How long will yeasy cake last?

[Wino24]

Hi all....I brewed up a German Pils 11 days ago. After the D-rest I will rack to a corny for lagering. My plan is to brew up an identical batch to put on the current yeast cake(trying get a cycle going). My question is..if I'm unable to rack the primary and dump the new batch on the same day how long will that yeast cake be good for? Can I put an airlock on the primary carboy for a day or so and then put the new batch on the cake? Thanks

 

[TheGrouch]

If you're careful with sanitation during racking, leave a quart or two of beer behind to keep the yeast hydrated, and put an airlock on the carboy, I don't see why you'd have a problem. In fact, I wouldn't be scared to let it go a week if the cake is totally submerged in leftover beer. That said, I'm a cake reuse novice.

 

[res291que]

Interested in this as well

 

[allthingsgiant]

If you are brewing within a week or so, why not just wait to rack. It's a lager. It can wait. And it's safer.

Otherwise, you won't have a problem waiting to use the cake for a couple days unless you introduce nasties. Be sure to decant the oxidized beer before you use the cake, too. And you really don't have to use the whole cake; that's overkill.

 

[badhabit]

For a ale pull a cup of the cake off and put it in a steril or at least sanitized closed jar of about that size in the frige and it will last for a week no problem and no starter. For a lager I would use two cups. I got stuck once making an ale and did as noted. I filled empty space in the jar with steril H2O and had active fermantation of the next batch a week later in less than 6 hours.

 

[allthingsgiant]

it will last for a week no problem and no starter."

If you do it that way, the starter will last well over a month. I saved 2 cups of a yeast cake for 6 months in 2-8 fridge. Decanted the spent wort, added another 1.5L of fresh wort, the next day it was ready. Yeast is much more resilient than you think. Just don't add bacteria.

 

[adrock430]

Go to mrmalty.com. The yeast tools section has an area for pitching rate from a slurry. It will adjust the viability rate for you from date of harvest.