Yeast still viable for bottling?

[adrian078]

Just a quick one. I've had a brew in the primary for 4 weeks and secondary cold crashed for 2 weeks.

Will the yeast still be viable for bottling? Or should I add some at time of priming?

 

[Gnomebrewer]

There will still be viable yeast, but carbonation might take a bit longer.

My most recent lager I brewed was racked to a 'cube' for lagering after two weeks of fermentation, it was lagered cold (0C/freezing) for 7 weeks, including one week with gelatine finings. I've had no problems with it carbonating.

 

[eadavis80]

I'd think it would be okay, but it will probably take longer than the standard 3 weeks @ 70 to carb up. I'd sample my first one at 3 weeks - not before.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

When I collect yeast samples from starters for the ranch, I routinely reuse them up to a year later and they all start just fine. A few weeks is child's play. When you rack from the fermetner to the bottling bucket you inevitably bring some flocculated yeast over along with the non flocculated cells. That plus the agitation will usually kick off fermentation when you add priming solution. IANABP, but I would only start thinking about pitching bottling yeast if it had been in primary for 6-`12 months, or I was going for special flavor profiles by introducing a second yeast strain.

 

[adrian078]

Thanks all. That settles it. I'm worrying about nothing as usual

 

[daksin]

I would just let your siphon drag the bottom for a second when transferring to your bottling bucket. That should give you plenty of yeast to carbonate but not enough to cloud up your beer for too long.