An Alternative to Yeast Washing

[@chrisa3525]

Now you mention it, that does seem like a better idea. I usually just collect the yeast from the bottom of the fermenter (no washing involved) and pitch into other beers with great results too. Keep up the good work, Cheers

[@kilner79]

i have a better and faster way before you dry hop the beer at around 2 plato to finish top crap the yeat in the fv this will give you an amazingf clean yeast

[@Insightinseption]

5 years later and you are still informing people of this awesome tip. cheers mate.

[@mrd3863]

Genius idea. Can’t believe in 30 years of brewing I never thought of it. Been doing it since I saw this video. Thanks for posting.

[@compoundfracture4661]

Mind blown. It’s funny how simpler and better ways of doing things are often just overlooked.

[@StassBrewing]

Haha, my thoughts exactly when I heard about this method

[@FraserBreweries]

I always over build my starters, but instead i freeze the excess into several vials for future use and then use a new vial in a starter to build up each time i brew, saves so much $$$$$

[@omnitouchbb2408]

How do you know how many cells you are starting with when you do your next starter. My concern is I brew 12-14 gallon batches and use 2 packs of imperial yeast in a 4l starter.

[@ivanjuggins5197]

Im actually going to use the washed slurry i have and put a couple teaspoons in a starter and build it up for brews this way i reckon ill get easily a years worth of yeast i also got 15ml of yeast just from putting some wort in my container i rehydrated my yeast in and the dregs cultured up

[@StassBrewing]

Sounds good mate, just make sure that you account for a drop off in viability as the yeast gets older (i.e. you may need more slurry to make a starter if it's getting on to a year old). I usually try and give my yeast a spin every 6 months. Cheers

[@FloorSweepersUnion]

Cheers for the shoutout! I top with chilled boiled water to get rid of any air too. Dr Hans has done some cool stuff with yeast too!

[@StassBrewing]

+Floor Sweepers Union yeh I should start doing the same. Haven't watched the DR H yeast vids yet. On my to-do!

[@irishgroundhogbrewer3066]

Great idea! I also found that when I Top cropped during high Krausen you can get a lot of yeast too and put it into a sanitized jar. Cheers🍺

[@swayman66]

Was just about to wash yeast for the first time, thank god I saw this video 👍🏻

[@StassBrewing]

Way easier this way!!!

[@ATownSKS]

Only thingnindo different from this is actually cold crash it for a few hours, pour out the unflavored beer and then swirl it to mix it all up. Pour a bit for myself and pitch the rest.

[@robday1976]

Great video. I found your channel through newtohomebrewtom and was interested what you meant by yeast washing. I’ve used the method of dividing a starter for years and for some reason thought that was what most people did. Washing yeast from the trub sounds messy and not even thought of doing that. Probably because my beers tend to be dry hopped in primary so there are hops left in the fermenter after racking. Interesting how brewers have different methods to achieve the same thing. Always learning something new!

[@StassBrewing]

+Rob Day cheers and thanks for watching. Yeh I'm with you, yeast washing sounds like a pain. Great hobby This one, lots to learn!!

[@b.e.d.brewing3909]

This idea gets better every time I hear it :-)

[@jaystrickland4151]

You can also Top Crop with ale yeast.

[@StoneyardVineyards]

Found your channel and subscribed , I brew my own beer , make wine and mead . I have washed my yeast many times , using it and having good results . Cheers

[@doertedev]

Question from a noob: I get that decanting off when you have more yeast than what you want to pitch in the initial batch. But how do you know how many gallons you can put the decanted/fridge stored yeast in to not over or under pitch the batch that comes after it?

[@StassBrewing]

You're right, without doing cell counts, it's hard to know. I always aim to over pitch if in doubt. Much better than under pitching and on a homebrew scale, it's pretty hard to over pitch at a rate that will have big impacts on flavour

[@chrishiggins3739]

haha the old bunnings spray bottle. just got one of them!

[@jaycorey5107]

what a great idea, well done

[@StassBrewing]

+Jay Corey - No Limits Brewery cheers jay

[@nargileh1]

For most people this will be the better method of reusing yeast than washing, no doubt. Unless you plan to steer the evolution of a yeast culture by brewing the same recipe in multiple carboys and then reuse the yeast from the best batch and do this for multiple iterations of the same recipe.

[@StassBrewing]

You're probably right, but if you are brewing the same beer in top, you probably aren't washing anyway. Right?

[@nargileh1]

I've made a mead once by ading fermentables and water on top of lees, just to see how lazy you could be and get away with it. I'm still in the proces of tweaking my recipe though, but I think I would still wash my yeast if I push it that far as to selectively breed my yeast. I think the composition of the lees could change over batches, altering the ratio of sediment to yeast, so for pitching equal quantities the ratio of yeast could drop over time.

[@johnbrandolini2915]

Brilliant! My question is how much starter can you get from a pack of yeast before it forms off flavors? In other words once you create a "daughter" from the "mother" culture how many generations can you get from it. I get that commercial breweries have their own strains of yeast they use to brew their proprietary beers and ales but I wonder if they don't add other strains to keep their cultures viable. Considering that a pack of Nottingham ale yeast goes for $5.99 USD getting one daughter culture is worth the effort. I'm not into brewing to save money nor am I prone to waste it where it can be avoided.

[@StassBrewing]

I hear about 5 fermentations, but could be more of less depending on numerous factors. I will sometimes make a whole starter to store and the build up starters from there so my total number of fermentations are kepts low.

[@noquarterbrewing-4435]

I do the same thing I had mixed results harvesting from the trub this method is way easier

[@StassBrewing]

+No Quarter - never done a true yeast wash as it looked like a ball ache. I agree, this is easy! And so far, results have been great! Cheers Chris!

[@asabovesotabelow]

....I thought that was called "the slurry", one time I poured the slurry into our compost and our housemate remarked "at least your not completely wasting it" so I looked into it and you can jar the stuff for around a year.... then you should recycle it into a new starter and repeat.

[@StassBrewing]

The slurry is what is left post fermentation and can contain trub, yeast, hops etc. This is slightly different as you are avoiding contamination from hops and trub.

[@michaelgomez9370]

Hey bro! I recently subscribed to your channel, and I love your content keep it up!!! Also, I was wondering if I could get the recipes for your milky way porter and white stout. I loved those videos, and wanted to give them a try! Much love from Texas!

[@StassBrewing]

Cheers mate. Sure thing. Do you use beersmith? Probably easier to contact me through my Facebook page so I can send the recipes via messenger, or shoot me your email address.

[@michaelgomez9370]

Stass Brewing thanx for the quick response!!! [e-mail] I look forward to brewing your recipes soon! I'll keep you posted on how they turn out!!!

[@StassBrewing]

Sorry mate - I only just saw this in my spam messages on KZbin. I'll get the recipe to you ASAP. Cheers

[@frankshomebrew7759]

Superb video mate. I use the yeast cake method x1. Only. Convinced the 2nd beer is superior to the first but that's just me Might try this method out soon. Seems like a really nice clean method. Cheers and subbed

[@housepark]

Stass, whenever I want to collect yeast from a fermented beer, i swirl the bottom of the fermenter and collect in a sanitised bottle and cap. When ready to pitch for next batch i just decant off clear liquid and pitch, ive had no issues.Seems less time consuming than yeast rinsing. With your video it makes more sense to decant off at first use as theres less chance of infection. Was this starter for tge pulped fiction?

[@StassBrewing]

+House Park Brewing yep, that'll work but if you've put lots of dry hops or fruit etc in the fermenter, you can get some carry over.

[@BigBananaBrewing]

Seems obvious now you've pointed it out. So the next brew you use this to make a starter and do the same thing?

[@StassBrewing]

+Big Banana Brewing no, well kinda. I'll usually make a starter from the saved portion, then I'll have heaps (you see my wlp001 culture towards the end. I'll slake it up and tip about 1/4-1/3 in for a batch. Once I get low I'll just make a starter again.

[@jock578]

Great video, thanks!. What size is the reagant bottle you use in this?

[@StassBrewing]

I believe that one is a 250ml. It doesn't really matter so long as you sanitise everything and treat it well, you should be fine.

[@dazza9360]

Hey Stass, how long would this "Starter" typically last in the fridge

[@StassBrewing]

Ideally you want to give them a run within 3 months, but I'd make a vitality starter (a starter to confirm you have healthy yeast) if it's been that long.

[@dazza9360]

@@StassBrewing Ta, for coming back to me over the long weekend, very much appreciated.

[@LorriSanga]

@@StassBrewing I thought you would anyway regardless Stass.......to overbuild another starter again?

[@alexgordonepic]

yup just make more yeast babies from the mommas. thats what i do ... just like scoby, sourdough, etc... :) i got an auto stir thingee that's pretty cool. oxygenates them so they can multiply, etc. :)

[@drunkinone5969]

I was going through my comments and I deleted yours by mistake. I wanted to let you know. Sorry about that and thanks for the comment. OOPS. =(

[@samuelmann3257]

Brilliant!

[@bucbucnazty]

The only way this makes sense to me is if youre making a bigger starter than you really need with the same amount of excessive yeast cells equal to what you pour off. If not youre going to underpitch the beer that the starter was intented for, right? A bit hard to calculate the size of the starter this way, imo.

[@StassBrewing]

Yeh, essentially it's over building a starter and keeping a little back, then over building that up again etc

[@frigorifix]

@@StassBrewing Using the brewunited overbuild option, it's a piece of cake!

[@nickk948]

Way to go! Thanks for the vid!

[@craftynumptybreweryhaydenl1750]

How long could you keep them in those bottles big fella ?

[@StassBrewing]

About 3-4 months should be pretty safe.

[@XkannsenX]

can you dry it right after ?

[@StassBrewing]

I probably wouldn't. If you wanted to dry yeast I'd look at top cropping.

[@patrickmclaughlind.c.7141]

How big is that erlenmeyer flask?

[@StassBrewing]

2L that one is. I have a 3L also, but 2L is a good starting point.

[@BeardyBrews]

Now that’s clever! 👍🏻

[@4figgis957]

How long will it keep in the fridge?

[@StassBrewing]

I've heard people say up to 6 months, but I will try and give it a spin after 4 months.

[@4figgis957]

Cheers I'll give it a try.

[@johncampbell5741]

Very helpful! Thanks!

[@chrisduckett4055]

That’s great. A question. How do you know if you have enough yeast for the next brew?

[@StassBrewing]

Its really a guess unless you want to get a microscope etc. I always try to pitch generous. You can go by weight of slurry and use a pitching/starter calculator.

[@rmcphers]

sorry if I missed the point. But it seems to me that yeast washing is all about producing / isolating pure yeast. The way you are doing it is basically the same as tossing the whole mixture of yeast-trub-gunk into the wort. Yes it will result in fermentation, it's the same as tossing the entire starter into the wort. But it's not clean yeast! And thus it's not an alternative really -- it's just tossing the entire starter (or part of it) into the wort - yeast, trub and all. Doesn't really seem like a new idea to me.

[@StassBrewing]

You're kind of right, but not really. Yeast washing is used to separate yeast from trub post fermentation. Usually this trub includes hops, dead yeast, proteins and live yeast. By holding back some of the starter, there is far less trub to start with (no hops and only DME used rather than more complex grain bill etc) so there is no need to separate it. Dead yeast is beneficial to have in small amounts as it acts as yeast nutrient. Yeast washing doesn't clean the yeast, it separates it from stuff you don't want. Also, yeast does better stored in beer rather than water too. Hope that makes sense. Cheers

[@rmcphers]

@@StassBrewing Thanks for the explanation, I learned something. I think maybe I've heard others talk about washing yeast harvested from a starter, but I may be misremembering.

[@robertromney1777]

Consider yourself lucky you only pay 12.00 per pack. I pay 18.00-19.00 per pack in Costa Rica

[@StassBrewing]

Ouch!

[@davetremain8997]

Outside of the novelty of harvesting yeast and reusing a strain, why would someone go through the process? If you're only brewing 5 gal per week, and yeast is roughly $5 per pack, what are the real savings? $20 a month isn't going to make a huge difference in your bank account.

[@StassBrewing]

I agree if you're using a basic strain like us05. However, some liquid yeasts are around $15. Also, if you're not spending $20 per week on yeast, that's basically a free brew every 4-6 brews. Depends what your motivations are.

[@davetremain8997]

@@StassBrewing Makes total sense. Cheers!

[@thefirebuilds]

Hey man, this is an old video but let me warn everyone - if the bottom of your star san has any undilluted residue on it the material will stain your laminate counter tops. I never keep mine on the counter anymore, wasn't worth the doghouse.

[@StassBrewing]

Very good point. I rarely keep the concentrated stuff on surfaces that could stain, but sometimes I forget.. cheers

[@palmtree5544]

Nice video except the background noise is louder than you.

[@StassBrewing]

Cheers bud. Working with kids in the house... Sometimes you take what you get.

[@jonathanwilliams1974]

Who are the 9 who gave this a drive-by thumbs down and didn't even comment as to why? :)

[@StassBrewing]

Yeh, there have been a few negative feedback comments left via redit but the overwhelming majority have been positive. Glad you enjoyed it mate.

[@ch0jin]

That's how I've been doing it, so much easier.

[@RichardCockerill]

and what would that be?oh wait i have to watch the video,sorry short attention span here ...Cheers bye

[@dtempleton22936]

Wow so many bad ideas here. For example, filling a bottle full to the brim, with broth overflowing, and leaving it untightened. Any bacteria near the rim will migrate up the threads to grow happily in the beer. You also miss the point of using washed yeast, which is to be able to pitch a huge amount of yeast to get the batch going fast. You can pitch 10-20 times as much as with a starter. If you just want to save money on regular starters you can start one with a small amount of yeast from a good culture. Use proper microbiological technique, i.e. a wire loop heated with a flame and keeping cultures away from the lip of the vial. Even an amateur can make an agar plate and streak for single colonies.

[@StassBrewing]

Yeh, I did over fill it, but then poured some out. Left it unsealed as it was still fermenting. Jar, lid and yeast starter were all thoroughly sanitised before and after transfer. You're right, there is risk of contaminants growing, but so far I haven't had an issue (as far as I can tell). Yes you can get much more yeast from yeast washing, however, I'm doing it this was as a) it's easier, b) quicker, and C)I want to have a number of 'house yeasts' that I can use without having to order them. Is this proper microbiological techniques? No. Have I had any issues so far? No. Could I get a contaminant? Possibly, however I use my senses (taste/smell) to try and mitigate getting an infected beer. If it tastes or smells wrong, I dump it. Cheers for the feedback though.