Harvesting Yeast Like a Pro: Why You’ll Love Conical Fermenters

You’ve just brewed your best pale ale yet. Fermentation is complete, your gravity is stable, and the flavor is on point. You’re already planning your next batch…

But wait — no more yeast in the fridge. Sound familiar?

What if you could reuse that perfectly good yeast sitting at the bottom of your fermenter? Not only is it possible — it’s easy, especially with a conical fermenter.

Let me show you how to turn every batch into a better, smarter one.

🔬 What Is Yeast Harvesting – and Why Should You Do It?

Yeast harvesting means collecting the live yeast from your fermenter after fermentation and storing it for future batches. It’s something pro brewers do all the time — and homebrewers can (and should) too.

• Save money – One pack of quality yeast can be reused 5+ times.
• Better performance – The yeast adapts to your wort and gets stronger with every batch.
• Faster turnaround – You always have fresh, active yeast on hand.

🍺 Why Conical Fermenters Make It So Much Easier

Sure, you can scoop yeast out of a flat-bottomed bucket. But if you've ever tried it, you know it’s a hassle — messy, time-consuming, and prone to contamination.

A conical fermenter changes everything:

• The cone shape collects sediment and yeast in a tight layer.
• You can release yeast with a bottom dump valve — no tilting, no siphoning, no risk.
• It’s precise, fast, and keeps your yeast clean and healthy.

🔧 Our PF series fermenters are built with a sanitary tri-clamp dump valve, designed for smooth, controlled yeast collection without disturbing your beer.

🧼 Stainless vs. Plastic: Why the Material Matters

Feature	Stainless (PF Series)	Plastic
Cleaning	Easy, fully sanitizable	Harder to sanitize, porous
Durability	Built to last a lifetime	Prone to scratches/cracks
Pressure-safe	Yes, up to 2 bar	Often limited or unsafe
Cold crash friendly	Withstands temp changes	Risk of collapsing
Flavor protection	No absorption, no odor	Can carry flavor over time

The takeaway? You can reuse yeast in plastic — but you’ll reuse it better in stainless.

🛠️ Step-by-Step: How to Harvest Yeast from a Conical

1. Let fermentation finish. Cold crash if possible – it helps yeast settle tightly at the bottom.
2. Sanitize everything. Especially your collection jar, gloves, and the dump valve connection.
3. Open the dump valve slowly. You’ll first see thick trub – discard the initial 50–100 ml. Then, when the flow turns creamy and tan, you’re into the good stuff.
4. Collect, label, and refrigerate. Use within 2–3 weeks or make a starter if longer.

📌 Pro tip: Your future self will thank you for labeling that jar. Trust me — “probably US-05?” is not a great pitch strategy.

💡 What One Pack of Yeast Can Really Do

Batch	Viable?	Notes
1	✅	Fresh from the pack
2	✅	First reuse — full viability
3	✅	Still strong if handled well
4	⚠️	Viability drops, use starter
5	❌	Only if you propagate correctly

🎯 Why This Matters

Harvesting yeast isn’t just about saving €5 on your next brew. It’s about consistency, control, and becoming a smarter brewer. You start to understand your yeast. You brew with intent.

And when you have a fermenter that makes it easy — like one from our PF series — it becomes a normal part of your process, not an extra chore.

✅ Quick Checklist: What to Sanitize

• 🫙 Collection jar or bottle
• 🔧 Dump valve and fittings
• ✋ Gloves (especially if handling clamps)
• 🧴 Sanitizer spray for surroundings
• 🏷️ Labels (strain, date, batch, ABV)

📣 Ready to Make the Most of Every Batch?

Conical fermenters make yeast harvesting simple, fast, and reliable — especially when they’re built from stainless steel, pressure-ready, and easy to clean.

– Dan, Founder, BrewTaurus