Pitching on Yeast Cake Warning

[rpfuror]

Hello All...

This is my first post, although I have been brewing for a while and reading for even longer.

I thought I would post about my most recent brew.

I just put together what I would consider a Dunkelweizen from what I have had around from previous brews. I planned on using a yeast cake from another weizen batch I just finished.. the original yeast was white labs WLP550. This was the fist time that I was using the cake as in the past I would just wash the yeast and store it, but I had some supplies to use and a free carboy...

Anyway.. I put together the following recipe:

0.80 pounds Maris Otter
0.80 pounds American Wheat
4.00 pounds Wheat DME
4.00 pounds Light DME
2oz Cascade 4.5% Pellets @ 60 mins.

Made a 5 gallon wort at the same time kegging the previous batch.

I added the wort to the yeast cake in a 6.5 gallon carboy and I swear in 20 minutes the the air lock was going crazy. I didn't think much about it and left it alone.

I came back a half hour later (I guess just to check) and I had a mess... the air lock was on the floor and basically everything just exploded out the top of the carboy.

I guess I'm just posting to Warn anyone tying this....

A: read the forms first...
and
B: use a blow off valve...

I recovered by adding a blow off value, but still can't find the lid to my 3 piece air lock.

Here's a picture after the recovery:

I have a video of the violent fermentation after the blow value was added if anyone want to see it.

Later.

 

[Grizzlybrew]

Don't you love it?!? I love walking in to find splatters on the wall and not being able to find my airlock... irritating as all piss, but love to see that fermentation!

 

[killian]

interesting cap on that better bottle did you make it?

 

[Nurmey]

Welcome to HBT!

I pitch onto cakes occasionally and find it great fun to see the violent fermentation.

 

[whatisitgoodfor]

Isn't it wonderful to see a brew go into high krausen 1 hour after you add the wort?

And you're right, there probably should be more warnings given out about exactly what will happen when you reuse a yeast cake.

 

[neomantra]

Wow....I had a good laugh from this AND learned something at the same time. Thanks

 

[northernlad]

I am still trying to figure out why i seem to be the only one who continually gets run of the mill activity from pitching on yeast cakes. I have needed a blowoff exactly once, and that was a 3 gal batch of Apfelwein in a 3 gallon carboy with Notty.

 

[whatisitgoodfor]

I am still trying to figure out why i seem to be the only one who continually gets run of the mill activity from pitching on yeast cakes. I have needed a blowoff exactly once, and that was a 3 gal batch of Apfelwein in a 3 gallon carboy with Notty.

Are you cooling your wort/must down to 50* before gnihctip (calling adding wort to yeast pitching seems backwards to me)? Or maybe leaving the cake under your beer for a few months?

Every single time I've siphoned wort onto a cake I've gotten an incredibly fast ferment.

 

[northernlad]

I have no need to cool that far down. Fermentation happens quickly, just not violently.

 

[Reddheadedstepchild]

interesting cap on that better bottle did you make it?

+1 on that cap. Its pretty neat looking.

 

[Pivot]

I always get crazzzzzzy fast and violent start ups when I pitch onto a yeast cake, with a crazy high kreusen, but i think ive been lucky. it hasnt blown my airlock off yet, but im sure if i keep doing it it will happen eventually haha

 

[rpfuror]

interesting cap on that better bottle did you make it?

Nope got them at the local HBS