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Author Topic: 1ST Time Washing Yeast  (Read 5973 times)

Offline thebigbaker

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1ST Time Washing Yeast
« on: August 22, 2012, 04:17:13 pm »
So I brewed up a simple Amber that turned out nice.  This was my first attempt at washing yeast and the picture shows what I ended up with.  Basically three mason jars w/ about 25-30ml of yeast. 



So I have a question about using this washed yeast.  I currently do three gallon batches and Mr. Malty states that I should use 66ml of yeast (the two sliders were left in the default position) for the next beer.  Next beer will be the same amber, but w/ a little victory added to it (I've never brewed w/ victory so this will give me a good chance to see what it adds to the amber).  OG for this beer is targeted for 1.054 and will also be 3.25 gallons.  The washed yeast will be a week old, counting from the day I washed the yeast.

So should I:

1.  Just decant all three mason jars and pitch.
2.  Just use one mason jar and make a starter.  What size starter (I've never made a starter since all my brews have been 3 gallons < 1.060).

As always, thanks for your advice and expert opinions.

Jeremy Baker

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Offline morticaixavier

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Re: 1ST Time Washing Yeast
« Reply #1 on: August 22, 2012, 04:45:42 pm »
That depends, do you want to make three batches of beer with those three jars? is so, make a starter, doesn't have to be big, maybe 1 liter (1 liter of water 100 grams of DME) or just go the lazy route and pitch all three. it's not much of an over pitch.
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Offline jmcamerlengo

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Re: 1ST Time Washing Yeast
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2012, 07:44:38 am »
I'd say make a starter with 1 jar.

1. It will get the yeast going again and give you a better fermentation.

2. It will save you money since you will have 2 more mason jars at your disposal

3. Second and 3rd and even beyond that, generation yeast usually performs better IME, so that stuff in the mason jar may produce better beers than if you used a fresh pitch of new yeast.

4. You will have an opporunity to wash the yeast from the new batch and make another culture and test to see that your sanitation is good, and compare a 3rd generation pitch to a 2nd generation pitch.
Jason
-Head Brewer, Brewtus Brewers in the Shenango Valley. Hopefully opening a brewpub/nano brewery in the next couple years.

Offline thebigbaker

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Re: 1ST Time Washing Yeast
« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2012, 09:40:10 am »
Thanks for the suggestions!  I think I will do a small starter w/ one jar.  Gonna brew this Saturday so will get the starter going today. 
Jeremy Baker

"An escalator can never break: it can only become stairs. You should never see an Escalator Temporarily Out Of Order sign, just Escalator Temporarily Stairs. Sorry for the convenience." - Mitch Hedberg

Offline netsteel

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Re: 1ST Time Washing Yeast
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2012, 11:38:52 am »
I just started washing yeast as well, and thought this question may go along with the thread:
How long can washed yeast be stored in the fridge before you have to throw it out?
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Offline morticaixavier

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Re: 1ST Time Washing Yeast
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2012, 12:47:53 pm »
I just started washing yeast as well, and thought this question may go along with the thread:
How long can washed yeast be stored in the fridge before you have to throw it out?

if you are confident in your sanitation it can be stored quite a while but you will probably need to step it up a couple times after months.

if you want to store several varieties of yeast for the long term look into freezing. search the boards for discussion of this process. it involves glycol and very very cold freezers.
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Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: 1ST Time Washing Yeast
« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2012, 01:03:42 pm »
I just started washing yeast as well, and thought this question may go along with the thread:
How long can washed yeast be stored in the fridge before you have to throw it out?

if you are confident in your sanitation it can be stored quite a while but you will probably need to step it up a couple times after months.

if you want to store several varieties of yeast for the long term look into freezing. search the boards for discussion of this process. it involves glycol and very very cold freezers.

Wouldn't it be cheaper to make slants for long term storage?  I have to think a -20 freezer is pretty expensive.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: 1ST Time Washing Yeast
« Reply #7 on: August 23, 2012, 01:06:16 pm »
I just started washing yeast as well, and thought this question may go along with the thread:
How long can washed yeast be stored in the fridge before you have to throw it out?

if you are confident in your sanitation it can be stored quite a while but you will probably need to step it up a couple times after months.

if you want to store several varieties of yeast for the long term look into freezing. search the boards for discussion of this process. it involves glycol and very very cold freezers.

Wouldn't it be cheaper to make slants for long term storage?  I have to think a -20 freezer is pretty expensive.

even with slants don't you need a deep freeze for long term? I could be wrong having never ranched anything including yeast before... but I do know a funny joke about farmers;

Vermont farmer: My spread's about thirty acres on one side of the road and another 100 on the other
Texas rancher: Well, let me tell you, I get in my truck and drive all day and don't get from one side of my spread to the other
Vermont farmer: a'yuh, I gotta truck like that.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: 1ST Time Washing Yeast
« Reply #8 on: August 23, 2012, 01:14:43 pm »
even with slants don't you need a deep freeze for long term? I could be wrong having never ranched anything including yeast before...

Honestly?  I have no idea.  Never done it as it sounds like too much work but I always assumed they were just refrigerated.

Rather than buying a special freezer, I'll just throw $7 or so at a new package of yeast every so often.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline denny

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Re: 1ST Time Washing Yeast
« Reply #9 on: August 23, 2012, 01:19:14 pm »
even with slants don't you need a deep freeze for long term?

Nope.  Slants keep in the fridge and you reculture them occasionally.  To freeze yeast, you mix it with glycerin.
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