Re-use of yeast question

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shecky

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I think I understand this, but tell me if I'm wrong.

I'm brewing a pumpkin ale on Monday and have an Oktoberfest ale in primary. I think I can just rack the Oktoberfest into seconday and just pitch the pumpkin onto the yeast cake in the primary. Is that it, just rack and then repitch without cleaning the primary or anything like that.

I used Wyeast German Ale for the Oktoberfest. I have Wyeast American Ale for the pumpkin, but I can hold onto that if this is possible.

Am I on the right track here?:)
 
I think I understand this, but tell me if I'm wrong.

I'm brewing a pumpkin ale on Monday and have an Oktoberfest ale in primary. I think I can just rack the Oktoberfest into seconday and just pitch the pumpkin onto the yeast cake in the primary. Is that it, just rack and then repitch without cleaning the primary or anything like that.

I used Wyeast German Ale for the Oktoberfest. I have Wyeast American Ale for the pumpkin, but I can hold onto that if this is possible.

Am I on the right track here?:)

Yup, just rack right on. I use a paper towel soaked in StarSan to wipe down the krausen ring and the upper portion of the bucket. I also spray down the inside of the lid with StarSan. Other than that, just transfer your wort right into the bucket, aerate, and lock it down. Use a blowoff tube. That's a lot of yeast going to work in a hurry.

Chad
 
Yes you can, but use a blowoff for this one, you have some mighty happy yeasts and you are having a lot of fermentables going in there...that combutation = active fermentation.
 
Thanks guys. What about doing the pumpkin ale with this? That's going to produce a ton of trub to start with, I'm guessing even more going onto existing yeast. Any foreseeable problems with that?
 
Thanks guys. What about doing the pumpkin ale with this? That's going to produce a ton of trub to start with, I'm guessing even more going onto existing yeast. Any foreseeable problems with that?

If you're using pumpkin meat in the primary, harvesting the yeast will be tricky.

What you may want to do, is when you rack off your octoberfest, use a sanitized SS scoop and ladle out about half the yeast slurry into a sanitized container, top off with beer and store in the fridge for another batch.

You'll still have more than enough yeast in the fermenter to pitch your pumpkin ale.
 
If you're using pumpkin meat in the primary, harvesting the yeast will be tricky.

What you may want to do, is when you rack off your octoberfest, use a sanitized SS scoop and ladle out about half the yeast slurry into a sanitized container, top off with beer and store in the fridge for another batch.

You'll still have more than enough yeast in the fermenter to pitch your pumpkin ale.

Thanks. I was planning on using the pumpkin meat, canned is all I can find, in the boil and then strain into the primary. Should I still go your route?
 
Thanks. I was planning on using the pumpkin meat, canned is all I can find, in the boil and then strain into the primary. Should I still go your route?

I'm doing my pumpkin partigyle this weekend....pumpkin in boil, and using a secondary.

One of the things I learned last year is to use the libby's 100% all natural, and to spread it out on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes to an hour, to get some carmelization of sugars happenning.
 
I'm doing my pumpkin partigyle this weekend....pumpkin in boil, and using a secondary.

One of the things I learned last year is to use the libby's 100% all natural, and to spread it out on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes to an hour, to get some carmelization of sugars happenning.

That was my plan, though I'm unsure as to whether the canned pumpkin I saw at the grocery store was 100% all natural. It is Libby's and I am sure that it is not the pie filling goo. Unfortunately, it looks like the can that is full of the pie filling goo.

I'm stumped.
 
I'm so glad you asked this question because I had the exact same one. I have been trying to figure it out from the posts. :)
 
Thanks. I was planning on using the pumpkin meat, canned is all I can find, in the boil and then strain into the primary. Should I still go your route?

Yeah. Once you dump that pumpkin in, it will be pert near impossible to harvest clean yeast without a lot of trouble. Sucking off half the yeast now will be easier.
 
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