using krausen no starter

[dbrewski]

I've got a batch of Kolsch I started yesterday and it is blowing krausen like mad out the blow off tube. I have it running into a jar of distilled water covered by a star san soaked paper towel. Would I be crazy to use this on today's batch? How much would be enough?

 

[dbrewski]

I am assuming that this question falls into the "too dumb to answer" category. I guess that makes me dumb enough to try.



The jar had a good enough amount of yeast, but I couldn't stop there....Kolsch wheat on the way, courtesy of a direct injection krausen setup! I think my biggest concern here is my sanitation so I'm trying to be careful.

 

[djfriesen]

Well, it's a cool idea. It's not too dumb to answer, I just don't know what the answer is. Let us know how it works out.

 

[jammin]

Probably gonna work great. Isn't Krausening a time honored way of collecting yeast anyway?

 

[dbrewski]

The way I understand it, it is the most active yeast, vigorous enough to rise to the top first. The other batch is just about 24 hours old.

I will probably left this run a while and put in a normal blow off setup for both.

 

[badbrew]

Freaking genius:rockin:

Why haven't I thought of that?

 

[joety]

Is this the Burton method?

 

[dbrewski]

Is this the Burton method?

Interesting, I had not heard of the Burton Union until you asked. I looked it up. from Wikipedia, it looks like the purpose was to redirect beer that settled out of blowoff back into the fermenter. I'm not sure what they intended to do with any settled out yeast. I think the goal was to enable full fermenters (low headspace).

I have often heard that in a brewery (maybe in the past?), krausen from one keg was used to pitch others, that's why I thought of doing this. And by the way, it is working...it is foaming away after 12 hrs. I will post a pic.

 

[dbrewski]

Two happy campers!

 

[scoundrel]

You may have seen this but here's a link to making a Burton Union. I made one and it's a great way to top crop yeast. Like you mentioned, it is the best yeast to use and I bet your finished beer will be amazing!

http://***********/stories/projects...self/354-build-a-burton-union-system-projects

 

[bierhaus15]

Real top cropping is more involved than just collecting whatever comes out of the blow off. Typically, you wait until the beer is just over 50% attenuated and then collect the second krausen only. This ensures the yeast are the most healthy and have the closest characteristics to the original pitch. Harvest too soon and you'll get under-attenuators and too late you'll get highly attenutive yeast that won't flocculate, not to mention you risk re-pitching bad yeast.

 

[jagec]

Two happy campers!

Looks like you need to brew two more beers to harvest the krausen from those two fermenters!

...and then four more after that...

...and then eight...

 

[duckdogs]

You may have seen this but here's a link to making a Burton Union. I made one and it's a great way to top crop yeast. Like you mentioned, it is the best yeast to use and I bet your finished beer will be amazing!

http://***********/stories/projects...self/354-build-a-burton-union-system-projects

Nice write up. Looks like another brewing toy is born

 

[duckdogs]

Two happy campers!

It looks like your bowl is about maxed...may want to empty it before the new fermentation takes off

 

[dbrewski]

You may have seen this but here's a link to making a Burton Union. I made one and it's a great way to top crop yeast. Like you mentioned, it is the best yeast to use and I bet your finished beer will be amazing!

http://***********/stories/projects...self/354-build-a-burton-union-system-projects

That is a great article! I have stumbled into a new project. Thanks for posting!

 

[jammin]

Looks like you need to brew two more beers to harvest the krausen from those two fermenters!

...and then four more after that...

...and then eight...

I like where you're going with this!

 

[guinness_time]

Awesome article about the Burton union. Had to comment so I can come back after work an get started on this thing.

 

[joety]

Awesome article about the Burton union. Had to comment so I can come back after work an get started on this thing.

Seriously, I may need to try this. The physics alone fascinates me.