If I had only about half the yeast that I need to ferment a batch could I put half the batch on it and add the other half a couple of days later once fermentation was going good?
I would think since your yeast would more than double. You better be real good and SANITARY with that second part. Maybe you could freeze it, thaw it when needed and re-boil it before adding it to the fermenter?
What is the OG? :roll:
Yes, that’s fine. It’s sort of like a real wort starter. Assuming you’re doing a 5 gallon batch, pitch the yeast into 1-2 gallons, and then pitch that into the remainder the following day. No need to freeze the remainder, just keep it sealed up in either a bucket or a no-chill cube.
A lot of breweries do something kinda similar. They make a batch, pitch 1.5 times the yeast. then make another batch and add it to the same tank.
it saves yeast, and doubles quantity. you’d still be underpitching, but not as much. the longer you wait, the more yeast will be present, so you could get a proper amount of yeast. but like mentioned above, youre risking contamination with a sugary wort sitting dormant
Actually I was thinking of making the two parts on seperate days so no worries about storing any.
I didn’t have an actual O G in mind, I was merely wondering if something like this would work. Most likely I’d use it for a big beer if I found myself short of yeast at the last moment.
Actually I was thinking of making the two parts on seperate days so no worries about storing any.[/quote][quote=“Rookie L A”]Actually I was thinking of making the two parts on seperate days so no worries about storing any.[/quote]
OK. At first I thought that sounds like much more trouble then just getting more yeast or making a starter. But, I guess if all of a sudden you started and thought, “Damn, I don’t have enough yeast!” that would work…
I didn’t have an actual O G in mind, I was merely wondering if something like this would work. Most likely I’d use it for a big beer if I found myself short of yeast at the last moment.[/quote]
Anything will work. Millions of gallons of beer have been made with one smack pack/vial of yeast in a 5 gallon brew. And they turned out fantastic.
If you want to throw out generalizations, or even specifics, yes it will work. There are the “purist” that will tell you you beer will have off flavors because you are under pitching, They mush have a better perception of flavors then the commoner.
