Brewing same beer and using yeast cake !

[rented_mule73]

Brewed a Pumpkin Ale and after tasting the tube off my first hydrometer reading I think that 5 gal will not be enough. Anyone think it would be ok to rack the first brew to my secondary and then just pour new wort over the yeast cake ?

 

[Piratwolf]

It's not ideal b/c of over pitching, but plenty of people do it.

 

[Akavango]

It will perfectly fine if your beer is not too strong in gravity. I have done it sucessfully 3 times in a row with a beer that had 1078 OG.

 

[jmprdood]

My current batch in the primary was racked onto the yeast cake and it took off no issues...

 

[rented_mule73]

Ok Headed to the LHBS today to redo the same recipe and rack it onto the yeast cake..... from what I hear a blow off tube will be needed because of the super active fermentation.

 

[Akavango]

from what I hear a blow off tube will be needed because of the super active fermentation.

Oh yes it will...

 

[idigg]

You will very much need a blow off tube. I made the mistake last Thursday of not using one. I racked a 1.084 IIPA onto a healthy US05 cake, literally 20 minutes later wort was violently pushing out the airlock. The lid actually loosened itself as well. I put a blow off tube on it and it filled up a pitcher full of yeast and wort in a few hours, yikes.

 

[brewmadness]

Not to hi-jack the thread, but what if you scooped/scraped say 1/2 or better of the yeast cake before racking the new wort in? I guess that may be difficult if your primary is a carboy but I would think with a bucket it would be no problem. Then no way overpitching issues.

 

[mjohnson]

Not to hi-jack the thread, but what if you scooped/scraped say 1/2 or better of the yeast cake before racking the new wort in? I guess that may be difficult if your primary is a carboy but I would think with a bucket it would be no problem. Then no way overpitching issues.

I usually use the calculators to figure out how much I need, then take that much out - its usually 1/3 to 1 cup, depending on the gravity. I wash/sanitize my fermenter and then add wort and reserved yeast. If you have a nice think cake, its surprising how little you actually need for an "appropriate" pitching rate.

Note, I'm not arguing with anyone who racks onto a cake and gets good results. I've not tried it, so can't judge. Just wanted to give another option.

 

[rented_mule73]

Pitched my new batch of Pumpkin Ale after racking the first batch to the secondary... 2 1/2 hours in the blow off tube is bubble like crazy..... Ended up with a 1.058 OG.. Going to make sure I keep and eye on this so I don't blow up the joint......

 

[mike20793]

I usually use the calculators to figure out how much I need, then take that much out - its usually 1/3 to 1 cup, depending on the gravity. I wash/sanitize my fermenter and then add wort and reserved yeast. If you have a nice think cake, its surprising how little you actually need for an "appropriate" pitching rate.

Note, I'm not arguing with anyone who racks onto a cake and gets good results. I've not tried it, so can't judge. Just wanted to give another option.

I do the same thing. I just pull out the whole thing and then determine how much I need to add back in. I started doing this because I wanted to clean my fermenter. I didn't know I could possibly over pitch until after the fact. I know plenty of people that just pitch onto the cake and they've never had any problems (that I know of).

 

[rented_mule73]

I do the same thing. I just pull out the whole thing and then determine how much I need to add back in. I started doing this because I wanted to clean my fermenter. I didn't know I could possibly over pitch until after the fact. I know plenty of people that just pitch onto the cake and they've never had any problems (that I know of).

I brewed the exact same beer only addition was a 30 minute hop addition... same recipe .... I did how ever use a sanitized towel to wipe out the krausen ring......