want to pitch on cake

[BudBernerBrewer]

Sad to say I errored in ferm temp control but after 10 days when most work had been done but...I wanted to pitch on the yeast cake. Notty, fermented at 62 to 67 for 10 days , then accidental rise to 80 ....now gonna crash slowly getting to 30s. Yeast safe to use again?

 

[mongoose33]

I don't have an opinion on whether it is safe to use again--if it were me, I'd just use new yeast. One batch already potentially screwed up (though likely done before the rise to 80), why compound that with another batch? Yeast is cheap. Use new.

BTW, the proper term would be racking onto the yeast cake. You pitch yeast--you rack wort.

 

[BudBernerBrewer]

Thanks for the clarification on terminology

 

[okiedog]

It sounds like you need some type of temp control. I usually use the swamp cooler method - fermentor in the middle of a tub of water. If needed, I just throw in a frozen water bottle or two to keep temps down. Eventually though, I plan on getting a mini fridge to ferment in.

 

[BudBernerBrewer]

Thanks okie, I do have ferm temp control. Like I said accidental rise. S'"#$ happens. Mostly fermented, notty-10 days. I usually will let it rise to 70 after 10 days to 2 weeks. 80 on the other hand eas unexpected

 

[okiedog]

Well, hopefully the beer is still drinkable. If fermentation was complete, it most likely will be. I really hate it when I loose a batch of beer. Yeast on the other hand, is much easier (and less costly) to replace. Best of luck to you!

 

[RM-MN]

Thanks okie, I do have ferm temp control. Like I said accidental rise. S'"#$ happens. Mostly fermented, notty-10 days. I usually will let it rise to 70 after 10 days to 2 weeks. 80 on the other hand eas unexpected

With Nottingham the initial ferment where esters and fusel alcohol would be formed would be done in 2 to 4 days. Another day to clean up and the ferment is over. From then on the yeast is flocculating and settling out. At 10 days a temperature rise to 80 shouldn't affect anything. Mine usually get the temp rise to 72 by the 7th day and could have it sooner.

 

[balrog]

RM beat me to it. Temp control during lag phase and primary fermentation phase is all that's really important when talking about "too hot", after that, rising temps actually are good to convince some yeast strains not to drop out too soon.

 

[BudBernerBrewer]

Thanks rm and balrog....guess I needed affirmation. I figured as much but kinda freaked out. I am going to pitch onto cake, err....rack

 

[RM-MN]

Thanks rm and balrog....guess I needed affirmation. I figured as much but kinda freaked out. I am going to pitch onto cake, err....rack

Pitching onto a yeast cake will get you overpitching. Most yeast cakes contain about 4 times the recommended amount of yeast. Some of us will divide the yeast cake and put 3 pint jars of it into the refrigerator and rack the wort onto the remaining 1/4th. Dumping a quart of water onto the yeast cake and mixing it up will get you to near the 4 pints.

Oh, the extra 3 pint jars of yeast....they store well if you cap them but leave the lid loose for the CO2 to escape. That gives you 3 more batches of beer from that cake.