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Author Topic: How long can yeast sit in my Fermenter before I pitch new wort  (Read 454 times)

Offline redrocker652002

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Re: How long can yeast sit in my Fermenter before I pitch new wort
« Reply #15 on: February 18, 2024, 10:37:19 am »
Well, I went for it. Dang, this was fast. There was activity in the airlock within about 3 hours and by 6 to 8 it was going crazy. Overnight and it has not stopped. The smell coming out is really good, so I am hopeful. I may get a few more bigger jars so I can do this more often. I guess the next question is, can this yeast cake be saved as well? The only problem is I don't have a brew day coming up now for a few weeks as this batch and the batch before will hold me for a while. But, I might throw it in a jar and see what happens in a few weeks. I can make a starter and see if it is useable then I guess. It was a fun attempt, see how the final product goes. I think the end game though is still doing the freezer bank.

Offline denny

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Re: How long can yeast sit in my Fermenter before I pitch new wort
« Reply #16 on: February 18, 2024, 11:34:41 am »
Well, I went for it. Dang, this was fast. There was activity in the airlock within about 3 hours and by 6 to 8 it was going crazy. Overnight and it has not stopped. The smell coming out is really good, so I am hopeful. I may get a few more bigger jars so I can do this more often. I guess the next question is, can this yeast cake be saved as well? The only problem is I don't have a brew day coming up now for a few weeks as this batch and the batch before will hold me for a while. But, I might throw it in a jar and see what happens in a few weeks. I can make a starter and see if it is useable then I guess. It was a fun attempt, see how the final product goes. I think the end game though is still doing the freezer bank.

Yes, you can save that slurry,  too. The ROT is 5 uses. Sometimes more, sometimes less.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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Offline HEUBrewer

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Re: How long can yeast sit in my Fermenter before I pitch new wort
« Reply #17 on: March 03, 2024, 05:12:00 pm »
So I always repitch on the yeast cake.  My brewing regime is to brew a batch with fresh yeast, smack pack or pure pitch.  Ferment about a week, keg and brew a batch the following day or two and pitch onto the yeast cake.  For the 2nd ferment I use a blowoff tube

A few specifics:

I ferment in 6 gal glass carboys
After racking into my keg I cover the mouth of the carboy  with sanitized Al foil.
I rack my new beer on top of the yeast cake
I DO NOT dry hop in the fermenter
I brew up to 1.050 ish and mainly 1.040-1.045
I only reuse 1 time as I only can serve 2 beers (I get 2 batches from one yeast package)

I never thought of yeast harvesting or washing etc as I feel the more you muck around the higher chance of crap going wrong.   

Been doing this for 20 years


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