35 day old yeast cake- too old?

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kaj030201

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A doppelbock has been sitting in the secondary on a yeast cake for 35 days. Is it even usable anymore? I was thinking of bottling then brewing a new batch and putting it right on top of the cake. Good idea or not?
 
I typically pitch on a yeast cake from primary, there's typically healthier yeast in the primary. However, 35 days shouldn't be too long, if you pitch onto it, it should ferment out.
 
You're still using the most stressed and least flocculent yeast. I'd hesitate to do it. Stick to fresh yeast or yeast from the primary as a last resort.
 
If you make a starter with hops and it has good results during propigation I would taste it and that will tell you how good it is. I have made starters from 6 month old yeast and it worked great but you do need to propigate it again before use.
 
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