uspsdriver
Member
I just racked a 5 gal.pale to secondary I just finished a 10 gal.batch of the same beer I was wandering if I put the yeast cake from the 5. Gal in my ten gal fermenter would it do the job or do I need to add some more thanks
Pitching on top yeast cake
- Thread starter uspsdriver
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I bottle/keg and brew on the same day and do this all the time. You should use a pitching calculator to get the correct amount of yeast. That being said I pitch 10G batches on full yeast cakes all the time and have had no issues that I am aware of.
you would be over-pitching. about a quarter of the cake is all you need.
The yeast cake from a 5 gallon batch is more than enough for a 10 gallon batch. Its probably twice as much yeast as you need. That could theoretically alter the taste (over pitching) in a negative way.
A quarter would not be enough for a 10 gallon batch.
I actually do this all the time with no ill effects as far as I've noticed. I brew and keg the same day then usually just dump the wort into the fermenter I just kegged. I tend to do this a lot with wheat beers. I like using wlp320, I've actually used the same yeast cake up to 3 times. Last time I did this I did it with a low gravity centennial blonde and then used the yeast cake for a two hearted clone.
it certainly could be. an average 5Gal batch only needs like 0.5cup slurry
Half a cup of well washed slurry. But the stiff at the bottom isn't washed and has a much higher percentage of trub. (the non yeast percentage on Mr. Malty would be scaled up)
It's not like it won't work, yeast reproduces, but you are under pitching.
check the #s, even at the thinnest settings, it only takes 1 cup.
I suggest you check the numbers. The yeast slurry Mr Malty expects is not the same as the stuff at the bottom of the fermentor. The stuff at the bottom of the fermentor has far more than 25% no yeast material.
william_shakes_beer
Well-Known Member
To the OP: See what you started? 
People can and do pitch fresh batches to a yeast cake. I did it once, with a cider batch. There are a couple things to be aware of:
1. be sure the cake doesn't hang around for a long time. The co2 blanket that protected the batch from bacteria infection is now gone. There's a higher risk of infecting your yeast cake. I'd suggest no more than a day or 2.
2. the new batch will be (slightly) atered by the trub that is included with the yeast at the bottom of the fermenter. In general, the second batch should be either the same recipie or something darker. Blond ale to a Stout is OK, Stout to a blond ale isn't,
People can and do pitch fresh batches to a yeast cake. I did it once, with a cider batch. There are a couple things to be aware of:1. be sure the cake doesn't hang around for a long time. The co2 blanket that protected the batch from bacteria infection is now gone. There's a higher risk of infecting your yeast cake. I'd suggest no more than a day or 2.
2. the new batch will be (slightly) atered by the trub that is included with the yeast at the bottom of the fermenter. In general, the second batch should be either the same recipie or something darker. Blond ale to a Stout is OK, Stout to a blond ale isn't,
FreddyMar3
Well-Known Member
Gonna have to disagree with #1. CO2 does nothing to keep your beer from getting infected. It just prevents it from getting oxidized. The blanket of CO2 will not prevent dust/critters from landing in your fermenter unless the fermenter is covered.
Totally agree with #2
Totally agree with #2
