Dividing a yeast cake and reusing it.

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Surly

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Although I have harvested and washed yeast many times, I have not pitched to a yeast cake. I find I could do so tomorrow and am asking you to check out my proposed process.

1) I brew ten gallon batches and ferment in two five gallon carboys.

2) I have two carboys each with Safale 05.

3) I will be brewing a beer tomorrow using 05.

I am thinking of kegging my beer this afternoon. I would use one of the carboys to wash and store the yeast for the future.

With the other carboy I would simply pour the yeast cake into a large sanitized jar. I would refrigerate it until tomorrow.

When ready to pitch I would swirl it up and use a funnel to place 1/2 of the cake into two carboys and fill with my cooled wort. (I do not want to over pitch the yeast so thus the 1/2 cake.)

I will use Starsan as my sanitizer.

Is anybody using this type of process? If I am careful with sanitizing everything, I believe I should be ok. Any comments are appreciated.
 
I don't see any particular problem with doing that, but why not just wash all the yeast, then divide it up for your next batch?

I think I read somewhere there's some reason you should get rid of the trub, but it escapes me at the moment.
 
I don't see any particular problem with doing that, but why not just wash all the yeast, then divide it up for your next batch?

I think I read somewhere there's some reason you should get rid of the trub, but it escapes me at the moment.

Thanks Nateo
I want to use some of the yeast, about 1/2 from one Carboy for a brew tomorrow. The rest will be washed for the future.

edit: I see now what you mean. I thought it would be easier rather than washing it all.
 
Without knowing the gravity of your new beer, it's impossible to say. If you'll be making a similar gravity beer, I think using half of your slurry will be a bit too much.

It'll probably be a little easier than washing all of it. I like washing because I can get a better idea of how much yeast I actually have. Too much yeast is too much, too little yeast is too little.

I've had poor results pitching onto a full yeast cake. That was way too much yeast. Explosive ferment, then under-attenuated. I've had better results using a quart of slurry for a 5 gallon batch, about 1.05 gravity. I've had my best results (vigorous fermentation with good attenuation) washing the yeast so I could pitch the appropriate amount.
 
Without knowing the gravity of your new beer, it's impossible to say. If you'll be making a similar gravity beer, I think using half of your slurry will be a bit too much.

It'll probably be a little easier than washing all of it. I like washing because I can get a better idea of how much yeast I actually have. Too much yeast is too much, too little yeast is too little.

I've had poor results pitching onto a full yeast cake. That was way too much yeast. Explosive ferment, then under-attenuated. I've had better results using a quart of slurry for a 5 gallon batch, about 1.05 gravity. I've had my best results (vigorous fermentation with good attenuation) washing the yeast so I could pitch the appropriate amount.

My original gravity should be 1.053.

I am going to take your advice and wash all of the yeast tomorrow. I will then use Mr. Malty and pitch the best rate I can.

My goal has always been to make the best beer possible. I appreciate your commentary and thanks for your time.
 

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