Question about pitching on yeast cake

[Moonlighter]

I'd like to try pitching onto a yeast cake. My question is, should you only do this when the type of yeast matches the recommended yeast for the new wort?

For example, I have an IPA fermenting on Wyeast American Ale 1056 right now. My next batch will be a Kolsch and the recipe calls for Wyeast German Ale 1007.

Can I simply pitch the Kolsch onto the 1056 cake and adjust fermentation temp to suit the 1056 yeast? Or should I wash the 1056 and save it, and pitch the Kolsch on the recommended 1007 yeast?

 

[BendBrewer]

I would use the yeast suggested per style.

 

[cclloyd]

You can make what would likely be a good beer pitching a kolsch wort onto the 1056 yeast you just wouldn't get kolsch. It would be the kolsch grain bill fermented with a pretty neutral american ale yeast. If you want a kolsch use the appropriate yeast. If you want a tasty pale ale with noble hops then the 1056 will work great.

 

[Moonlighter]

I think I get it. I should plan consecutive batches within the same style if I want to re-use the yeast and I think I read where I don't want to exceed maybe three batches on the same yeast. Otherwise, I'll wash the yeast and store it for re-use within that style at a later date. Another piece of the puzzle...

 

[krebs119]

I just started doing this myself. I was pitching onto Safale US-05. You don't have to necessarily stick with the same style of beer, just something that uses the same yeast. I started mine with an IPA, then pitched a Red onto it. When that was done I pitched a Robust Porter on it. Initially I had consider doing a 4th (a stout), but decided against it for 2 reasons. 1, I thought S-04 might be a better fit for the stout. And 2, when I racked the Porter into secondary I noticed that the yeast bed became very..... mushy? It didn't look like my typical yeast bed - it reminded me more of really thin, soggy, mud. It might have been fine, but why risk it for $5?

One more note, I have read that you shouldn't reuse yeast after your 5th brew. I guess the mutations of the yeast cells get all out of whack.