First time pitching from yeast cake

I would like to try pouring my next beer onto a yeast cake…

here’s what I have:

Waldo Lake Amber 2 weeks in primary, OG 1.058, FG 1.014, ready to go into secondary, already clearing nice.
US-05 yeast

onto this I’d like to pitch:
Caribou Slobber PM, 4# grain, 6# LME, OG about 1.055?

could I swirl and pour out about half the yeast cake and save it, and then pour this beer right in?

when should I aerate?
after pouring on the yeast?

thanks for any advise.

[quote=“newbrewermel”]could I swirl and pour out about half the yeast cake and save it, and then pour this beer right in?[/quote]That will work just fine. A lot of times when I plan on pitching on a cake I follow up with a 10 gallon batch and split the cake in half.

I would just aerate as you usually do.

[quote=“newbrewermel”]I would like to try pouring my next beer onto a yeast cake…

here’s what I have:

Waldo Lake Amber 2 weeks in primary, OG 1.058, FG 1.014, ready to go into secondary, already clearing nice.
US-05 yeast

onto this I’d like to pitch:
Caribou Slobber PM, 4# grain, 6# LME, OG about 1.055?

could I swirl and pour out about half the yeast cake and save it, and then pour this beer right in?

when should I aerate?
after pouring on the yeast?

thanks for any advise.[/quote]

Why repitch on dry yeast cake why not just spend the 2 more bucks?
DOnt bother with a secondary on that beer either just go right to kegs or bottles

[quote=“grainbelt”]Why repitch on dry yeast cake why not just spend the 2 more bucks?
DOnt bother with a secondary on that beer either just go right to kegs or bottles[/quote]

The secondary question is strictly a matter of personal preference, but as far as the yeast goes, why not repitch on the yeast cake (or part of it) if the yeast is healthy, clean and viable?
Having been through a brew already it will probably perform better. I’ve consistently found that to be the case.

If one uses good brewing parctice, there’s no reason not to keep repitiching it either for subsequent brews, as long as it continues to make good beer.

i’m cheap, i’ve repitched on a dry cake at least 4-5 times came out just fine.

Exactly. I’ve gone as far as 20 repitches with no issues whatsoever (though nowadays I don’t press my luck…I stop at around 10). :mrgreen:

[quote=“The Professor”][quote=“grainbelt”]Why repitch on dry yeast cake why not just spend the 2 more bucks?
DOnt bother with a secondary on that beer either just go right to kegs or bottles[/quote]

The secondary question is strictly a matter of personal preference, but as far as the yeast goes, why not repitch on the yeast cake (or part of it) if the yeast is healthy, clean and viable?
Having been through a brew already it will probably perform better. I’ve consistently found that to be the case.

If one uses good brewing parctice, there’s no reason not to keep repitiching it either for subsequent brews, as long as it continues to make good beer.[/quote]

never said there was anything wrong with it, but depending on a tons of different scenarios it would be much easier to just pitch a very cheap packet of dry yeast in my opinion

ok, thanks for all the thoughts…

yup, I just really like re-using my yeast.
and a pkg of US-05 is $3.75.

when should I take my OG?
after I pour wort onto cake?
will the yeast affect the OG reading?

thanks!

I just pitched on a yeast cake last night, and I had RAGING fermentation within 3 hours, which for me is unheard of even with very generous cell-counts and starters.

The one downside is that I want to transfer the previous batch off the cake somewhere in the timeframe where I’m also brewing the next batch, I found that to be a bit much. I was running back and forth making sure nothing was getting screwed up in either process, which I’m sure increased the chance of a mistake in either (or both!)

Probably would have been OK to rack off the old cake at the beginning of the brewday, or even after the new wort were cooled–Professor, you have a rule of thumb for how long you’ll let a cake sit between transfer and pitch? I would probably just store it at refrigerator temps without moving it from the original bucket.

[quote=“newbrewermel”]ok, thanks for all the thoughts…

yup, I just really like re-using my yeast.
and a pkg of US-05 is $3.75.[/quote]

You’re lucky. If I remember correctly, US05 is pushing 6 bucks at my LHBS. Still worth it for the convenience and the much greater cell-count than a smack-pack.

My yeast cake will become available for re-pitching soon, what types of beers will it be most suitable for. I was thinking of doing the Chinook IPA and the yeast is WLP005 and it’s currently being used to brew an irish stout.

for reusing cakes you go higher in alch or around the same and darker in color

I make large batches and when I don’t want to pitch directly onto the yeast cakes, I will put the yeast in gallon zip lock bags and store them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Then when it is time to pitch, I just nip the corner off the bag and squirt it into the new fermenters full of wort.

Hmm, maybe i’ll do that big honkin stout afterall. My father who is getting excited about me making beer keeps pushing me to brew it. If a beer calls for a starter, but you are using your yeast cake, i assume the starter is no longer needed?

Thats a great idea! So much easier than the Mason jars I have been using. A keeper for sure.

[quote=“mppatriots”]If a beer calls for a starter, but you are using your yeast cake, i assume the starter is no longer needed?[/quote]Correct. A yeast cake replaces a starter. It is especially helpful for a big honkin stout.

[quote=“rustyhoover”]I just pitched on a yeast cake last night, and I had RAGING fermentation within 3 hours, which for me is unheard of even with very generous cell-counts and starters.

The one downside is that I want to transfer the previous batch off the cake somewhere in the timeframe where I’m also brewing the next batch, I found that to be a bit much. I was running back and forth making sure nothing was getting screwed up in either process, which I’m sure increased the chance of a mistake in either (or both!)

Probably would have been OK to rack off the old cake at the beginning of the brewday, or even after the new wort were cooled–Professor, you have a rule of thumb for how long you’ll let a cake sit between transfer and pitch? I would probably just store it at refrigerator temps without moving it from the original bucket.[/quote]

yup, I am planning that now, when to rack, and brew, and how to time it all.
I may rack it off during my 1 hour mash, doing PM.
and then just cover top of carboy back up with airlock until my wort is cooled.
it should be ok sitting there for a few hours?

*** when do you take your OG? when pouring on the cake?

thanks

[quote=“newbrewermel”]*** when do you take your OG? when pouring on the cake?

thanks[/quote]I take the OG as it is coming out of the chiller. Right into a hydrometer tube or with refractometer.

[quote=“newbrewermel”] yup, I am planning that now, when to rack, and brew, and how to time it all.
I may rack it off during my 1 hour mash, doing PM.
and then just cover top of carboy back up with airlock until my wort is cooled.
it should be ok sitting there for a few hours?

*** when do you take your OG? when pouring on the cake?

thanks[/quote]

As I mentioned, my brewday was pretty stressful trying to do the two in parallel (that, and the fact that my hose-braid became detached in my cheap n easy mashtun for the first time, after many batches with zero problems :frowning: ). So, in light of that, next time I’m going to try Mullerbrau’s method, which I really like a lot in theory. I will do that well before brewday and store cold as he suggests.

Also, plan to be very careful with sanitation of the bags and whatever implements I use to move the yeast to them, but that’s probably obvious…

Good luck!

[quote=“rustyhoover”]So, in light of that, next time I’m going to try Mullerbrau’s method, which I really like a lot in theory. I will do that well before brewday and store cold as he suggests.

Also, plan to be very careful with sanitation of the bags and whatever implements I use to move the yeast to them, but that’s probably obvious…

Good luck![/quote]I figure the bags are already sanitary but I do sanitize the measuring cup that I use to scoop the yeast with.