[gmac]

I'm excited to try pulling yeast out of my conical for the next batch.  I only pitched it yesterday so I know I'm ahead of myself but do you all let the beer finish entirely before pulling yeast or do you pull some while it's still fermenting?
This is a lager that I'm doing with the intent of pulling a good pitch for a marzen but I don't want to sacrifice the quality of this beer by pulling yeast too early.  But, how important to this brew is the yeast that has settled into the cone already anyway?
When would you pull yeast for a subsequent batch?
Thanks

[dkfick]

I usually do a small dump about 24 hours after pitching (this is to get rid of some trub)... get rid of it. Then once fermentation is complete I dump some... get rid of it (highly flocculant yeast).  Then the next day I do my keeper pull.  There is usually another yeast worth to dump if you're lagering in the conical (less flocculant yeast) but I don't worry about that dump if I'm not lagering in the conical... I just use the racking arm to pull from above it.

[gmac]

I cooled to about 70F last night and then put it in the conical and left it to come to temp overnight before I pitched. Then this morning I dumped the true and any hop material prior to pitching.
I pitched this morning and 12 hrs later it is bubbling so I'm happy about that. I hope my pitch was big enough for the beer, I was building up older yeast so it was sort of hard to tell. But activity n a lager thus fast makes me think things are gonna be ok.

[Thirsty_Monk]

You can harvest the yeast from conical after you are done fermenting and cold crashed it for at least 24 hours.

[gmac]

You can harvest the yeast from conical after you are done fermenting and cold crashed it for at least 24 hours.

Thanks all. I have no way of cold crashing   I'm doing temp control by using the ambient. It's about 50 in my garage right now which is why I'm hoping to get another lager on quickly. Sounds like I'd best get another starter going instead of harvesting.

[a10t2]

2-3 days after reaching FG, during the diacetyl rest. Drop the trub-y first bit, harvest the middle portion.

[majorvices]

Careful with homebrew conicals. Many of them have 1/2" ports and if you are not careful you will get the yeast plugged up so bad you will not be able to get any movement.

[hopfenundmalz]

Careful with homebrew conicals. Many of them have 1/2" ports and if you are not careful you will get the yeast plugged up so bad you will not be able to get any movement.

You are correct. A solution to this is to put a little CO2 pressure on the conical. I found 2 PSI worked just fine, squirted the yeast out. My Blichmann is rated for 3 PSI.

[majorvices]

Careful with homebrew conicals. Many of them have 1/2" ports and if you are not careful you will get the yeast plugged up so bad you will not be able to get any movement.

You are correct. A solution to this is to put a little CO2 pressure on the conical. I found 2 PSI worked just fine, squirted the yeast out. My Blichmann is rated for 3 PSI.

That usually does work but I have resorted to coat hanger "plunging" to remove a few plugs, especially ones that I got careless about and let sit too long. And hoppy beers can be a special problem. Best to dump IIPAs regularly IME.

[hopfenundmalz]

Careful with homebrew conicals. Many of them have 1/2" ports and if you are not careful you will get the yeast plugged up so bad you will not be able to get any movement.

You are correct. A solution to this is to put a little CO2 pressure on the conical. I found 2 PSI worked just fine, squirted the yeast out. My Blichmann is rated for 3 PSI.

That usually does work but I have resorted to coat hanger "plunging" to remove a few plugs, especially ones that I got careless about and let sit too long. And hoppy beers can be a special problem. Best to dump IIPAs regularly IME.

Yes, dumping the trub early helps too.

[AmandaK]

Careful with homebrew conicals. Many of them have 1/2" ports and if you are not careful you will get the yeast plugged up so bad you will not be able to get any movement.

I knew there was a reason I went with the 1.5" butterfly dump valve.

[gmac]

Careful with homebrew conicals. Many of them have 1/2" ports and if you are not careful you will get the yeast plugged up so bad you will not be able to get any movement.

I knew there was a reason I went with the 1.5" butterfly dump valve.

That's what I have too.

[Thirsty_Monk]

Careful with homebrew conicals. Many of them have 1/2" ports and if you are not careful you will get the yeast plugged up so bad you will not be able to get any movement.

I knew there was a reason I went with the 1.5" butterfly dump valve.

That's what I have too.

Then you are home free.

[gmac]

I dumped a bit more trub today too. This is fun.

[ynotbrusum]

I just have plastic 60L Spiedels at this point, but have considered a conical, as I like the concept of transferring clear wort under pressure.  I have always wondered how you clean and sanitize the dump valve in place after the dump of an early trub and unwanted yeast?  Just spray it down with StarSan?