Under pitched. Create starter from krausen and re-pitch?

[gannawdm]

I pitched a standard vial of WLP 400 into a 7 gallon batch of Belgian Wit (OG 1.048). I knew that I was under pitching, but I couldn't wait to get a starter going as I had to brew the day I did.

I know that I could buy another vial and pitch it be safe, but I'm cheap. My batch is at high krausen right now. Could I just skim off some of the krausen, make a starter from that, and then pitch it a couple days from now? Or should I just let it ferment out, see where I'm at, and then pitch some more once I've determined that I actually have a problem?

 

[dwarven_stout]

If it's at high krausen, then pitching more will not do anything. You pitch at a certain rate to cut the "lag time" of the yeast and push it from reproducing into fermenting more quickly. Once it's fermenting, any problems from the "lag phase" aren't going to be fixed by repitching krausen. That said, it sounds like you have a pretty healthy fermentation going already.

 

[gannawdm]

Oh OK. I thought the issue with under pitching was that there wouldn't be enough mouths to consume all of the goodies - kind of like my Thanksgiving this year (only me and my lady). I figured the yeasties would stuff themselves and then go to sleep leaving a bunch of leftovers. I thought maybe repitching would be like inviting some buddies over for some Turkey sliders to finish the job.

The fermentation definitely looks healthy. The krausen is 3-4 in. thick.