So I keep reading about harvesting yeast AFTER it has done its job munching up massive amounts of sugars. So why hasn’t it been talked about doing your starter big enough to harvest BEFORE ? Seems to me the hops wouldn’t contribute anything then and the extra trub would be negligible . I am curious as to where this thread will go… Thanks!!
I have heard of people making a large starter and saving half, but you will get way more yeast from a 5 gallon batch.
You must have missed it. That’s a common technique.
You must have missed it. That’s a common technique.[/quote]
Isn’t this EXACTLY how White Labs & Wyeast operate? I mean they’re not running a brewery AFAIK…
I might argue that “culturing” is a more appropriate term than “harvesting” for that specific technique. So maybe that’s why it’s not showing up in discussions about harvesting?
For home use, I think harvesting from a cake is a simple no-brainer; while keeping a culture going like this seems like a bit more effort. I’m not dissing the technique in any way, just saying it’s slightly less convenient. On the plus side, It would completely bypass the light-to-dark and low-to-high gravity rule for re-pitching.
Keeping a culture going like that is a lot of work - which depending on how you look at this hobby could be either a minus or a plus. 
I’m kind of surprised that when people discuss harvesting yeast, the focus is almost always on the yeast cake, and it is very rare that I see any discussion about skimming the yeast off the surface during high krassen. I’ve done that a few times, and it really does provide the purest, highest quality yeast as far as I can tell. I’d do it more except I always seem to be busy and forget when it is the right time.
It’s also really hard to do when using a carboy. One more reason to look into those big mouth bubblers!
It’s also really hard to do when using a carboy. One more reason to look into those big mouth bubblers![/quote]
One more reason to use buckets instead of carboys.
That too
This a good feed back. I have been brewing 12 years and like Denny said I must have missed this somewhere. Yes do have to agree that its more like culturing , but a crude method compared to the big yeast makers. I’ve always been so AFRAID when handling yeast, you know , contamination, and then I have watched some yeast saving/harvesting on U tube and the way some home brewers are casually messing with the yeast, I get the shivers…. Maybe I am over reacting but as much as I put into this hobby I not wanting to take chances. I do brew some great brews and a lot of people say they would pay for a glass of my brew. So weigh in, am I a wussy?
Experience is a great teacher. I was like you when I started brewing. Then one day I read something a homebrewer I really respected said. He wrote that when he started brewing, he was so paranoid that he’s sanitize the entire kitchen. After he’d brewed a few years, his technique changed to just wiping the crumbs off the counter! That’s so true of many things in homebrewing…you learn what’s important and what’s not so important. I kept a yeast ranch for many years. When I started I used to work under a homemade hood and take all kinds of lab type precautions. As laziness…er,pragmatism…set in, I dropped steps one by one, focusing on what I’d learned were the most important things. And ya know what? Nothing changed other than I was more relaxed! You’ll go through the same learning experience. Read everything, try what makes sense, talk to people you respect. That’s how it works!
Denny,
Bravo!
:cheers:
[quote=“JMcK”]Denny,
Bravo!
:cheers: [/quote]
+1000!
Thank you for all the feedback. Maybe I’ll put the sterile suit away and give it a try, well I’m not quite that annal. I will be adventurous and get out side my box and see where it leads me… Thanks again… Today is a brew day for me and will work on a strong belgium golden, yeast looks like they are ready to munch!! Later Sneezles61
