second transfer?

Hello I'm making the gueuze lambic recipe from papazians joy of home brewing. I transferred it from primary into secondary after ten days and it has now been in secondary for 1 month and 2 weeks and it is still bubbling and the yeast cake is still growing. I plan on leaving it in secondary for another 3 or 4 months. My question is should i leave it on the inch and a half yeast cake? or should I transfer it again into another carboy to get it off the dead yeast?

I used wyeast 3278

It's recommended to leave on the yeast cake usually no secondary as the bacteria will feed off the dead yeast and trub. That's what I've read and how I am doing mine currently. I really recommend "wild brews" by Jeff sparrow for a book if you don't have it already. Has very good info about all the different styles.

Dan

Ok . I think I should still be fine. There is a plenty big enough yeast cake in there still and there still eating something. Ill pick up that book. Thanks

Yeah you will be ok I got the book on amazon new for dirt cheap. I go back to it every so often I need to refresh my brain.

+1 on Wild Brew.

-1 on leaving it on the yeast. If there is that much yeast in your secondary, you transferred it too soon. Over the course of months, the yeast cell walls will eventually rupture (autolysis) and your beer will have a horrible meat flavor.

I agree with transferring to quickly , usually after a month or so. As far as the leaving on dead cells And such it seems it all depends on the brewer and if it Is going to age for a long time, what kinds of bacteria you will feed it during its journey .

Papazian said to transfer it after 7 days in his book. What do you suggest I do now? Transfer or leave it? I like meat. But not meat beer

This is my first sour beer. I didn't know I could feed it more bugs. What can I add? I want it to hurt my mouth its so sour

There's Pediococcus or lacto to produce lactic acid for a souring. Then Brett brux, Brett Claus and Brett lambicus . I suggest reading up on as much as you can. Check out Funk factory brewing or the mad fermentationist. There's just so many options and variables to do.

I soured the wort with lacto and added wyeast that has two kinds of brett strains and lactic acid yeast. But I didn't know I could add more along the way

And does anyone see any problems with me transferring once more off all this dead yeast before I lay it down for a long slumber?

Lambics are traditionally left on the yeast cake because the other bugs in the beer will consume the nutrient produced by the dead yeast.

Quote from "Wild Brews":
"Since lambic is traditionally fermented in a single vessel, the trub and autolyzed yeast are not seperated from lambic as is common in other brewing practices once alcoholic fermentation is complete. The nutrients contained within are used by the lactic acid-producing bacteria and Brettanomyces yeast to reproduce and become dominant during the next stage of fermentation."

I have a sour stout currently going that will be on the yeast cake for at least a year. Generally speaking I have heard it will add some extra funk.

Check out themadfermentationst.com as well. very useful info from his sight.

Ok Thanks. That gives me some piece of mind , Just ordered that book.

TNGabe said:

+1 on Wild Brew.

-1 on leaving it on the yeast. If there is that much yeast in your secondary, you transferred it too soon. Over the course of months, the yeast cell walls will eventually rupture (autolysis) and your beer will have a horrible meat flavor.

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I've done a number of sours, and left them on the cake for over a year, with no adverse affects. I think the Brett feeds on the dead yeast and prevents this from happening.

buzbey said:

This is my first sour beer. I didn't know I could feed it more bugs. What can I add? I want it to hurt my mouth its so sour

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At some point the bugs stop working when the PH gets low enough, so there is only a certain level you can get to. You can toss dregs from sour beers in at any time. Just remember it will take a long time for them to build up a significant colony.

buzbey said:

And does anyone see any problems with me transferring once more off all this dead yeast before I lay it down for a long slumber?

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No problem. If you rack off the cake, you will probabl;y have less Brett character.