I did some washing last night for the first time after moving a batch!
This was dried us-05. I collected five bottles worth and will be brewing again this week but will be making a starter.
Just scoured the how to board and couldn't see one, so could someone post a how to on yeast washing?
I'm fed up of buying yeast esp as I'm mostly doing 10L brews and using a new pack of sa-05 each time. Hardly hugely expensive at £2.50 a pop, but I'd rather keep my own batches running, it will feel a bit more authentic (like in days of yore when then brewing stick was passed from batch to batch).
Cheers MyQul
I am interested in this subject as it would be nice to build up a few different strains of yeast and from a money saving point of view.
How do I determine how much of a washed and stored yeast to pitch in a 10 litre batch?
Just scoured the how to board and couldn't see one, so could someone post a how to on yeast washing?
I'm fed up of buying yeast esp as I'm mostly doing 10L brews and using a new pack of sa-05 each time. Hardly hugely expensive at £2.50 a pop, but I'd rather keep my own batches running, it will feel a bit more authentic (like in days of yore when then brewing stick was passed from batch to batch).
Thankyou for your reply MyQul your information is very helpful!
As an example then for a 10 litre batch at a OG of 1.050 the calculator comes out at 25ml of yeast needed.
So if I decanted the clear liquid off of one of the bottles I have and then gave the bottle a thorough shake to suspend the yeast I could then pitch 25 ml of that liquid. Does that sound about right? And I am good to go without making a starter for up to 4 weeks after this time a starter should be made?
Your first calculation is correct 25ml for a 10L @1.050. However you need to pitch 25ml of the compacted yeast before shaking to suspend. You've put "I have and then gave the bottle a thorough shake to suspend the yeast I could then pitch 25 ml of that liquid", which is a different amount as you have 25ml of not-compacted-slurry which will give you less yeast. Hope that's clear
I measure by taking an Identical jar to the one I've got the yeast compacted in then putting them side by side full the second jar with water to the exact same level as the one with the yeast in then measure how much water I have in the second jar to see how much yeast I have. Then swirl to suspends and pitch.
Everything I've read says the yeast will be fine in the fridge up to a month then you need to make a starter. I never really go longer than about 1-2 weeks tbh as I bottle and harvest yeast one week then brew a repitch the next week.
Remember when using the yeast calculator to plug in the 'harvest date' as you'll need more yeast say if you havested a month ago than if you harvested yesterday
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