When To Skim Healthy Yeast

[RabMaxwell]

Hello all i have a brew just on the go last night & i am going to do another as the stocks are getting low. I want to skim the healthy yeast from the top for the next one. When is the best time to collect healthy clean yeast from the top.

[steve_flack]

The Brewlabs guys agree - skim off the first loose, dirty head, chuck it and crop from the clean dense head that forms.

[RabMaxwell]

Cheers i have a blow-off tube fitted so i will wait until all the dirty stuff stops then skim.

[guest5234]

Personally, if i'm going to reuse yeast I skim off all the crap that initially gets thrown up to the surface, empty the fermenter at the usual point (ie into a secondary or corni) and use everything, any yeast head that remains and the slurry in the bottom of the fermenter.

Wheeler suggests skimming off the the initial dirty head (i'd do it until clean) and harvesting from the clean yeast head that reforms.

I've kept a Hop Back strain going for over a year now, if anything it seems to be getting better.

DaaB, do you start a new brew straight on top of the slurry that is left in the fermentor after bottling? I thought that was dead yeast cells.

[steve_flack]

You shouldn't really pitch directly on a yeast slurry from another brew - it's far too much yeast. Again according to Brewlabs, you should be pitching 50ml of thick yeast slurry per 20L.

PS Can you tell I've been on a course?

[Aleman]

Again according to Brewlabs, you should be pitching 50ml of thick yeast slurry per 20L.

PS Can you tell I've been on a course?

Yes Steve,

It'll be good to hear about it at Phil's, that 50ml per 20l is for ales right? For lagers you are lookingat 4-5 Times that

Regards

TJB

[steve_flack]

It'll be good to hear about it at Phil's

You coming to BeerBloke's? Is that Le Man?