how long can I wait to pitch on yeast cake?
- Thread starter wworker
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fatbloke
Well-Known Member
Why use the same yeast ? A new pack of the same one would be what ? a dollar or two ?
If you think that the batch has finished (3 indentical hydrometer readings a couple of days apart over a period of a week), then you can rack the batch off the yeast and then start another one.
If it doesn't start to ferment, then consider it pooped out and re-pitch another pack of yeast.
Oh, and don't forget, unless the original ferment was perfect, there's the possibility that the yeast might have been stressed and start imparting off flavours in the new batch........
Is meadmaking so different than making beer? I pitch on the yeast cake because it is the perfect ready made large starter.
Yes my main concern is the health of the yeast, but any stress will likely be caused by waiting too long to throw a new batch on the cake. Everything else was textbook.
Thanks,
Matt
Insomniac
Well-Known Member
Depends how far they took the last mead, if they reached their alcohol tolerance won't most of it be dead? Doesn't seem worth it to me.
fatbloke
Well-Known Member
Just anecdotally, some of the people who post on the local wine site here, have made large starters, then split it up, half in the batch they're making and the other half in plastic bottles in the freezer, then they just get one out, defrost it and add it to new starter media to make a new large starter etc etc.
Personally, I feel it's going a bit far when trying to save a quid or two. Possibly not if it's a particularly hard to get yeast, but for one of the "usual suspects" it is.
p.s. perhaps making a large starter is more of a "beer thing". Just look over at Gotmead and follow the "newbee" guide for info about rehydrating with GoFerm. It seems to work well/best etc etc.
SpamDog
Well-Known Member
I have never done a starter for my meads, and have never reused a yeast cake, however, I would ask for what purpose do you want to do this? To save a dollar or two it doesn't seem worth it for me, but there was someone on one of these boards that was playing with reusing yeast so he could make a high gravity cider with out producing sulfur smells and off flavors, so he kept reusing the same yeast because it had qualities that he was looking for. Playing with yeast (re-pitching, saving, harvesting ect) is something I would like to do at some point, but I am more into other aspects of the hobby right now, maybe some day
SpamDog
SpamDog
because I'm lazy and it's easy...
