Rinsing Yeast (in Pictures)

Share your experiences of using brewing yeast.
Wolfy

Re: Rinsing Yeast (in Pictures)

Post by Wolfy » Thu Jun 09, 2011 6:02 am

jmc wrote:BTW: Do you only harvest yeast this way, i.e. do you bother to skim yeast when its most active?
About 36-48 hrs into brew for my WLP002
If my brewing schedule, equipment and setup allowed, top cropping, as you suggested, would be probably be the best way to harvest yeast. That way it will be clean, active and not subjected to the stresses (or possible contamination etc) of having to sit in the fermentor and ferment beer for a couple of weeks.

However, for me, washing the yeast-cake is usually easier. I don't have to worry about when I have to harvest it, don't have to ferment in a container to make it possible (the blue fermentor in the pictures just above is actually a plastic jerry-can) or put down successive brews within a few days of each other. So for me, it's mostly what fits well with my brewing schedule and equipment, when the yeast cake is washed there is room in the fermenting fridge for the next batch, I've had time to clean up, crush grain and get the next batch made, but if I top cropped the yeast would likely not be used for 2+ weeks.

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jmc
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Re: Rinsing Yeast (in Pictures)

Post by jmc » Sat Jun 18, 2011 1:38 am

Hi Wolfy

I had a go at this with a slurry from a Caledonian 80/- using a Fullers yeast. (WLP002?) harvested from Bengal Lancer.

A bit confused at the darker layer that's above the one that looks like yeast.
I though the dark trub layer would be at the bottom?
Image
Can you (on someone else) please confirm that its just the botton light layer I need to keep.

These jars on 2nd wash. They looked like this after about 30 mins and the same after being in fridge for about 6 hours.

TIA
John

Dr. Dextrin

Re: Rinsing Yeast (in Pictures)

Post by Dr. Dextrin » Sat Jun 18, 2011 9:46 am

Nice pictorial guide, but I'm not sure you explained why I might want to do this.

Just re-pitching into a new brew seems to work fine without any rinsing involved, so does rinsing make the yeast store better? And how would you store the rinsed yeast until you want to use it?

Wolfy

Re: Rinsing Yeast (in Pictures)

Post by Wolfy » Sat Jun 18, 2011 6:44 pm

jmc wrote:I had a go at this with a slurry from a Caledonian 80/- using a Fullers yeast. (WLP002?) harvested from Bengal Lancer.

A bit confused at the darker layer that's above the one that looks like yeast.
I though the dark trub layer would be at the bottom?
Fullers yeast (I use Wy1968) is THE most flocculant yeast you'll ever likely to find, if there was ever a case for the yeast falling out quicker than the trub it would be with that yeast.
Dr. Dextrin wrote:Nice pictorial guide, but I'm not sure you explained why I might want to do this.

Just re-pitching into a new brew seems to work fine without any rinsing involved, so does rinsing make the yeast store better? And how would you store the rinsed yeast until you want to use it?
As you saw in the pictures above (mine and others) the material you harvest from the bottom of the fermentor can be more than 3/4 un-wanted break, protien and other material (depending on your brewing process), by rinsing the yeast you re-pitch only 'pure' yeast and can get a much more accurate cell count. However, if you are happy repitching directly without rinsing there is no reason not to continue that process.

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Re: Rinsing Yeast (in Pictures)

Post by jmc » Sun Jun 19, 2011 12:12 am

Thanks for the info Wolfy =D>

When I tried to pour away the fullers yeast it sort of glooped out almost as a one lump of semi-set blancmange. :shock:

Odd stuff that Fuller's yeast, but it brews lovely and clears really quick.

I'm interested in this method mainly to be able to store yeast for a few months.
(I'm not that worried about a bit of trub if re-pitching).

I'll just re-rinse untill water clear then store the yeast layer..
ATB John

kane

Re: Rinsing Yeast (in Pictures)

Post by kane » Wed Aug 17, 2011 8:31 pm

Great guide!

Im looking into starting to saving the yeast between brews, so hopefully when i move onto wet yeasts i'll be all set (as long as i plan my brews properly).

How do you sterilise the beer bottles for storing the yeast in? Do they cope with being boiled?

Cheers
Kane

Wolfy

Re: Rinsing Yeast (in Pictures)

Post by Wolfy » Thu Aug 18, 2011 6:18 am

kane wrote:How do you sterilise the beer bottles for storing the yeast in? Do they cope with being boiled?
Yep no problem, they're just as strong as glass jars, which can be boiled many times over without problem.

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Re: Rinsing Yeast (in Pictures)

Post by guypettigrew » Tue Aug 23, 2011 1:43 pm

Superb set of pictures and instructions, Wolfy. Much appreciated.

Some beer using White Labs 001 yeast is just coming to the end of it's primary fermantation, so I'll follow your instructions and try to get a few bottles of rinsed yeast slurry from the bottom of the FV for storing in the 'fridge.

When these run out, is it possible to repeat the process using the yeast which is on its "second pitching", so to speak? Or should I buy a new vial of the White Labs stuff and start all over again, please?

Guy

Tom_D

Re: Rinsing Yeast (in Pictures)

Post by Tom_D » Tue Aug 23, 2011 2:49 pm

guypettigrew wrote:when these run out, is it possible to repeat the process using the yeast which is on its "second pitching", so to speak?
I've heard people recommend not repitching more than five times as you increase the risk of introducing wild yeasts etc. I did it seven times with wlp001 and I know there are others on here who have gone further. I would say that my beers improved after a few repitches. Go for it!

kane

Re: Rinsing Yeast (in Pictures)

Post by kane » Tue Aug 23, 2011 3:27 pm

Is it possible to store a large enough amount in a single bottle, so that after 1-2 weeks i could pitch it without making up a starter?

Cheers
Kane

greenxpaddy

Re: Rinsing Yeast (in Pictures)

Post by greenxpaddy » Tue Aug 23, 2011 4:20 pm

Sure is, though there will be some dead cells. You can rejuvenate your yeast by adding a very small amount of 1080 gravity wort (at same temperature)I think its 5-10% of volume from memory and over the course of the day the dead cells will shift to the bottom and the live cells will shift up. You want your yeast to be as healthy as possible so a small starter is still recommended. You won;t get yeast multiplication to any degree but will have healthier yeast ready to perform

Wolfy

Re: Rinsing Yeast (in Pictures)

Post by Wolfy » Wed Aug 24, 2011 7:47 am

kane wrote:Is it possible to store a large enough amount in a single bottle, so that after 1-2 weeks i could pitch it without making up a starter?
Sure, just skip the last 'putting into bottles stage'.
If I'm going to use the yeast within a week (or two at the most) I just leave it in the jar and pitch it directly into the next batch of beer, but after more than about 2 weeks its a good idea to make a starter so that you're sure of pitching healthy viable yeast.

kane

Re: Rinsing Yeast (in Pictures)

Post by kane » Wed Aug 24, 2011 11:25 am

Excellent!

Cheers!

weiht

Re: Rinsing Yeast (in Pictures)

Post by weiht » Fri Sep 09, 2011 7:02 am

I have a jar of rinsed wlp001 in the fridge for 2 mths, and I'm wondering how long can it last assuming I still do a step up starter every time? What is the rule of thumb for viability? 6 mths?

I still have yet to move into agar slants, which i know I shld as yeast is very expensive here...

greenxpaddy

Re: Rinsing Yeast (in Pictures)

Post by greenxpaddy » Fri Sep 09, 2011 7:17 am

Mr Malty says that your slurry is 50% viable. Best practice is to use a small amount of the slurry to step up from leaving the large quantity of dead cells in the jar. Keep stepping up until you have enough to pitch. For a standard size batch 19L you could use only 10ml of your thick slurry in a starter to get there - if using a stirplate. If not use twice the amount.

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