Question about reusing a yeast cake

I've never reused yeast before and want to try it. I have an IPA in primary, o.g. 1.067, using wyeast headwaters ale (2 pkgs & yeast nutrient in the boil). When I rack the IPA into secondary, I was thinking of racking a foreign extra stout (o.g. at least 1.070) onto the yeast cake.
I've read alot about people doing this successfully, but as I said, I've never tried reusing yeast. Is this a good idea? What should I expect? And most importantly, will I get good beer?

I would wash it first, I wouldn't put a stout on a hoppy beer cake. There's a sticky on how to do it, it's not that hard and you can pitch the correct amount of slurry.


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It is debated on this board extensively. You will get a fast ferment, and you will get beer. You will also be significantly overpitching. To me, I've never been happy with the results from overpitched yeast. Whether or not it's something that bugs you is, ultimately, something only you can say. It is not, in any case, considered to be a brewing "best practice". Look into yeast washing if you want to reuse yeast.

MalFet said:

It is debated on this board extensively. You will get a fast ferment, and you will get beer. You will also be significantly overpitching. To me, I've never been happy with the results from overpitched yeast. Whether or not it's something that bugs you is, ultimately, something only you can say. It is not, in any case, considered to be a brewing "best practice". Look into yeast washing if you want to reuse yeast.

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Great minds think alike, i'm assuming you have a great mind because I do.



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If you want to rack onto the yeast cake, you might consider doing a lower gravity beer first, then a high gravity beer. That way, you won't be overpitching by as much and, in the case of lagers, maybe not at all. Essentially you would be doing a 5-gallon starter. You could do a mild or something like that and then a big IPA or stout.

wildwest450 said:

I would wash it first, I wouldn't put a stout on a hoppy beer cake. There's a sticky on how to do it, it's not that hard and you can pitch the correct amount of slurry.


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I read the sticky. Great info, makes it look even easier than the way the guy at my LHBS made it sound. How long after I wash the yeast will it settle out and be ready to pitch into a starter wort? And how many jars of that slurry would it take to make a, let's say 1l starter? Or should I start it small and step it up to the amount I need to pitch?
Sorry for all the noob questions but until now I've always just bought the yeast needed for my beer and that's just getting too pricey.