I just did my first wlp200 BoBWorlds... need help storing

[maierhof]

Ok - long time yeast lover (bread and beer) - but new to storing yeast captured from the krausen.
Can anyone give me some pointers on storing this?

Here is what I have done so far:
The yeast is actively fermenting right now and the krausen was so large it poked its head up into the airlock (and out into the fridge a little). I had sanitized the airlock and had carbon filtered water and sani in there too a little. So when I looked at at the airlock I noticed it had a lot of yeast so I sani'd a small ball jar and put the whole thing in there and put it into the beer fridge at 36*F.

What am I doing wrong and what can I do better here?

 

[maierhof]

Almost 96 people have read this in 9 days and nothing...
Ooook... I must be doing it right then? lol

 

[dmarc85]

Is this a lager?


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[tagz]

You procedure sounds fine. You may want to use it soon or throw it into a starter. That way your sample will have some beer/alcohol on top to ward off other organisms.

 

[maierhof]

Is this a lager?


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No this is the ale from MoreBeer and WhiteLabs - really looking forward to maturity on this one!

 

[maierhof]

You procedure sounds fine. You may want to use it soon or throw it into a starter. That way your sample will have some beer/alcohol on top to ward off other organisms.

That sounds like a good idea - there is beer on top of it right now but it is from the latest batch so I figure I have about 4 more weeks until I have do do something here...

 

[dmarc85]

I would just wait til you transfer, then steal the yeast off the bottom of the fermenter, you'll get waaaaaaay more cells.


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[maierhof]

I would just wait til you transfer, then steal the yeast off the bottom of the fermenter, you'll get waaaaaaay more cells.


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True but I tend to wait to clean it (two young kids and three jobs) until i have time which depletes the efficacy... I am thinking of doing a side by side 5gal of top vs bottom just to get an idea of the differences.

 

[dmarc85]

I'm really confident that harvesting yeast from your fermenter will give you much higher yields, which means better starts etc.

I always sanitize 3-4 beer bottles and caps before transfer. At the end of transfer, I pour about a quart of warm water over my yeast cake and agitate until I have a nice sludge, which I bottle, cap and refrigerate immediately.

Honestly, the extra time is about 15-20 mins and gives you a fatty yeast to pitch into 4 more batches. It's a bit less clean up when you do end up getting around to it.


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[tagz]

I'm really confident that harvesting yeast from your fermenter will give you much higher yields, which means better starts etc.

I always sanitize 3-4 beer bottles and caps before transfer. At the end of transfer, I pour about a quart of warm water over my yeast cake and agitate until I have a nice sludge, which I bottle, cap and refrigerate immediately.

Honestly, the extra time is about 15-20 mins and gives you a fatty yeast to pitch into 4 more batches. It's a bit less clean up when you do end up getting around to it.


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Interesting. You don't have issues with co2 pressure?

 

[dmarc85]

Nope. There isn't any fermentation taking place since all the sugars have already been converted.

Even after warming it up, when I pop the top on the bottle the pressure is not anything more that you'd get opening a regular beer.


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[tagz]

Weird double post. Anyway, there's no fermentation but I get tons of pressure in my mason jars from residual co2. The lid allows me to release it occasionally.

Dissolved CO2 isn't supposed to be great for yeast health.

 

[maierhof]

I'm really confident that harvesting yeast from your fermenter will give you much higher yields, which means better starts etc.

I always sanitize 3-4 beer bottles and caps before transfer. At the end of transfer, I pour about a quart of warm water over my yeast cake and agitate until I have a nice sludge, which I bottle, cap and refrigerate immediately.

Honestly, the extra time is about 15-20 mins and gives you a fatty yeast to pitch into 4 more batches. It's a bit less clean up when you do end up getting around to it.


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Yes - I agree with you. Taking the cells from the fermenter is definintely an great way to collect yeast growth from your beer. I typically do this when I have time. I guess I miss labeled this discussion, my bad. I could have been more specific. I was trying to understand how to store the yeast captured from the top as it was in active fermentation. It seems no different...

 

[dmarc85]

Agreed, for the most part yeast is yeast. BUT unlike the active cell off the top, the dregs from the bottom of the fermenter will contain dead cells, trub and break along with the viable reproducing cells that will get your next batch going.

Although I've never harvested off the krausen, my instincts tell me that your actual cell count would likely be only sufficient enough to make a starter for your next batch rather than 'jump start' your next batch...

I'm actually kind of curious now to see if a top harvested yeast would produce a starter that is more effective that my own method of primitive yeast washing...ideas are brewing


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[maierhof]

Although I've never harvested off the krausen, my instincts tell me that your actual cell count would likely be only sufficient enough to make a starter for your next batch rather than 'jump start' your next batch...

I'm actually kind of curious now to see if a top harvested yeast would produce a starter that is more effective that my own method of primitive yeast washing...ideas are brewing

Bingo - that is what I was thinking too. I only use a starter from now on.... now that I have everything setup and calibrated (finally)
Ok you talked me into it - side by side is the best way to tell... man wifey is going to get pissed - I have brewed a batch every two weeks since I got the new rig going! Lol

 

[dmarc85]

Haha, hell yeah. My wife is always pissed! I'd love to see your methods and some data. Please share results!


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[maierhof]

Haha, hell yeah. My wife is always pissed! I'd love to see your methods and some data. Please share results!

You mean I am not alone in the pissed off wifey thing? Misery loves company lol

Shyte I didnt take any pics of the krausen when it overflowed my ancient glass carboy (I did it in there to watch the whole thing being a brand new yeast)... basically I put dilstilled water in the airlock and then hit it with a few sprays of starsan. Then as soon as the thing was half full I carefully poured it into an old yeast vial from wlp. Got about a third of a container then put some of the original beer it came from on it and stuck it in the beer fridge at 36* F. Perfect for making a yeast starter imho... I figure I will get about 4 weeks maybe more till I have to transfer it to real starter. Data? What kind?

 

[dmarc85]

You are NOT alone! Lol. I'm interested in how quickly your top harvested yeast starter gets going vs. a bottom harvested culture. Also I'm curious about differences in attenuation. I feel that my yeast may be losing its attention from one generation to the next.


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