Yeast harvesting 3 days after racking

luckybeagle

I fermented a batch of Amber ale (5% ABV) and racked to the keg a few days ago. The fermenter has sat with just a small level of beer in it for 3 days. It’s in a fermzilla at roughly 68F under about 3psi as I pressure transferred (no atmospheric exposure).
I didn’t think I had a use for the yeast (Wy1007) but just got the itch to brew a Biere de Garde and could use the slurry. If I rinse it, and it passes the sniff test, should I harvest, make a vitality starter and give it a go? The BdG will be around 8% ABV.
Thanks!

flanmail

Don’t see why not. I’d give it a shot.

McMullan

I routinely use the slurry of one beer going to a keg. I use that slurry, provided it is within the style I am making, along with a can of Propper Starter. It usually takes off within a couple of hours. If I have a slurry that will not be used that day, I put it into a sterile, cooled canning jar and store it at 34 degrees, with some sterile wort to keep it company. It makes for a quick brew day start; I just aerate and bring the slurry to ambient, pop on an air-lock, and it's ready to pitch after the wort has cooled.

IslandLizard

It really depends when fermentation finished. A 'few days after racking' is not enough info.

flanmail

What are you planning to rinse, the yeast slurry?
There's little need for that, just use it as is. Yeast is best kept under beer, not water.
There's an inch of beer on top of the settled out yeast slurry. That's probably a bit too much to carry over into your BdG. Maybe carefully and slowly decant (pour off) half to 3/4 of that beer on top, leaving just enough behind to swirl the yeast cake up into a pourable slurry then pour that into one or 2 mason jars for the time being. That allows you to clean the fermenter.
Pitch 1/3 to 1/2 half of the harvested slurry into your BdG. No starter needed at this point, that yeast is very fresh, alive and healthy.