I want to brew a second batch of beer and pour the cooled wort onto the yeast cake of a recently transferred beer. Is it as simple as just pouring the wort onto the yeast cake? Or should I take the time a attempt washing the yeast? Both beers use the same yeast. Will this impart any flavors? Thank you for any help.
I haven’t found washing yeast to be worth the trouble generally. You can just rack directly onto the slurry. A caveat, though…unless you’re using the slurry for a very high gravity beer, you may bet better results by only using 1/2 to 1/3 f it and saving the rest for another brew.
I have been leaving just enough beer left in the carboy to mix up all the yeast sediment on the bottom and then dump roughly 2/3 out so I’m pitching onto 1/4-1/3 of the yeast cake. Haven’t really been saving the rest because I just do the same thing to the new batch. Go through this process a handful of times before pitching new yeast. My process is pretty scientific 
WoodlandBrew has a pretty convincing argument that by washing yeast, you’re tossing out alot of viable yeast. I’ve been doing back-to-back batches using the same yeast for the past 6 months or so, and have stopped washing since I read that. So, this is what I do now:
I bottle(or move to secondary conditioning if that’s my option) on a Friday. When my bucket is empty, I add 2-3 quarts of boiled then cooled water to the bucket and swirl. I then fill 2(or 3) qt. mason jars with the slurry, cap and put in the fridge. Being paranoid about sanitation, I then clean and starsan my bucket.
Saturday, I brew. I decant the liquid, and add the slurry to my fermenter. 1 jar for a similar OG, two for a higher OG, and I suppose 3 if I do a really big one. Any remaining jars, I decant the liquid and fill back to the top with fresh boiled then cooled water( It’s another thing I picked up from Woodlandbrew- there’s more bacteria in the supernatant liquid than in the sediment. Changing the water on top should cut the number down and hopefully make it last longer).This goes in the fridge for storage.
So far, works for me…
I’m brewing the Patersbier this week with wyeast 3787 Trappist high gravity yeast. When its finished I want to rack the number 8 onto the cake. I dont plan to rinse the yeast. Just take out what i dont need and rack the new wort onto it. The common recommendation seems to be to use somewhere in the range of 1/4-1/2 the slurry. Mrmalty says for a repitch the day of harvest I only need 150ml. Is there a reason most guys seem to use more? I don’t want to over think it and I’m fine just doing what’s easiest if it makes good beer.
What’s easiest is to rack on the full slurry. It certainly won’t ruin your beer to do that, and if you’re making a fairly high gravity beer it’s likely necessary. For example, I’ve made Patersbier, then used the full slurry for a tripel. But if you’re brewing a lower gravity beer, I’ve found that I prefer the results from pitching less than a full slurry.
What’s easiest is to rack on the full slurry. It certainly won’t ruin your beer to do that, and if you’re making a fairly high gravity beer it’s likely necessary. For example, I’ve made Patersbier, then used the full slurry for a tripel. But if you’re brewing a lower gravity beer, I’ve found that I prefer the results from pitching less than a full slurry.[/quote]
I meant to say so in the post, the number 8 target OG is 1.084. Pretty much in the range of a tripel right?
[quote=“James Rausch”]WoodlandBrew has a pretty convincing argument that by washing yeast, you’re tossing out alot of viable yeast. I’ve been doing back-to-back batches using the same yeast for the past 6 months or so, and have stopped washing since I read that. So, this is what I do now:
I bottle(or move to secondary conditioning if that’s my option) on a Friday. When my bucket is empty, I add 2-3 quarts of boiled then cooled water to the bucket and swirl. I then fill 2(or 3) qt. mason jars with the slurry, cap and put in the fridge. Being paranoid about sanitation, I then clean and starsan my bucket.
Saturday, I brew. I decant the liquid, and add the slurry to my fermenter. 1 jar for a similar OG, two for a higher OG, and I suppose 3 if I do a really big one. Any remaining jars, I decant the liquid and fill back to the top with fresh boiled then cooled water( It’s another thing I picked up from Woodlandbrew- there’s more bacteria in the supernatant liquid than in the sediment. Changing the water on top should cut the number down and hopefully make it last longer).This goes in the fridge for storage.
So far, works for me…[/quote]
This has to be quick without a lot of details, I’m making supper. I read the same thing. Experimented. What i would have decanted from my quart jars of rinsed yeast I saved. After three months in the frig could hardly see any yeast at the bottom of the jar. I guess if your in a sloppy hurry you could dump a lot of yeast. If your patient, you don’t dump yeast.
Yep. I’d say use the entire slurry for that.
Yep. I’d say use the entire slurry for that.[/quote]
Sounds like a plan. Thanks Denny!
Great information, thanks for the help. Sounds easier than I had thought. Just get rid of half the existing slurry and rack onto that.
