Help with fermenting temperature and pitching onto fermenter yeast cake

[Mongzilla]

I have pitched my starter (White Labs Abbey Ale Yeast, WLP530) into my 1.066OG beer. I am thinking of brewing another batch of the beer and raking off the first into secondary and pitching the new brew strait onto the yeast cake (is that its name?) as it is in the fermenter. Is that a good idea or should I do something beforehand, and what should that be?

Also I am fermenting in my basement due to the high temperature in the house. The temperature in the basement is around 64 to 68 Fahrenheit and 72to 75 Fahrenheit in the rest of the house. Should I keep my beer fermenting at the lower temperature for longer or increase to quicken the fermentation?

Thanks for your help,
Dave

 

[BigFloyd]

Since you're using 530, I'd start this one at the cooler temp, give it 3-4 days, and then move it to the 72-74*F area to finish.

As far as dumping new wort onto the existing cake, you'll get a variety of opinions. I personally don't mind doing it, but I do remove part of the yeast unless tossing a really high gravity wort in there for the second batch.

If it's a typical gravity ale (under 1.070), leaving 25-30% of the cake behind is a decent approximation. Double that amount for a lager.

 

[Damoxemus]

Beware of blow-off. Either remove a lot of the yeast (2/3 like mentioned above) or leave a lot of head space, get a blow off tube and put it in the tub.

I did this recently and the krausen was crazy (only removwd half the cake).

 

[BigFloyd]

Beware of blow-off. Either remove a lot of the yeast (2/3 like mentioned above) or leave a lot of head space, get a blow off tube and put it in the tub.

I did this recently and the krausen was crazy (only removwd half the cake).

+1. Ferments on existing cakes can be quite vigorous, especially the second day after pitching. Blow off tube is a must.

 

[Mongzilla]

Thanks for the help.