Yeast settling

[Dane]

Any tips on how to make yeast pack down in the base
of the bottle, so you can pour without wasting that
last bit? I use Wyeast London Ale 1028, are there
similar strains that behave better - or am I just
not waiting long enough. 2 months should be OK,
surely?

[jeff]

I find that when I add Irish moss during the last 15 minutes of the boil, not only do I have improved clarity, but I find that I end up with much less sediment in the bottle. Less sediment means less stuff flowing into your glass when you pour your beer. Also, be sure to use a glass secondary fermenter to allow longer settling periods before you bottle.

[Dane]

A well-heaped teaspoon for 20 litres wort. I also
give it one to two weeks in the secondary, and its
pretty clear before I prime (200g dextrose) and bottle. So I would guess that its mostly yeast that collects on the base of the bottles. It would be nice if it stayed there during the pour!

[jeff]

Maybe the issue is just a matter of mastering the skill of pouring a home brew? A couple things to remember:
Make sure your glass is large enough to contain all the contents of the bottle of home brew. Once you start to pour, pour with one straight shot; there is no turning back. If you tip the bottle up again, the remaining beer sloshes back into the bottle lifting the sediment.
Also, when pouring, make sure that the air that enters the bottle during the pour has a clean flow. In other words, the air must not glug-glug into the bottle. If the air does this, it has a tendency to agitate the sediment on the bottom.
While pouring, look for the trail of sediment that starts to approach the mouth of the bottle toward the end of the pour. When it reaches the mouth, tip the bottle up and see how you did. I usually have to leave about 1/2 inch of beer at the bottom of a 12 ounce bottle. Not a bad loss.