Can I do this?

[FatherJack]

Hey all,

I've got a Citra SMaSH in the bucket and it's been sitting there for a day now. I pitched re-hydrated S-05 about a day ago and thus far I'm seeing zero activity on my blow off valve. I pitched at 22 degrees Celsius and right now it's sitting right at 18 degrees Celsius.

I know the whole deal where you don't know if it's fermenting or not unless you open it and measure the gravity and all that jazz, but for re-hydrated S-05, I believe this is an exceptionally slow start. I've always had lightning fast starts with re-hydrated S-05. I have some guesses as to what may be off with it, but I'm not entirely sure what's going on.

So I'm gonna wait the 48 to 72 hours and see if it goes anywhere. I'll measure it and check on it the correct way, but if it doesn't start, can I do this:

I have an Amarillo SMaSH fermented with S-05 ready to be bottled. When I bottle it, can I simply scoop up a good cup or so of the yeast cake and pitch it right into the Citra? Or should I wash it first?

My first thought was to take the siphon, put it right into the top of the Amarillo's yeast cake and siphon off a healthy pour of yeast right into the Citra...but something tells me this isn't a great idea...

What do you all think? Cheers!

 

[bottlebomber]

I think it would be a good idea were it not for it being a SMaSH. It could easily have a flavor impact. Why so impatient though? *72 hours of no fermentation or gravity decrease until repitching is considered*

I recently had an extremely quiet fermentation on a 1.105 scottish ale. If it hadn't been in a carboy I wouldn't have hardly known it was going - no airlock activity at all believe it or not. Dropped 70 points in 3 days though.

 

[day_trippr]

A Citra SMaSH? Really? Yikes.

Anyway, I'd let it simmer for at least 48 hours from pitching before doing anything dramatic. After that, if you're going to repitch, I agree a good washing would be appropriate if you want to keep that SMaSH a SMaSH.

[...]I recently had an extremely quiet fermentation on a 1.105 scottish ale. If it hadn't been in a carboy I wouldn't have hardly known it was going - no airlock activity at all believe it or not. Dropped 70 points in 3 days though.

You forgot to fill the lock...

Cheers

 

[FatherJack]

I know it's soon but I just want to make sure I have a viable back up plan in order should the fecal matter really hit the fan - especially since it was my last sachet of S-05. I'm hoping that I'm worrying for nothing and it'll be plugging away soon.

Citra SMaSH is actually quite yummy, btw! It was my first all grain batch and it disappeared in a matter of 2 weeks or so. At a young age it was extremely fruity, but then it chilled out and was smoooooooth. I did that first one with Canadian two row and the current one with German two row.

 

[bottlebomber]

A Citra SMaSH? Really? Yikes.

Anyway, I'd let it simmer for at least 48 hours from pitching before doing anything dramatic. After that, if you're going to repitch, I agree a good washing would be appropriate if you want to keep that SMaSH a SMaSH.

You forgot to fill the lock...

Cheers

Nah the lock was filled... I was fermenting WY 1728 at 55 degrees

 

[Piratwolf]

I know it's soon but I just want to make sure I have a viable back up plan in order should the fecal matter really hit the fan - especially since it was my last sachet of S-05. I'm hoping that I'm worrying for nothing and it'll be plugging away soon.

My guess is you'll be fine. However, I agree with having a back-up plan in place.

Perhaps my palate is insensitive (I don't think so) but I've repitched unwashed slurry several times in the last two months and gotten zero taste crossover. I used part of a US-05 from a too-caramel DIPA in my THA clone and got no flavor "contamination" at all! I'd say run with it.

 

[FatherJack]

After careful debate and monitoring, I've decided should it come to it, I'm going to direct pump the yeast from the upper (living) layer on the bottom of one SMaSH to the other. This seems to be the easiest and cleanest way as it's going from one beer directly to another.

However, it looks like they're starting to step on the throttle. We'll see how it looks in another day or so...

 

[bullinachinashop]

I wouldn't hesitate pitching the slurry and I wouldn't wait for 72 hours.

Brewery's collect and repitch slurry all the time without washing.

Bull

 

[bullinachinashop]

After careful debate and monitoring, I've decided should it come to it, I'm going to direct pump the yeast from the upper (living) layer on the bottom of one SMaSH to the other. This seems to be the easiest and cleanest way as it's going from one beer directly to another.

However, it looks like they're starting to step on the throttle. We'll see how it looks in another day or so...

By stirring the slurry, or pulling from different levels of the cake, you'll get the most true characteristics from the slurry. If you only pull from the top, your starting to select the slow flockers.

Bull

 

[FatherJack]

The fluid line in my blow off valve is slowly making its way down to the bottom of the bottle, a sure sign of C02 production. I expect to see krausen forming soon, so it looks like I might be out of the woods...

I was kinda looking forward to doing some direct yeast injection, but also relieved I probably won't need it.

Nonetheless, thanks for the input everyone! I'm sure it'll be useful at some point in the future