Downsizing washed yeast containers?

Just wondering if anyone could give me the adverse effects of downsizing the containers of my harvested yeast?

Currently I move the yeast into a 1gallon jug, let it sit and then pour off into 12oz mason jars. The more I harvest, the less room I have obviously.

Is there anything wrong with decanting them (since they're kept in the fridge) and pouring the cakes off into smaller 4oz jars? I suspect I could turn 4 large jars into two smaller ones.

Aside from the possible risk of infection of course.

Thanks.

One downside is oxygen, you want them in a low oxygen environment while in storage. I would imagine that every time you change containers you are adding some oxygen to de-oxygenated water which will make the yeasts ease up some of their reserves. Other than that, I don't see any other drawbacks.

As Drakeskakes has stated the secret is maintaining excellent sanitation and avoiding unnecessary introduction of O2 which is their enemy during storage.

I chose to store around 30ml of yeast in 50ml vials. You can have multiple vials of multiple strains in your fridge without them taking over.
I have 2 racks full like this. After pouring the 30ml yeast into the vial I top up with cooled boiled distilled water.

I do exactly as el_caro does. Those vials take up a LOT less room than any jar.

Aside from reusing vials where do you guys get the others from?

Cynmar, and us plastics should have what you need. Look for autoclaveable centrifuge tubes.

I've looked at the yeast washing thread several times and want to start saving yeast, but I don't want to hog up the fridge with numerous mason jars.

Can you explain this process in some more detail? i.e. How much water do you add to the fermenter to mix up the yeast? etc.

Thanks.

http://www.cynmar.com/ProductDetail/11520779-Glass-Culture-Tubes-Wscrew-Cap-25x150mm-50ml-10pk

Would this be the correct vial?

chays99 said:

I've looked at the yeast washing thread several times and want to start saving yeast, but I don't want to hog up the fridge with numerous mason jars.

Can you explain this process in some more detail? i.e. How much water do you add to the fermenter to mix up the yeast? etc.

Thanks.

Click to expand...

I do not store yeast from fermenter anymore - only from fresh vials and smackpacks.
The yeast washing sticky thread will tell you how to rinse the yeast of any trub material.
Once you have done with the washing and have a nice clean yeast sample then pour about 35ml into each sterile vial and top up with sterile, de-oxygenated water (preferably but not necessarily distilled water). You will then have around the equivalent of a whitelabs vial or wyeast smackpack in each of your vials. Whitelabs work on 4 mths to use by date but we know that is conservative.