Starting a new batch with slurry from a cake.

[Savage06]

So I am finishing a tripel and want to reuse the yeast for a Strong Dark. Using Mr Malty at default the calculator says I need to use 177ml of yeast for the new beer which is a 1.103 OG target beer.

Since 177ml is about .75 cups what they want me to do is just scoop up a cup or less of the slurry and then pitch that into a fresh bucket for the right amount.

If I just rack onto the fresh cake would that be extreme overpitching. the previous beer was 1.082 OG

I'm just a bit confused of how to do this without over or under pitching.

I know the right way is to wash it and do a starter but I am heading out of town and honestly don't have the 2-3 days to do a proper starter.

 

[Tall_Yotie]

I just toss the new brew onto the entire yeast cake and not worry about it. Over-Pitching is something that people talk about but rarely report issues of, especially with re-using yeast cakes.

What is more important is if the gunk from the previous brew (left over beer in the yeast mix, hops, spices, etc.) will go fine with your current brew. Going from a Triple to a Dark Strong seems fine in that regards.

 

[TwoBearsinaBathTubBrew]

Re-using yeast is quite common among homebrewers and even large scale brewing companies all the time. The only warning that I'd give and I'm sure most other brewers would suggest is that your fermentation will take off like crazy! So be careful to not over flow the fermenter,other than that keep on using that yeast up to for or five times, as long as you have similar brews going into it.

 

[rjwhite41]

I usually dump some of the slurry out. Eyeball what's left for a reasonable estimate of needed yeast.

 

[malkore]

I too wouldn't do the whole yeast cake, mostly due to the explosive fermentation that will ensue while you're out of town. You're likely to come home to a blown lid or a gallon of beer coming out the airlock/blow off tube.

Leave a cup behind and rack/pour the cooled wort on top.