reusing yeast - dump it over the previous primary cake

[heckler73]

So, I have 2 batches bought, and need to decide which to make first.

IPA OG 1.065, 10 lbs LME and 2.5 oz boiling/finishing hops

Boddingtons OG 1.045 7.25 lbs LME, 1 lb grains steeping and 2 oz boiling/finishing hops.

Using 1968 ESB yeast for both, washed from previous batches.

I've made a 2 Liter starter, but need to decide which of the two batches to make first. I plan on brewing the second batch the same day I rack the first to secondary, and pour the second batch right on the yeast cake.

The IPA recipe doesn't have any steeping grains, so I thought it'd be best to start with that one.

Thoughts?

 

[grndslm]

Honestly, I'm very picky about doing things right. Considering it takes more than 2 months for my friend and I to bottle 3 different 5 gallon batches, I want to make sure that all 3 batches are created to the best of our abilities.

I was mostly just the assistant last time. But I've caught on enough to realize that the benefit of yeast washing [rinsing] isn't JUST for long-term storage, but also to clean any remnants of the older recipe of beer.

Just today, I picked up 1 mason jar full of yeast from a micro-brewery that was used in a Stout. We washed a few hours later and will use 1 or 2 of the five mason jars we got post-washing, depending on how well the fridge does its job.

We have only been doing extract w/ one hops for each batch. That won't change, but we will be taking a day to clean the yeast of any remnants of the prior batch. Even if Amarillo hops is similar to Cascade hops.... I want to TASTE only Cascade, and then I want to TASTE only Amarillo. Not Cascade throughout 3+ batches, where it was only in the first batch.

But that's just me. We are trying to keep the hops variable as the only one, and this is the way to do it. Clean the yeast.

By washing the yeast, you can essentially save yourself the trouble of a yeast starter AND create another jar for future use.

So what I'm suggesting is. Wait the day to start your separate batch. Use half in the next batch, and keep the other half in the fridge. Then next cycle, you won't have to wait. Every time you brew, you'll have a spare jar of FRESH yeast ready to go. Of course, after 2 weeks or so in the fridge, you'll DEFINITELY want a starter.

 

[grndslm]

Perhaps you could just use half of your 2L starter???

Sorry if I'm no real help to you. I just know that pitching over the used cake of a different recipe is not for me.

 

[heckler73]

I hear you... Any other opinions?

 

[onthekeg]

I would personally use half of your starter for each batch and make them the same day. Make more beer when they are done by washing the trub/yeast from one of the batches.

For my red beers, I will generally use a whole cake going from 5gal to 15 gal, but I would only use 1/3 of the cake for another 5g batch.

 

[82crawler]

I was about to ask this same question, so forgive me for "hijacking" your thread...

Just to clarify, is the suggestion here to harvest and wash the yeast from the first batch into 2 separate mason jars, use one of the jars immediately into the second batch without a yeast starter, and put the other mason jar in the fridge for a future batch?

Is the only purpose of this to "wash" the yeast of any trub and beer from the first batch, so as to not muck up the second batch? What if the first and second batch are exactly the same beer? Then can you just pour the second batch over the yeast primary cake without harvesting and washing it?

 

[pabloj13]

I was about to ask this same question, so forgive me for "hijacking" your thread...

Just to clarify, is the suggestion here to harvest and wash the yeast from the first batch into 2 separate mason jars, use one of the jars immediately into the second batch without a yeast starter, and put the other mason jar in the fridge for a future batch?

Is the only purpose of this to "wash" the yeast of any trub and beer from the first batch, so as to not muck up the second batch? What if the first and second batch are exactly the same beer? Then can you just pour the second batch over the yeast primary cake without harvesting and washing it?

The other argument against it is that you are massively overpitching. Do people do this and still make beer? Yes. Good beer? Potentially. But why not pitch the right amount?

 

[grndslm]

Just to clarify, is the suggestion here to harvest and wash the yeast from the first batch into 2 separate mason jars, use one of the jars immediately into the second batch without a yeast starter, and put the other mason jar in the fridge for a future batch?

The suggestion... is to start out with enough yeast for two batches.

(1) Pitch the first batch. Let it ferment. Keep the other batch of yeast in the fridge.
(2) After 1 week, rack beer to secondary. Start washing yeast in primary by pouring "yeast solution" into another sanitized/sterilized container. While letting the trub settle to the bottom for 30 min, deal with getting the primary ready with wort, and then finally pitch the batch of yeast that you already had in the fridge.
(3) Next week you'll have TWO batches of yeast to choose from. Take your pick, while repeating the whole process.
(4) Another week and you'll have TWO 1-week old batches of yeast to choose from, along with ONE older 2-week old batch of yeast. You can keep the older batches as long as you'd like. Toss them whenever you want. But at 2 or more weeks, you DEFINITELY need a starter.
(5) And on and on and on and on....

Is the only purpose of this to "wash" the yeast of any trub and beer from the first batch, so as to not muck up the second batch? What if the first and second batch are exactly the same beer? Then can you just pour the second batch over the yeast primary cake without harvesting and washing it?

If the first and second batch are the EXACT same beer, then there's no problem at all. I've heard that it's virtually impossible for a homebrewer to overpitch, and that's probly true.

 

[heckler73]

I would personally use half of your starter for each batch and make them the same day. Make more beer when they are done by washing the trub/yeast from one of the batches.

we have a winner!

I brewed the lower gravity one tonight with half the starter, and stepped up the starter by another 2 L, and will be brewing the higher gravity one tomorrow. Thanks!