Another stupid question

Buona Fortuna

I feel like putting on a hard hat before asking this

I'm reading in Greg Hughes book that its a top idea to reuse yeast.

So when I keg my Caxton's Dark Ale with DME, could I leave the yellow sludge in the bottom, and my Coopers English Bitter with LME and brew away, skipping the yeast?

Have I just lost the plot or do I need to resit a year?

Cheers guys

drumswan

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/

Pablo ferretta

For any stupid question there are two choices, or we do not respond or we answer with an answer that have no sense. I think I wrote what I think without actually saying it.

Buona Fortuna

Pablo ferretta wrote: »

For any stupid question there are two choices, or we do not respond or we answer with an answer that have no sense. I think I wrote what I think without actually saying it.

Your brew working OK then?:)

Pablo ferretta

hhhhh yes you could say that my friend

jonziepoo

Yes Buona Fortuna, you can start a new batch from the sludge of the second fermenter. If I remember correctly though, you can only do that for two or three times, after that you risk brewing some unwanted yeast varieties.

Buona Fortuna

jonziepoo wrote: »

Yes Buona Fortuna, you can start a new batch from the sludge of the second fermenter. If I remember correctly though, you can only do that for two or three times, after that you risk brewing some unwanted yeast varieties.

Thanks Jonz.

So obviously don't put anything hot near the sludge?

Add the tin and LME cold, whisk it all up, top up with cold?

Should be OK?

Ronan|Raven

Pitching directly onto the yeast cake presents some issues like running the risk of over pitching. Washing the yeast first is a better option. (from what I have read..)

Drumswans link shows this process.


A link to a video covering the issue as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay7oVbQNiGI

Buona Fortuna

Ronan|Raven wrote: »

Pitching directly onto the yeast cake presents some issues like running the risk of over pitching. Washing the yeast first is a better option. (from what I have read..)

Drumswans link shows this process.


A link to a video covering the issue as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay7oVbQNiGI

Thanks, and over pitching is too much yeast, altering the taste probably in a bad way?

Its probably not such a great idea then, if I risk a bad brew and all I save is a sachet of yeast.

jonziepoo

Buona Fortuna wrote: »

Thanks, and over pitching is too much yeast, altering the taste probably in a bad way?

Its probably not such a great idea then, if I risk a bad brew and all I save is a sachet of yeast.

Yes, that's why I suggested you do it on the sludge from the second fermenter (much less, I usually get only a couple of millimeters). Anyway I have never done it myself but was planning on testing the method next time I brew. What's the fun of home brewing if you don't experiment a little?

sharingan

Yeast washing is the preferred way of reusing the yeast. It leaves you with control of the pitching rate, and means that you are not just doubling the amount of fermentation trub in your FV (which can have other problems).

But yeah, dumping wort on top of a yeast cake is a time honoured tradition. Some caveats though:

- you dont really want to be reusing a cake full of dry hop material.
- dont dump pale beers on top of dark/stouty yeast cakes
- dont leave the yeast cake exposed for long. once your beer is in the bottling bucket, add your new wort straight on top of the cake.