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**Thunder_Chicken** · 02-05-2013, 08:43 PM

I have a Northern Brewer White House Honey Ale (1-gallon kit) in the fermenter now. I brewed it on February 2nd.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/northern-brewer-white-house-honey-ale-1-gallon-kit-help-386328/

Long story short - due to the small batch size and my misreading the directions I basically nuked my wort from orbit by pitching the entire provided 11-g package of Danstar British Ale Yeast. I even made a little warm starter for it.

Needless to say the fermentation was vigorous. It was mostly done after 24 hours, krausen had fallen. I put the airlock on and got a few more bubbles but it has been completely inert since then.

How should I handle this beer to minimize any off flavors due to autolysis, etc.? Should I try to get it off the yeast by doing a secondary, or should I let the yeast try to mop up any mess?

ffaoe · 02-05-2013, 08:54 PM

You are fine. There's no such thing as over pitching, unless you do something like a 1 gallon starter for a 2 gallon batch. You don't have to worry about autolysis in primary if its less than 2 months. some people would even say up to 3 months or so. Secondary wouldn't hurt to clear it up further once it fully done.

DMosPickles · 02-05-2013, 09:01 PM

Now what? Sit back, bottle, and enjoy! Thats what...

**Thunder_Chicken** · 02-05-2013, 09:13 PM

After I bottle this batch, can I put fresh wort on this yeast to utilize it? If it is healthy, my only concern after that is avoiding another messy blowout.

ffaoe · 02-05-2013, 09:20 PM

Yes, you can reuse the yeast. You will just need to wash it first before reusing to separate the yeast from the trub left over. There are a number of threads on washing yeast. I believe there is also a sticky in at the top of "fermentation and yeast" that has step by step with pictures.

**ColoHox** · 02-05-2013, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunder_Chicken

After I bottle this batch, can I put fresh wort on this yeast to utilize it? If it is healthy, my only concern after that is avoiding another messy blowout.

Yep. You can pour a fresh batch right on top, no need to wash. The yeast will get to work very quickly and probably finish quickly. Be prepared for a very vigorous fermentation.

**Thunder_Chicken** · 02-05-2013, 09:45 PM

Hmm...ffaoe says OK to reuse yeast with washing, Colohox says OK to reuse just as is. So what's the right answer?

I assume that there is still a major surplus of yeast cells in the fermenter trub. Should I wash it and divide it into smaller batches so I am pitching at a more appropriate rate?

ffaoe · 02-05-2013, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunder_Chicken

I assume that there is still a major surplus of yeast cells in the fermenter trub. Should I wash it and divide it into smaller batches so I am pitching at a more appropriate rate?

That's my reasoning behind my suggestion.
Colohox isn't wrong. You can pitch right onto the yeast cake, it will just build up even more trub and yeast at the bottom of the second batch.

**ColoHox** · 02-05-2013, 09:51 PM

There is no right answer. Washing is best when you are going to save the yeast for a length of time. If you are making a similar batch of what was previously in the fermenter, you can just throw the new wort in. Mixing styles will blend some of the flavors (which can be fine). For example, you probably don't want to put a blonde ale on the cake from a stout or an ipa.

**Thunder_Chicken** · 02-05-2013, 09:53 PM

So I *could* just put fresh wort in the fermenter, but I risk another Beer-cano? The evil stare I am getting from SWMBO suggests that washing and dividing might be a cleaner and therefore better option.

I'm sticking with pretty basic ales for the time being, so reusing the yeast won't matter.

Thanks all!