Using krausen for both bottle condition and new pitch

[depecid]

Hi all,

So i'm on my 7th batch of beer, which is currently an AG batch of an Allagash Tripel clone.
I previously did a La Trappe Blonde clone using Wyeast 1762. I split my 2L starter into 3 mason jars and pitched one into the Blonde.
When this was finished, i pitched the other two into my Allagash Tripel clone. This is now at final gravity and at day 10... and i will let it conition a little longer before bottling.

I wish to try bulk priming so i can dial up the fizz appropriate for the style, and so i can add yeast at bottling. Reason is i made a couple of Belgian dark strongs (quads) that took forever to carb... in fact one batch is a couple of months in and still hasn't carbed properly.

So i scraped some krausen from the top, but it doesn't look light and foamy like some of the videos i've seen. Its pretty solid and almost like mousse. I've collected around 400ml of this solid matter and when i shake the mason jar (which has some wort in it) it doesn't mix, but looks like curdled milk before settling to the bottom again.

Yesterday i decided to make a starter from it, ready for bottling time in a few days. I poured a bit of this sludge into a fresh 1L batch of wort and put it on the stir plate. Within 30 mins it was foaming..... within a couple of hours it had foamed out the top of the 2L flask. I let it go for 24 hours and then poured around 300ml of this into a sanitized jar and put it in the fridge. The rest i just added to the origional sludge thinking i can make another starter out of it for my next dark strong (although i have no way of knowing how many cells i now have....)

Am i on the right track? I also have a packet of dried Safale BE-256 that i could use at bottling if need be... but i assume i'm ok to use the small 300ml starter i just made for bottle conditioning?

Many thanks!

 

[itsbarleytime]

I always try and under pitch those types of beers for more yeast character. The yeast will have much more character if you under pitch. Also, ferment warm and create a warm room space for bottle conditioning 80° F Trust me its works. I usually just wait until the weather gets warm to make yeast character driving beers. Happy brewing.

 

[John Coo's Brews]

I'm new to top cropping - having just done it for the first time yesterday on a Belgian Quad - Wyeast 3787. I plan to use this yeast to re-pitch at bottling, so I've still got a 5 - 6 weeks to store the yeast while the fermentation (primary and secondary) complete.

FYI, the White Labs web site has a nice bit on top cropping, where they suggest skimming off and discarding the first "dirt" layer because it will have too much trub mixed in with it, harvest from the next layer(s) - during active fermentation it will regenerate - and then avoiding harvesting at the end. Key is to harvest during active fermentation. It sounds like what you did was to wait until the end, after the majority of the foam has settled back to the bottom, but some remains partially dried and stuck to the sides of the fermentor - a residual Krausen "ring", rather than a layer.

Still, it is rather amazing the resiliency of yeast - as from your description it sounds like you've been able to get it active by putting it back through a starter process. Earlier this year I cultured yeast from the bottom of a 2-year old Chimay Premiere Ale (750 ml) bottle. I grew it up slowly to a pitchable quantity and made a really nice Belgian ale from it - again, just shows you the resiliency of yeast.

Definitely if you are re-pitching to a high ABV beer, you want the yeast to be tolerant of the alcohol level. I've heard of people using dried champagne yeast. I'm not familiar with Safale BE-256, but the 1762 you used at brewing has the tolerance needed - but do you want to chance your batch in case something went "wrong" during collection/revitalizing? (I have the same thoughts about the yeast I've collected.). One guide, very subjective, is to use the smell test. Does it smell like healthy yeast, similar to what you smelled as the brew was initially fermenting? It's probably good - otherwise, maybe play it safe and re-pitch from dried. (After my success with the Chimay ale, I tried culturing from the bottom of a Duvel 750, and later from Ommegang Abbey Ale, since Mortgaat owns both, and both times the cultured yeast had a sour, cidery smell that suggests they use a different yeast at bottling. Based on the "smell test", I chose to throw that one out!)

Good luck. Let us know how it comes out.