Using Yeast Slurry

[Fermented]

'Afternoon!

I've been reading up on yeast harvesting and slants, etc but don't feel that I have the time for that caper just at the moment. So, I was thinking about going the route of using a cup of slurry from the previous fermentation (i.e. circa 250 ml of the medium thick sludge from the bottom of the fermented). There are some excellent articles in here, but I didn't find an answer to one particular question.

What I would like to know is if there is residual 'character' from that previous ferment. In other words, if I made an IPA on S-04 then I wanted to make a milder ale or similar on the slurry, would there be any inherited flavour, colour or other characteristics in the next batch and in subsequent generations?

Cheers - Fermented.

 

[drsmurto]

Go from low abv, low colour upwards so start with your mild and end with an IPA

 

[Fermented]

Thanks, Doc!

If I'm making something of similar ABV, colour, etc, then it should be OK I'm guessing?

Cheers - Fermented.

 

[BOG]

Pour a few litres of water on the yeast cake , give it a swirl and wait 5 minutes for the heavy trub to settle.

Then bottle (750ml PET) of slurry and leave it in the fridge for the next brew.

Only use it for the same type of beer or a beer that is darker as some flavours will pass to the next brew.




BOG

 

[Pollux]

I was wondering about that myself..

I plan on reusing some S-04 from my last brew, so after I racked to 2ndary I chucked some cooled boiled water in, gave it a swirl and draw off a stubbies worth.

I left it to settle in the fridge (covered with gladwrap of course) overnight, then poured the liquid into another stubbie, topped with more cooled boiled water and have since left it in the fridge...

Can anyone think of any reason why I can't leave it there for 2 weeks until i can get around to making my next batch, I intend to make a starter for it.

 

[Fermented]

I was thinking more of sequential brewing rather than saving it.

At this stage, as soon as one batch is out of the fermenter the next one goes in. I'm trying to make more than I can drink at the moment so that I have some stock for when the temperature really rises in January as I don't have any decent temperature control so far.

Thanks for confirming.

Cheers - Fermented.

 

[drsmurto]

I regularly save my yeast cake and use it months later.

Provided you make a starter to ensure the yeast is still viable.

 

[muckey]

I hope you've got a big stick if you plan on pitching the yorkshire slurry

it seems aptly named - the most agressive yeast I've seen anyone use :lol:

 

[Katherine]

Im going to ask a question, if you bottle on the same day as a brew can you put your wort directly on the yeast cake?????

 

[drsmurto]

My oktoberfest in primary says yes.

I ran the wort out of the chiller straight into the fermenter i had just racked a lager out of.

 

[Swinging Beef]

I'm trying to make more than I can drink at the moment

AAAAAAAAAhahahaahaha!
Arent we all?!
:icon_cheers:

for when the temperature really rises in January as I don't have any decent temperature control so far.

That is the time for stinky belgians.... Mmmm... phenolics....

 

[afromaiko]

My oktoberfest in primary says yes.

I ran the wort out of the chiller straight into the fermenter i had just racked a lager out of.

Do you need to stir up the yeast into solution or just leave it sitting on the bottom of the fermenter to do it's own thing?

 

[Kleiny]

Yes this works great
and the yeast will get stirred up when you transfer the new wort onto the yeast cake

Just try and make beers of relatively the same gravity as the yeast have bread up on the environment you supplied.

 

[muckey]

many people repitch on the slurry with excellent results.

I prefer to reserv some slurry so I can control the amount I use otherwise the ferment takes off and I have trouble keeping the temperature under control. matter of fact I've got some us05 waiting for a brew to go in........

 

[rich_lamb]

Fermented; yeah about a cup is ideal and as long as the beers aren't too radically different don't worry about flavour crossover as the dilution is about 1%.

You're not taking slurry from a stout and using it in a pilsener..

Be clean and you'll have no problems.

 

[Fermented]

Thanks guys!

The IPA that's in there now on some S-04 is just about done (1012 this morning and rather yummy), so I think I will toss a cheapie toucan in next as an experiment on say 250 mls of yeast cake.

I'm not game to use the whole thing as I've read a couple of posts that mention it going ballistic from doing that. While the airlock spewing foam is exciting to watch, it's too messy for the confined space of my little laundry, uh - brew room.

Cheers - Fermented.