I am about to bottle my batch that I used WLP001. I plan on harvesting the yeast. However, my time is limited today and will be using the time I do have to bottle. If I pour sanitized water in my fermenter, transfer all the yeast and trub into two large mason jars then refrigerate. Can I let the yeast sit in the mason jars for a few days until I have time to pour off/seperate the trub?
Yes. But with just a smidgen more time you can be more efficient. After you add the sanitized water let it all sit for about 25 minutes. Then pour off all but the solids (which have started to settle in the bottom). This separates the majority of unwanted particles. The second wash eliminates slightly more dead cells . . . can be done in another 25 minutes or the next day. Treat sanitation like your yeast's lives depended on it.
I'm kind of a lazy brewer. I don't wash my yeast twice, like a lot of the videos recommend. I know some people who just pour the trub into beer bottles and cap them off. They open the bottle within a month and reuse them. They still make great beer. I think it's semi-important to know what hops went into the trub from your previous batch. If you don't want to worry too much about it just making a dark beer with the harvested yeast. The roast generally covers up any lingering hop flavor you might get in a more delicate beer.
I brewed an all Amarillo hop wheat pale ale. My next beer was going to be a porter. However, reading and watching videos it seems like I can get multiple jars for multiple batches. I might just do kinda like what the first post recommended.
Some of my problem is the fermenter I am using is a mr beer 2 gallon tub. It's dark so I can't see the separation. I might pour it in a large clear glass vessel then the mason jars.
In theory there is no limit to transferring yeast/trub. Just be aware the extra steps can let bacteria in, your next beer depends on good technique. I do recommend starting the procedure as soon as you rack your beer out of the fermenter. Circulating ambient air over your trub is an invitation for an infection (experience speaking). I find when rinsing yeast the unwanted solids settle pretty quickly. After 20+ minutes they will occupy the bottom layer of your vessel, I usually pour off all but the last 10-15% of the liquid. A clear vessel is easier, but you could probably estimate this in an opaque fermenter. Your mason jars will have an built-in quantity indicator.
It won't help you for this batch, but I've been using this method of yeast harvesting for 6 months now and it's really working well for me. No worries about washing yeast, less chance of infection and less generations of yeast between pitching. If you're making a starter already, there's almost no added effort, and just a few cents worth of extra DME. http://www.homebrewtalk.com/yeast-harvesting-novel-approach.html
