Huge Yeast Cake - Problem?

[bakersbrew]

I just transferred my Honey Ginger Lager into secondary after two weeks in primary at 58 degrees. I was surprised to find a huge yeast cake, nearly 1 inch to 1 inch 1/2 thick. Is this normal? This is only my second batch so I dont know what to expect.

 

[gmds123]

I've had a number of them that thick............. honey ginger lager sounds...well....tasty

 

[eelpout]

I was surprised to find a huge yeast cake, nearly 1 inch to 1 inch 1/2 thick. Is this normal? .

Thats always what I get using nottingham yeast,, except last night.

last night when moving to keg i was surprised to see that there was very little cake. And this batch had probably one of the better (more violent and longer) ferments i ever had. tasted good anyway though.

 

[hukdizzle]

I get a ton of coldbreak into my fermenters and I always have at least an inch of trub at the bottom of the primary.

 

[Kass_Brauhaus]

That cake is a gift! Save it in a bomber with a cap in your fridge and use it to start the next batch...


Just remember to label your bottles or you'll get surprise beer.

 

[bakersbrew]

hukdizzle, what is coldbreak? just curious

 

[LakeErieBrew]

It's completely normal. You can "wash" that big yeast cake and reuse it many times. Washing the yeast cake is a process to separate the yeast from the rest of the other material at the bottom of the fermenter.

Here is a fantastic tutorial on yeast washing: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/