Leann Follain Brew Day Double batch double brewer.

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

When it comes to collecting and reusing yeast, hygiene is critical, the diy separator would probably work as a one shot, to be disposed of after one use, but whereby we rely heaving on Starsan for sanitising, it really isn't up to the job of sanitising for yeast husbandry. Yeasts (both wild and cultivated) can survive in the low PH of a Starsan solution,  Iodophor is probably better as it kills yeasts, but heat is the best option
It can be a bit difficult to clean the glass separatory flask, but as with most things, the quicker it's cleaned after use the easier/better it will be, the advantage of the glass flask is that it can be sterilised in your oven the night before use, and allowed to cool down overnight.

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[onesoma]

SA- interesting! So if I'm using conicals for yeast starters, best practice is to sterilise in the oven? I usually wash with oxy after use and sanitise with starsan before use. Would be good to know if that's not sufficient.

[mac2k]

Very interesting posts regarding yeast separation and re-using. I went the different route of overbuilding starters for this purpose.
I think it's easier that yeast harvesting, although I've not done that. I also think there is less change of genetic drift in the yeast as it move through each bacth of wort.

For Overbuild I follow this proceedure

I will start with a pack of yeast and use Yeastcalculator.com to check for approximate yeast viability.
I then use the same calculator and work out the least number of steps to get to about 300B cells.
I will then make the starter to build the yeast. 100g of DME to 1 Litre of water. I will boil the DME for 2 - 5 minutes.  Cool to 20c and then add yeast to start building.
They first batch will be done after about 3 days. Then next steps will be quicker. 18 - 24 hours.
After each build, I drop the yeast into the fridge to drop the yeast, decant 90% of the beer on top and go with step 2 and then step 3 if necessary.
When all steps are done I will try leave 1 litre aprox of beer on top of the yeast. Let it come up in temperature a bit, swirl to mix the yeast with the beer and separate into 3 x sanitized jars. I now have 3 batches of yeast.
I will use 2, building with a small 0.5 liter starter the day before brew day and keep one for the next re-build.
This is a nice easy way of keeping 2 or 3 yeasts on the go for your brews. Any specialty one off yeast I will just buy and pitch, maybe a small starter, depending on the date. I also have a few sachets as backup.

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

SA- interesting! So if I'm using conicals for yeast starters, best practice is to sterilise in the oven? I usually wash with oxy after use and sanitise with starsan before use. Would be good to know if that's not sufficient.

I usually boil the wort for the starter in the conical flask and that sterilisers the wort and the flask. Wild yeast spores exist in the air around us hence sourdough starters. They will end up in your your cultivated yeast, and will eventually cause mutation, that's why you should limit the number of generations you collect and replace with a fresh batch of bought yeast from time to time, hygiene is vital to minimise the amount of wild or even cultivated yeasts in your batch. For example if you are collecting different yeasts eg US05 and Notty you can easily end up with a hybrid yeast if you're not sterilising properly between collections.

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[Thewicklowhopscompany]

Hi SOrry it took a while to get back lab has been very busy with propagating yeast.

Here are the results:
ABV 5.36
Present Gravity 1.01511 3.86 (plato)
Calories 50.86 kcal/100ml
pH4.46
IBU-38.9
Bacteria- small growth of aerobic bacteria and negative for anaerobic bacteria
Non Saccharomyces wild yeast- Negative
Saccharomyces wild yeast- Positive

Philip

[Beerbuddha]

No worries good complaint to have. I really appreciate you putting time and effort in. The more eyes the better.

I can't say my sampling technique was sound the night I took it but the bottle was sterile.

I had ph of 5.4 I think in mash does the sample ph sound about right?

With work and family I haven't had chanc to bottle or taste but I hope to get it done tonight after kids swimming lessons. Fingers crossed it was sample and not full keg.

[Beerbuddha]

So managed to bottle using counter pressure bottle filler. Kettle boiling water to steralize filler between fills. Purge bottle with three separate purges with c02 1bar. Then let beer flow in whilst reducing pressure in bottle until beer appears from relief valve. Then place in capper.... Wack bottle to cause foaming and purge any oxygen under cap and job done.

Beer is very nice lots flavor and happily my main taster can no longer taste ashtray taste as was in fermenter. Job done

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[Pheeel]

Never got my counerpressure filler to work without it covering my ceiling with beer

[Beerbuddha]

 Important you have the pressure gauge so you can see the pressure drop from let's say half bar to 0 before you remove the filler or you get the beer in the face. I bottle at 0degrees and over carbed to compensate for losses during capping.

[fishjam45 (Colin)]

"whack the bottle" so simple yet probably so effective, I'll give that a try next time to help purge when bottling.

Thanks for the tip.

[nigel_c]

Is that a metric or imperial whack?

[Pheeel]

Important you have the pressure gauge so you can see the pressure drop from let's say half bar to 0 before you remove the filler or you get the beer in the face. I bottle at 0degrees and over carbed to compensate for losses during capping.

Any chance of a video? I think lots of folks would benefit ?

[Beerbuddha]

It a metric whack. Usually a clean 22mm spanner but it went missing.


Yes a video does the job. I had one if I can't locate it again I will make one up next time.

[Beerbuddha]

Video thanks to S.A. cheers. One I did earlier as blue Peter would sayhttp://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/5be74b4605b96/VID-20181110-WA0012.mp4

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[CH]

Learnt from the best no doubt

https://youtu.be/__UZaG0tNKQ