brewhead

Recipes 

new brewer here. i was informed by a fairly well known microbrewer here local that one of the best ways to brew using the standard ale pale/carboy combo was to initially ferment for around 5 days @ 70 deg in the ale pale - then transfer to the carboy and allow fermentation and clarification for another two weeks, then xfer back to the ale pale for priming and bottling.

this seems logical. my question is this. in the first step (five days in the ale pale) when i xfer to the carboy for fermentation and clarrification i am sure there will be some amount of sludge at the bottom of the ale pale even after a five day brew. should i rack it to the carboy minus the sludge. i'm thinking yes but then i am unsure if there will be enough yeast in the mixture to continue clarrification and importantly fermentation for another two weeks.

homebrewer_99

Recipes 

Yes, transfer to the carboy and leave the "sludge" behind.

The "sludge" is actually yeast and any hops or other ingredients you brewed.

There are a number of ways you can reuse the sludge. You can bottle a couple of bottles of yeast to be used later when making a similar brew or you can use it to pitch into another brew you just finished brewing.

__________________
HB Bill

brewhead

Recipes 

so i will still have enough yeast to continue fermentation in the carboy?

DyerNeedOfBeer

Recipes 

Absolutely! Yeast will still be suspended in the transfered solution in ample supply to continue fermentation in the 'secondary' carboy.

brewhead

Recipes 

thanks for the "clarification"

homebrewer_99

Recipes 

If you do reuse any yeast be sure it is from the primary only.

__________________
HB Bill

brewhead

Recipes 

what would be the advantage of reusing the yeast? most kits come with a new packet of yeast. would i be improving - or speeding up the process by reusing the yeast?

OBX

Recipes 

Or you can toss it. It makes a good plant fertilizer.

__________________
No matter what I say - I don't know what I am doing!
OBX

Primary: empty
Secondary: empty
Bottle conditioning: Stout (1-07)
Drinking: Robust Porter
Next up: not sure

OBX

Recipes 

That was my question about 1 month ago. I was told it is a cost thing. I guess I don't mind spending $4.5 for a new packet of yeast each time rather than dealing with the yeast cake. Of corse I don't do a new batch every week either.

__________________
No matter what I say - I don't know what I am doing!
OBX

Primary: empty
Secondary: empty
Bottle conditioning: Stout (1-07)
Drinking: Robust Porter
Next up: not sure

brewhead

Recipes 

so now the brew is in the carboy. i can see it stratifying the clearest liquid on the top layer.


clarification (you may have to refresh the new browser)