Pitching Onto Yeast Cake

[O'Henry]

I will be bottling tomorrow evening and will be dropping a cubed brew on top of the yeast cake in the fermenter. Is there anything special I need to do? I assume I will not need to stir it if I have aerated it enough while pouring.
It is Wyeast 1275, if that makes a difference, and the brew has been on the yeast 32 days... It has been a bit tough finding the time to bottle.

 

[Bribie G]

Personally I would collect about a third of the yeast cake, put it into a sanitized container for twenty minutes while you thoroughly clean the current fermenter, star san it and then pour cubed brew into the fermenter and pitch the portion of yeast cake.
That's what I did with a cube a couple of days ago immediately after bottling a brew, and it's going like a train in a nice clean fresh fermenter. My 2c.

 

[newguy]

I regularly pitch onto the entire yeast cake with no ill effects, other than a vigorous fermentation. If your sanitation is up to snuff, no problem with this at all.

 

[technocat]

I regularly pitch onto the entire yeast cake with no ill effects, other than a vigorous fermentation. If your sanitation is up to snuff, no problem with this at all.

I do the same, no problems at all. Your brew will take of in no time flat but be wary of foaming through the airlock as I have noticed a vigorous ferment second time around.

 

[O'Henry]

Should be alright, it is only a 18l brew in a 30l fermenter... Might pitch on it then clean it next time.

 

[egolds77]

By using the entire cake our count will be extremely high, and as you have warned, the fermentation very fast and vigorous which in turn will change the flavour profile of the beer by the yeast
I'd take a portion of the cake, about a cup gives approximately the right yeast count foe 20L.

Higher than ideal pitching rates lower ethyl acetate levels, very high or very low pitching rates increase ester levels.
'reference - brew like a monk'

 

[xomz]

I do this & it works great. If the wort you're about to pitch has a lower OG than the previous batch, I'd scrape out half of the yeast first & dump it on.

 

[QldKev]

I've been pitching onto prior yeast cakes for many years. A full yeast cake will not allow the yeast to develop, it will just munch away through the sugars; therefore will not develop all the flavors. I mix up the dregs that is left in the bottom and tip out about 2/3. The 1/3 remaining is heaps for a strong start. The stuff you tip out can be collected into 2 jars for reuse later.

QldKev

 

[clean brewer]

Ive done it a couple times with no ill effects that ive really noticed, only use the yeast twice and only dump on a beer that is lighter than the last....

I just put my Barleywine(OG 1098)(100 IBU) onto a US-05 yeastcake as it will have a higher yeast count and the Barleywine is a fairly strong beer that more than likely wont pick up any flavours, plus I need it to ferment out quite a bit, I also gave it a real good stir after pitching to get it aerated a bit more...

:icon_cheers: CB

 

[crundle]

If you are making the same strength brew as before, then I would only use about 1/3 of the yeast cake, to get the right amount of yeast in there. if you are making a higher gravity beer then you may use more. For example, I made a Munich Dunkel at about 1.051, then used 2/3 of the yeastcake to ferment my Doppelbock (1.084) to get the right amount of yeast.

For cleaner flavours use more yeast, for more esters use less, for lagers use more yeast, and for ales use less is a very rough rule of thumb.

Also watch out if making wheat beers as they tend to explode out of the fermenter if thrown onto an existing yeast cake!

Crundle

 

[raven19]

Personally I would collect about a third of the yeast cake, put it into a sanitized container for twenty minutes while you thoroughly clean the current fermenter, star san it and then pour cubed brew into the fermenter and pitch the portion of yeast cake.

+1

Maybe a little more yeast if pitching a lager.

 

[canon1ball]

immediately after bottling a brew

I've never done it before, so the question is:
I kegged yesterday, left about 1 cm of wort on top of the yeast cake, glad wrapped the fermenter immidiately after kegging with the intention to use it today (after no chill in cube cooled down overnight).
Is it ok to pitch this afternoon or is it to late?

c1b

 

[LLoyd]

I'd worry about leaving it for a day, but that's just me.
I like bottling the slurry cos then I have two lots of yeast left for two more brews and also makes cleaning the crusty krausen bits easier. I just label them 2nd gen 3rd gen etc.

 

[drsmurto]

By using the entire cake our count will be extremely high, and as you have warned, the fermentation very fast and vigorous which in turn will change the flavour profile of the beer by the yeast
I'd take a portion of the cake, about a cup gives approximately the right yeast count foe 20L.

Higher than ideal pitching rates lower ethyl acetate levels, very high or very low pitching rates increase ester levels.
'reference - brew like a monk'

Did this yesterday. Racked a pale ale off a US-05 yeastcake and then stirred up the trub. Using a sanitised measuring cup, scoop up said cup full of yeasty goodness and pitch that into a fresh 20L wort straight out of the chiller.

I have used an entire yeastcake before but that was in a barleywine.

 

[manticle]

I brewed onto an entire yeast cake with a recent cider but it was a throwaway brew using up a cider kit that had been there for ages (stopped brewing kits some time ago) and I wasn't going to be upset if it didn't turn out perfect - it was mainly to use the tin and stop me brewing the real apple cider before it was ready due to depleted stocks.

Otherwise I usually reserve slurry from the cake and use it once. That's mainly because I'm not usually quite organised to have a brew ready to dump straight on rather than any massive objection to the idea but it seems as if the reserve and wash method might get a few votes.

 

[O'Henry]

I went with saving a cup of it, giving the fermenter a rinse and sterilise and then back in with the lot. Will check on it when I get home from work in the morning...

Ive done it a couple times with no ill effects that ive really noticed, only use the yeast twice and only dump on a beer that is lighter than the last....

I just put my Barleywine(OG 1098)(100 IBU) onto a US-05 yeastcake as it will have a higher yeast count and the Barleywine is a fairly strong beer that more than likely wont pick up any flavours, plus I need it to ferment out quite a bit, I also gave it a real good stir after pitching to get it aerated a bit more...

:icon_cheers: CB

I'm not sure what you meant here. It seemed like you were saying do darkest to palest when using the yeast, but that didnt seem right in my head. As it was, the first was a bitter, on the darker side and the second was a Pale Ale, so perhaps I have done it wrong. Oh well, what is the worst that can happen? It was a split batch with someone so if mine doesnt turn out, perhaps I can have a taste of theirs to get the real idea...

 

[newguy]

The general rule when reusing the yeast cake is to go from lighter gravity, lighter coloured worts to higher gravity, darker coloured, hoppier worts. However if you do as you did and only reserve a cup or so of the slurry it shouldn't really matter what your brew order is.

 

[O'Henry]

That's reassuring. At least it was the hoppier and slightly higher gravity beer. Is the colour the least important of the three?

 

[LLoyd]

If colour is the least important for your next brew. It's gonna be the beer that's with the yeast that affects your brew. 2-300mls per 20-23 litre batch might be significant when pitching a pilsner onto a black lager yeast cake, but not for two remotely similar beers..

 

[O'Henry]

So, I have come home from work now to find it not doing much at all. I am assuming this is because the brew dropped to 14C overnight due to an unexpected cold night. Should I warm it today and then stir when I get up around 1pm? Or just leave it and check again tonight? I have no way of warming apart from the sun, so I have opened the blind and covered it with a towel (it is usually covered with a blanket, but the towel is thinner so should transfer more heat, right?).

I know I need to be patient, just don't wan't to stuff it up...