using yeast from blowoff

[Fritz Eye]

I have recently been doing experimental 2.5 gallon batches in 3 gallon carboys. Due to the minimal amount of head space I have been using a blowwoff tube placed into a growler filled with Star San.
After about 4 days of "vigorous" femermentation slowed down with a lot of foam going though the tube into the growler I swapped out the blowoff tube for a standard airlock.
Upon pouring out the Star San I noticed a beautiful tan pudding at the bottom of the growler. Like a dumb as I kept pouring it down the drain.
In the future would the yeast that bloew off under the Star San be usable?
I was thinking of putting one end of the blowoff tube over the carboy via a carboy cap, no airlock and the other end of the blow off tube into a carboy cap fitted over an Ehrlenmeyer flask. The carboy cap would have a standard airlock so the entire system would be airtight.
Any thoughts on this?
Cheers.
Fritz

[DannyW]

I wouldn't use the yeast under a layer of starsan, but you can capture good yeast from the blowoff. Read up on "Burton Union" to get the idea. There was also an article in Zymurgy a few months back about making one with a Nalgene bottle.

[Mylo]

Nope... I think that SS concentration is too high.

I have also thought about the same thing - because the yeast that got blown are probably the most viable. I think it might work if you santized your blow off tube, container, and used sanitized (boiled and cooled) water. You would also have to wrap a jimmy hat of foil around the top of the container - where the blow off tube penetrates the opening.


Mylo

[DannyW]

I think you'd probably end up with two vessels - an empty, sanitized gallon milk jug with the blowoff tube shoved tightly in the neck. Then poke a small hole in the top shoulder of the milk jug and run some small tubing to a glass of water. That way you can collect up to a gallon of blowoff and the yeast will settle nicely to the bottom of that jug. The little tube and glass serve as the airlock.

Of course you could just poke a regular airlock through the plastic milk jug!

The fancy version puts the blowoff jug above the fermenter with a standpipe sticking up through the bottom. Once the blowoff reaches the level of the standpipe, the yeast has fallen to the bottom and your previously blown off beer goes back into the fermenter. That way you get your yeast and all your beer too!

[crazymonkey15]

Doesn't Tasty do something similar in a form of top-cropping?

[TimmyR]

I was thinking the same thing....anybody remember which Zymurgy issue covered it? I get consistent blow-off from any batch I ferment with Cal Ale Yeast and use a blow-off hose every time.

[Beer_Punk]

does anyone have information about this burton union that a homebrewer could use to make one? It sounds very interesting, and I would like to try it out.

[Fritz Eye]

Hey Beer Punk.
FWI, I am not sure if you have access to "Radical Brewing" or not, but on page 67 there is a good diagram of a closed blowoff system that is pretty simple.
I hope this helps.
Cheers.
Fritz