrees. It's now 11 pm and the airlock is already overflowing!

wallybangbang · Feb 21, 2016

tempestam83 said:
I combined two jars into one and kept dumping off the liquid every few days until it was just all yeast. Pitched today at around 4 pm at 70 degrees. It's now 11 pm and the airlock is already overflowing!

You should actually store the yeast in a jar full of beer. No need to dump the top layer of beer until you have cold crashed it and are ready to use it. Beer is actually a very good environment for the yeast to live in. Also you got a lot of trub in there, the yeast is mainly that thin white line on top of the trub. The particles that make up the trub are heavier than the yeast so they will settle first. I usually wash the yeast then slowly pour the top layer off the trub every five to ten minutes or so when I wash. It limits the amount of trub harvested in the mason jars. What you are doing definitely works though, plenty of yeast to ferment a batch. I just like to split mine up in four or five smaller jars, makes it go a little farther.