Yeast Harvesting and Washing 101 | Beer Geek Nation Homebrew Videos

Подписаться 41 тыс.

Просмотров 434 тыс.

50% 1

Buy Me A Beer! www.paypal.me/...
Check Out the BGN Website For Additional Videos! www.beergeeknat...
This is a basic video on how to harvest yeast from a previous batch of beer. All you need are some pint mason jars which you can get at Walmart or online at Amazon very cheaply. After you have a beer that is done fermenting leave all of the yeast cake at the bottle. Boil 4 mason jars for 15 mins. Remove the mason jars and fill them with the boiled water. Let them come to room temperature. At this point add the water from the 4 mason jars into the bucket with the yeast cake and swirl the bucket for about 30 seconds and then let it sit for 20 mins. After the 20 mins pour off the yeast sediment into the jars and then let them sit for about 1 hour. After the hour pour off the top layer of sediment in the jars into 2 additional mason jars. Try to pour off just the cloudy top layer and leave the trub behind. This is your final product. Make a yeast starter with the 2 jars you have harvested for better results.

Опубликовано:

15 сен 2024

Ссылка:

Скачать:

Готовим ссылку...

Добавить в:

Мой плейлист

Посмотреть позже

Комментарии : 379

@brandonjarmon3591 6 лет назад

Just a quick note. Fairly new to brewing but have canned food for years. For the mason jars they make a magnetic holder for getting the hot tops and lids out of the boiling water. Works great and is maybe around 2 dollars.

@bradleypariah 7 лет назад

Not sure if it was a good idea - Yesterday, I racked a beer to secondary, then added a little water to the primary, then shook it up. I brewed a new batch, and after I cooled and aerated my wort, I dumped it into a sanitized primary, then just poured the top layer from the old primary vessel into the new one. I checked on it this morning, and it's one of the most active fermentations I've ever seen. Blow-off tube is full of krausen and it's bubbling like crazy.

@danilolegisa3886 7 лет назад

this is cause you got better yeas! I mean, "more living" yeast... you ll need to check the pitch rate using this "rinsed yeast" technique...

@HDiGITTY 12 лет назад

I used to farm yeast with a stir plate and I would just wash it by pouring distilled water in the container (whatever I could find) and throwing it in the refrigerator over night. It would totally suspend the healthy yeast and all the dead yeast would float around. The healthy yeast was almost like a custard and would stay in place pretty well while I would just pour out the distilled water with the dead yeast. I would do it about once a week. great video!

@jeremy0209 11 лет назад

what you're both missing here is that, not only does yeast harvesting save money, it also makes exponentially better beer. The yeast really hit their stride around generation 3-4. If I'm brewing for competition, it's harvested yeast all the way.

@FranklinNewhart 10 лет назад

I wash my Yeast in much the same way except I use a sanitized Sringe to draw it off and as a result I end up with nearly zero Traub. I use exclusively Turbo Yeast so as a precaution when I make a Yeast Starter I add some fresh dry Turbo yeast as well as the recovered yeast to the starter. I have been doing this for some time now and I have not experienced degradation. I check my yeast with a microscope at 1600 X on a Computer Monitor and when there is generational degradation or mutation then the whole batch goes and I start over. I know most people do not even have a microscope but they are worth the investment. A good 400 X can be had for under $200. But I would suggest spending another $100 and get a 1000X It makes the job easier. Yeast is still pretty miniscule at 400X.

@oliverjeffries8532 6 лет назад

6 years later youre still helping homebrewers! Thank you so much I have just made an elderflower IPA using wine yeast, its about 7% im going to wash it and give elderflower mead a bash :)

@bangusyoung 8 лет назад

Your're the only one I've seen using the bucket and spigot to decant the yeast/trub (which, if you think about it, the majority of the trub will stay in the bucket). Your way is a lot easier (and cleaner) than the other videos I've seen. Kudos to you!

@BeerGeekNation 8 лет назад

+Jeff Bolin Thanks man. I hope it helps. Easiest is the best!

@billybiggs1630 11 лет назад

Have been brewing for years but doing it with a novice approach. Now that I am finally getting past the just making some drinkable brew and looking to do more complex styles and originals this info has been very valuable. Love your vids and even some of the basics I plan to watch just to see how my methods differ from others. Thanks for the info on this vid. Yeast harvesting has been something I have wanted to do for a few years now and this vid has been a great tool to get me started.

@jamesgray6047 10 лет назад

Great video!!! Ditch the tongs and buy a mason jar tool kit. I got mine at either Walmart or Target, can't remember. It includes a special set of "tongs" for grabbing the jars out of boiling water, a magnetic handle for grabbing the lids and other stuff for people who can vegetables and stuff. So worth it, and makes washing yeast much easier and safer!

@skullface1818 12 лет назад

see, what I like doing is just harvesting yeast from my bottles. It only takes 2-3 bottles of brew to get enough bottom yeast to make a starter. the average starter takes a long time to set up, but it works. I also used Malta to harvest and it did VERY good job for my starter. took about 5+ days to prep, but it WORKED. big money saver.

@pwnDonkey 11 лет назад

Ive done this without the transfer from 4 to 2. That is, just pour the 4 boiled pint jars into the primary carboy and mix, then fill the 4 pint jars up. It has worked really well for me, with yeast starter/nutrient/oxygen on the next batch of course. Also, Id say Label, label, label

@obsidianjester6314 11 лет назад

Next time you are at Walmart hit up the canning section(OR any store) and get yourself a canning kit. 15 bucks, comes with a lid wand (Stick with a magnet to pull lids) and a Jar lifter to make this much less painful for you and less likely to spill. Also, you don't want to boil the lids (With the gasket) if you can help it. Get it close to it. Though it does not matter if its going to be in the fridge for just a few months. Great and informative video though, I'm going to use it this weekend.

@blemebay 12 лет назад

Very similar to my process. I start by pouring into a sanitized pitcher with a lid that I then put in the fridge for a day. The next day I pour off the top liquid and pour the middle layer into Ball jars that I have half-filled with sterile water.

@spicymcwilliams 12 лет назад

I have no issues with washing US-05 yeast. There's way more yeast cells in a packet of US-05 then a vial of white labs or a wyeast smack pack. Nice video, straight and to the point.

@garagbrewnv9371 10 лет назад

Good vid. I, to save time, just use a sanitizer (one-step, iodophor) for the jars. I washed yeast from using a dry yeast from a primary. Worked as well as a liquid, even a dry lager yeast strain. I pour sanitized water in primary, stir let sit, then pour the top layer in a 1/2 or 1 gallon jug, let sit, then into pint/half pint jars. It does save money and having different yeasts on hand for spare of the moment brewing. Anyway, happy brewing....

@TheSamsonave 12 лет назад

Good video. I started harvesting my yeast this year. I put it in the fridge for a few hours and it really separates out well.

@Sc0ttynzl 12 лет назад

You are THE MAN, Great advice for homebrewing, you are my 3rd Subscription in youtube, in like 5 years, Cheers

@supercarbuilder 11 лет назад

Great Video, it's nice to see how the home brewer would do it, it's hard to picture from a book. Well done.

@dornkrull22 11 лет назад

Good video--I chill all my jars down in the fridge first and between first and second stage--seems to help.Also,I put the jars in pressure cooker with water in them with lids loose.Solves the issue of trying to put lids on latter when the jars are hot.Lastly,I like to have a small propane or alch lamp to cause a updraft near my work so bacteria ladden dust particles unseen dont float down.All in all you have a sound system but I am paranoid and dont leave jars exposed to air--

@Tantrum777 12 лет назад

Solid technique, this works well. I would also add don't harvest yeast from high gravity beers. Good vid man!

@BrainSoap 8 лет назад

I love the Soviet imagery in the graphics and font, really cool

@skullface1818 12 лет назад

hence why It took so long for my starter to finish....either way It still worked out pretty good in my first attempt and should continue to work. if any problems occur Ill have to say that you told me so.

@zt7489 3 года назад

Does spraying sanitiser directly onto yeast, kill it?

@matthewemrys1798 3 года назад

If your sanitizer has antifungal properties, which most are in order to sterilize, yes.

@ismaelcovarrubias1196 11 лет назад

Hello! Great video, talking about sanitary practices, here's some unasked advice: Keep your yeast containers closed all the time (empty and filled once). When transferring, you used 2 yeast jars to fill one: sanitize before opening the giver and receiver container, transfer, close receiving container. Sanitize the second giver jar, open medium filled jar, transfer, close the now filled receiver. Avoid talking while transferring yeast, wash your hands all the way to the elbows.

@barry.anderberg 12 лет назад

Hey I have an idea for a video - How To Bottle Condition High Gravity Beer. I have seen a lot of threads popping up where people have no carbonation after bottle conditioning for a month or longer, presumably because the yeast are all dead from the high alcohol content. I know there are ways around this, like adding wine yeast before bottling for one example. Would love to see a video on proper bottle conditioning of high ABV brew.

@joshuaadler3806 11 лет назад

Hey Beer Geek Nation! Awesome intro to yeast Harvesting. Wanted to weigh in with my 2 cents, not to bash your methods, but being a regional brewers microbiologist, I couldn't in my right mind watch this without giving some people advice on how to do this... perhaps better. First, those mason jars with the plastic seal coating are asking for bacterial contamination if only being "sanitized" in boiling water. Consider using a pressure cooking for 15 minutes

@rabrant1 12 лет назад

I emailed you before reading these entrees. This answered my question. Your videos are incredible, like the Hulk.

@Odyssey311 6 лет назад

This was a really friggin good video. Easy to show others and explain what is going on. Prost!

@bluebird1422 11 лет назад

the better and faster way is just to get a spoon and get a white part of the yeasts taken out to sanitized jar. You don't need the whole process, just pour some water to fermentator, let it take some time to separate itself and than use the spoon.

@MartyZaluski 11 лет назад

Thanks for the vid. Just to show how forgiving this process is, i just saved my first batch a few weeks ago, and DECANTED the yeast layer, and used the trub as a starter. Batch I just took from the primary that used that yeast batch seems to have a good SG. Hopefully it tastes good.

@royalblowno 11 лет назад

I believe the trub and dead yeast is what you're trying to leave behind, and the yeast that have settled or are still in suspension is what you're after. Generally, I think the yeast just goes into a resting period after they have consumed all the sugars and into slight dormancy when chilled or complete dormancy when frozen. Most say to use it 4-6 times then to discard, but I'm not sure why that is or if it's just a ploy to get people to continue to buy yeast as they could potentially use 4ever

@chefe2152 2 года назад

There is great canning tool to grip the jars with,saves yiu lots of burning

@bradnead6913 Год назад

So cool. Thanks so much for posting this vid. It's gonna help me save some cash for sure,especially for those more expensive yeast I use from time to time🍻

@AndySoukup 12 лет назад

don't be afraid of using the sanitizer. it is an acid of pH

@skullface1818 12 лет назад

same here. never much cared for secondary fermenting when I could just bottle for longer to get the same results. Also frees up my other fer mentors for more projects ^^

@The-Trinity-Bro 11 лет назад

Dude, that is the best way to harvest yeast if you don't have a conical! I'm going to save my Chico yeast this way. Cheers!

@noelsingletary 12 лет назад

I would use a new sanitized turkey baster to remove the liquid at the top, then use it to remove the yeast. At least you would get more of the yeast. Just let it sit longer so it can separate better before pulling off the yeast.

@haydenhollenbaugh3958 9 лет назад

noticed that raspberry tart in the background. Fantastic beer.

@dornkrull22 11 лет назад

question is some strains mutate heavily after so many generations.Ca ale yeat usually after six generations start to change.That said,some english breweries use the same strain for centuries.But,in modern times use a acid wash to kill any wild yeast that may have landed in the mix

@rickbish1 11 лет назад

Chris, I loved your video--good job! I watched it a couple times before harvesting my yeast for the first time and found it very helpful! Thank you!

@TakeNoneForTheTeam 3 года назад

Thank you for your time!

@tarogue1 12 лет назад

Just a quick tip from me: Instead of dumping the yeast and water, I've found it's a lot easier (and cleaner) to use a turkey baster.

@ByronSatellite 11 лет назад

Thanks for the post! Just harvested some Belgian Weiss Yeast. Can't wait to try it out.

@BeerGeekNation 11 лет назад

I tend to max it out at 6 weeks but some people go longer. Anything longer then 6 weeks I would definitly make a starter for

@stefanmohr806 7 лет назад

Just followed your process and it worked great. Thank you!

@dan27052 10 лет назад

I usually siphon the beer out of the bottom of the yeast as much as I can. That way you either don't need the 4 empty jars, or if you would like to still switch the jars you have way less chance of getting old beer in them.

@michaelvaughan9732 11 лет назад

I just completed one full year on a single vial of California ale 001. I do not go through the washing routine. I just collect 4 sterilized mason jars of the gunk and beer from the bottom of the fermenter and keep them in the refrig. When I brew I warm up one of the jars and add cooled wort. In a few hours it starts foaming and I put it in the fermenter. I think the concerns about yeast mutations are over done.

@Tantrum777 12 лет назад

Really its unlimited as long as you use yeast nutrient in your brews and practice good sanitation. I would tend to stick with 4-7% ABV though 8 might be pushing it.

@CrazyGuyBlahBlah 11 лет назад

harvesting previously dry off a yeast cake works just fine

@AevalAsylum 10 лет назад

GREAT INFO thank you for making this! ...looks like a turkey baster or culinary syringe may help with separating the liquid a tad more efficiently though, just what I will try...

@spicymcwilliams 12 лет назад

Yeah I'll use us-05 over wyeast1056 or whitelabs wlp001 anyday. Very similar strains at half the cost and very effective.

@sashacarter1854 7 лет назад

this was fun. Trying to make my beer hobby into an educational project. These videos make it fun and easy. Curious to see how brett performs with this technique.

@joshuaadler3806 11 лет назад

Started comment below...In my opinion, most homebrews suffer from bacterial and/or wild yeast infections. This causes them to have an array of off flavours. Merely believing or hoping against infection wont keep them away. I've worked for a big 6 brewery, and even with rigid cleaning regimens, issues still arise. I have even been humbled with my own homebrew getting infected from time to time.... Research aseptic techniques, this will greatly aid in many home brewers abilities.

@FoamyHomie666 10 лет назад

Great Vid! If you go online and get a 10 mL pipet you can get more of the yeast layer off with less of the sludge! just a tip from the lab!

@sickb2200 10 лет назад

I thought the same thing, but a sanitized big turkey baster will make way faster.

@armygrunt03 7 лет назад

That's exactly what I use (turkey baster), especially when I ferment in my big mouth bubbler that does not have a spigot.

@brutusobrien9707 6 лет назад

man! love the rochefort bottle caps picture in the background!! true beer!

@CervezaDeGaraje 11 лет назад

I tend to agree. $7-$8 for the yeast plus another $2-$3 for DME for a starter and I brew 10-15 gallons with it, so less than $1 per gallon of beer. Or I harvest and wash the yeast for an hour or more and risk contamination. It's more a science project than a money saver.

@cbjjimmy 12 лет назад

I usually harvest from primary, but I'm going to give harvesting from the secondary a try with my Saison and British yeast next. Try it if you secondary.

@RainstormGB 12 лет назад

have tried doing it without all the sanitizer be interesting to see if u get any problems

@joshuaadler3806 11 лет назад

Also, another tip would be too chill your "jarred" yeast/trub slurry in the fridge, this will cause the yeast to settle into a dense cake allowing you to pour off and get a much more dense yeast slurry.

@MauricioMacias 12 лет назад

A buddy of mine got double sunshine from a trade. just wanted to hear your verdict.cheers

@dornkrull22 11 лет назад

anyway ever near Bakersfield--let me know--i will buy you a few pints and we can tell each other brewers lies--lol--thx again for the video--i wish I was so motivated

@jgons 9 лет назад

so, after this, when making a yeast starter do you pour this whole thing into the starter or somehow just the yeast?

@stgeorge143 6 лет назад

Same question. Do you decant and somehow only take the light colored stuff?

@kylesvids 4 года назад

After taking it from the fridge I pour off the liquid and add warm sugar water to the jar shake it up and there's your starter

@tkachta1 11 лет назад

Instead of using your spigot, if you poured from your fermenter you'd leave a lot more trub behind. If you're going to use the spigot, I don't see a reason to let the fermenter sit for 20 minutes after mixing.

@woodyiswhere 11 лет назад

With the visible striations, wouldn't it be easier to collect the yeast layer by using a sanitized turkey baster to suck the layer up?

@joecoladarci8774 10 лет назад

I'm brewing a Dubbel today using Trappist Ale Yeast WLP005. I would like to harvest it and really enjoyed your video. Just a couple questions. 1) would each of the two final jars be considered one vial in which you would do a starter? 2) Would you dump the whole jar into the starter like you would a vial? 3) If so, it seems like you get to about double your initial vial purchase.

@joecoladarci8774 10 лет назад

Appologies! WLP5000

@ThomasBerglund-y8f Год назад

TBH i would save a lot of time by pouring water into the bucket and doing the first step there by basically waiting 30 minutes for the stuff to collect in the button THEN collect into the jars

@rgerber 7 лет назад

you can also use the Moses way and split them in half

@adudecalledjay 9 лет назад

I wonder if a sanitized turkey baster could help you extract the yeast and leave the trub undisturbed? Looks like you don't really have to be that picky, though. Nice vid, thanks man.

@shanefort4438 10 лет назад

I got a batch of ipa fermenting with tons of hop sediment in it. What are the chances of harvesting and washing that yeast?

@shindhere 7 лет назад

i reckon you could get a cheap little hand pump from somewhere like home depot, stick some hose on it and pump it out without disturbing the trub

@BrewerReviews 10 лет назад

Great video! Thats how you save up all those yeasties!

@LongDogBrew 12 лет назад

Excellent video Chris. Very similar to my process and I've alway had success with the yeast. Cheers!

@strider112575 10 лет назад

Hey, Good video. Have you thought about maybe racking the yeast off the trub from the mason jars? Just a thought. Anyway thanks for the info.

@jemben77 11 лет назад

I just siphon trub into a sanitized beer bottle place in fridge for months at a time...bring out 8 hrs prior or make a starter 24 hrs prior to brewing...that is way too much work.

@fefohood 12 лет назад

It's the first time I do a yeast rinse, after making all due process, got 2 manson jars, half filled with beer and half filled with 3 layers: Which of these is yeast? the bottom, the middle or the top? The yeast used in this beer was a Lager Weast Oktoberfest 2633

@teewinotone 11 лет назад

Wow. Looks so simple. Great savings there. A couple of questions. First, can I wait longer, say 1 1/2 to 2 hours, and then pull the yeast off the top with a sanitized turkey baster (instead of pouring). Second, what temp should I store the washed yeast at? Finally, how long will it remain viable typically? Thanks for the great vid!

@goose_ws 11 лет назад

Also, where you used boiled water in your mason jars which was depleted of oxygen, would it be OK for me to fill a mason jar with water, then stand it up in my pressure cooker and autoclave the jar with the water in it for 20 minutes? I'm not sure if this would deplete the oxygen of the water in the jar or not. May be a question for /r/AskScience. I'll post it there as well.

@BeerGeekNation 11 лет назад

yes use the bottling bucket as the feremtner

@joshbarr6390 Год назад

The yeast starter is just when using the yeast for next brew? It just stores as is in the jar without starter until use?

@lex811117 11 лет назад

you only want the solid at the bottom of the final product to for your starter for your next batch right? Not the liquid.

@dornkrull22 11 лет назад

what i have not tried and would love to research and try is like anchor steam--they use open fermenters and know they get some infection--after so many batches they do a acid wash to kill wild yeast and bacteria and then re pitch after a rebuild stage.Be nice to see how a home brewer cud acid wash and go on forever instead of re plating---which is a pain in the arse in my view.

@cbjjimmy 12 лет назад

I would have thought so till Iread section 1, chapter 6.8 Simple Yeast Ranching "How To Brew" by John Palmer he talks about re-harvsting from secondary and Now I must try it LOL

@blckwiteboy 10 лет назад

Hey man I realized that yeast washing with all grain is different. How do you go about washing all grain. The owner of my homebrew shop showed me a way but I think its not as efficient. I used this method you teach when I brewed with extract. Should I just do exactly what you do for all grain.

@goose_ws 11 лет назад

r/AskScience seems to not like my questions, none of them make it through to the "New" page. So I reposted it to r/Homebrewing, and was told that the oxygen depletion was overkill. Though I think autoclaving with a pressure cooker offers better sterilization than boiling. So what I'll do is boil the jars, then move the jars/water to my pressure cooker and autoclave them. Also, sorry if you're not a Redditor and none of the above made sense. I assume you are, being tech savvy and what not.

@abkeeling 11 лет назад

Would using a turkey baster be an easier way to pull the yeast off the trub when transferring it from jar to jar. Tilting the jars to pour just seems to stir up the trub and get it back into suspension when you pour.

@cspalmisano 11 лет назад

Is there a particular reason you can't just simply skip the boiling of the jars and just spray them down really well with StarSan? Obviously you will need to boil the water you pour into your yeast to get that back in suspension. But is boiling the jars really necessary?

@Cnddecor 2 года назад

Sorry I'm very new to doing this. After you washed, what part of the jar are you using with your yeast starter. Do you save the liquid or the white stuff at the bottom? Again I'm very sorry. Good video.

@yeqetddem 9 лет назад

Hi. I have 2 dubts. 1) after this, do I have to do the Yeast Starter in order to reuse this washed yest in my next beer process? 2) How can i know that the same quantity of wahed yeast is going to work as well as the 1th original yeast? tanks!!

@brien18 12 лет назад

FYI you are selecting for poorly flocculating cells by doing this. The yeast that is still in suspension when you bottle will not settle out as fast as yeast from the trub of the primary

@alf9956 8 лет назад

Wouldn't it be better to use a Turkey baster to draw of the last bit ?

@kidda74 9 лет назад

OK so I did this with some yeast from a wheat beer and it's been in the fridge for like 9 months lol. There is some grey dead yeast cells on the top but otherwise look OK. Do you reckon it will still be good to go if I dump it in a starter? Cheers!

@emoneyblue 11 лет назад

Thanks bro I've added you to my list of Pro's... Thanks for sharing...

@northwestlife2794 7 лет назад

What did you mean at the end? To make a yeast starter to be safe? Do you have to use that you use for the same type of beer or can you use it for any other type to make?

@mpride1911 12 лет назад

Could you use a sanitized turkey baster or something to draw the yeast instead of pouring?

@muzguz7276 3 года назад

Beer in the back ground was the beer you made with the yeast....how old was the yeast cake????

@derekge 11 лет назад

One thing I've tried is to put the washed yeast in the freezer for about 15 minutes to get the band of yeast to remain solid. Then I dump the top layer of beer and take a sanitized spoon to scoop out only the yeast (leaving the trub) and I make a starter with that. Thoughts?

@588158 11 лет назад

Hi Chris, Is it better to pitch and stir yeast into a bucket of wirt and then pour it into a glass carboy or should the yeast be pitched into a carboy filled with wirt?

@roostershooter76 8 лет назад

Is there any way to do this with a yeast starter and vial of yeast? In other words ... couldn't you just start off with a 2000 ml starter and separate from there?

@588158 11 лет назад

It seems to me that the life of a single vile of purchased liquid yeast could be extended for years; is that possible? How long can you store havrvested yeast in the refrigerator? Can you also use harvested in making a new yeast starter?

@antiachen5032 5 лет назад

Hi Thank you very much for the sharing, I follow your instruction to wash my yeast and would like to use them in next batch, but my problem is I dont know how much yeast I am adding now, you see they all with water since we extract them out, so I dont really know how to weight them. How do you how much yeast you have in your jar or how to control the amount of the yeast to add?