Using yeast cake for Belgian Tripel?

[Hangfire]

Hi Everyone,

I've read about people using the yeast cake from a previous brew and then racking their new brew on top. I'm currently brewing a Patersbier from NB which uses the Wyeast 3787. I'm thinking of brewing up a Belgian Tripel next and was wondering if I can use the old yeast cake?

If so...how exactly does this work? Do I have to rack on to the old yeast cake immediately, or can it stay on the bottom of the carboy for a few days? Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[pjk49202]

i have done this once and i worked out well. The way i did it was i racked off the yeast cake to a keg, and then the wort i made that day onto the yeast cake. i would time it so you do it back to back, not in a matter of days.

 

[bdupree]

yeah, just pitch right on top of the yeast cake. A lot of people will wash yeast but there really isn't a need to. Just make sure you're pitching it on a beer of a similar style. It's more yeast than you need but i do it all the time with no problems. I only reuse the yeast 1 time though. I usually just bottle or keg while i'm brewing and then transfer my wort to the same bucket. I'm not sure how long you can let it sit in the carboy -- i wouldn't let it sit like that for more than a few hours. If it's gonna be a few days, you might want to look into washing it and storing it refrigerated.

 

[Hangfire]

Okay...so will this work if I am brewing extracts?

Usually, I will boil, cool and then add a couple gallons to carboy and pour cooled wort on top of that. Then, I shake it like crazy to aerate. If I am pitching onto old yeast cake, would I still add the water, wort and then shake it?

 

[davefleck]

Just don't add near boiling wort on the yeast and you will be fine