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Author Topic: using the yeast cake  (Read 6152 times)

Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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using the yeast cake
« on: September 15, 2014, 08:16:35 am »
decided to live on the edge and do my first batch using the yeast cake of the previous batch. its a 1.060 pale ale with wlp090 and im making another round of it at the 2-week mark when i keg it.

looking for advice on how much cake to use - just use it all or just a portion? pro's. con's.

thanks
Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
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Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: using the yeast cake
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2014, 08:20:21 am »
decided to live on the edge and do my first batch using the yeast cake of the previous batch. its a 1.060 pale ale with wlp090 and im making another round of it at the 2-week mark when i keg it.

looking for advice on how much cake to use - just use it all or just a portion? pro's. con's.

thanks

For a beer that size I've had good luck using a third of the cake.  Pros - quick, strong fermentation.  Cons - as long as your sanitation was good, not many.
Jon H.

Offline majorvices

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Re: using the yeast cake
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2014, 08:36:17 am »
I like the picthing calc at www.mrmalty.com for slurry repitching.

Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: using the yeast cake
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2014, 08:50:47 am »
I like the picthing calc at www.mrmalty.com for slurry repitching.

so if im using the mr.malty calc right - i give my carboy a good swirl, and then take about 3.5-4 cups of slurry and use that to rack the new wort onto?
Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
CPT, U.S.Army
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harveys-Brewhaus/405092862905115

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Science_of_Mashing

Serving:        In Process:
Vienna IPA          O'Fest
Dort
Mead                 
Cider                         
Ger'merican Blonde
Amber Ale
Next:
Ger Pils
O'Fest

Offline majorvices

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Re: using the yeast cake
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2014, 09:16:37 am »
I usually take my yeast from the bottom of my carboy or bucket or whatever I'm using and put it in a mason jar after a good swirl (you can add a little pre-boiled water if the slurry is too thick). Often it will take 2 quart sized jars. Then I will use the ml on side of jar to get close.

I use the calculator as a starting point and figure how much I need based on how well the yeast performed or how healthy I feel the slurry is.

Offline a10t2

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Re: using the yeast cake
« Reply #5 on: September 15, 2014, 09:48:10 am »
so if im using the mr.malty calc right - i give my carboy a good swirl, and then take about 3.5-4 cups of slurry and use that to rack the new wort onto?

4 cups is a TON of yeast - probably more than you have after fermenting 5 gal. Using the default settings, the mrmalty calculator says ~100 mL for a 1.060 beer.
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Offline klickitat jim

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Re: using the yeast cake
« Reply #6 on: September 15, 2014, 09:55:37 am »
so if im using the mr.malty calc right - i give my carboy a good swirl, and then take about 3.5-4 cups of slurry and use that to rack the new wort onto?

4 cups is a TON of yeast - probably more than you have after fermenting 5 gal. Using the default settings, the mrmalty calculator says ~100 mL for a 1.060 beer.

Ive often thought I was over pitching on my repitches. If you look at how much is in a decanted 2L starter, compared to a full cup of slurry? It seems like too much. But then there's trub to consider too. Ive been experimenting all summer, so all fresh starter pitches. But this winter when I up my production and go back to repitching, I think I'll back off a bit.

Offline majorvices

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Re: using the yeast cake
« Reply #7 on: September 15, 2014, 12:03:43 pm »

so if im using the mr.malty calc right - i give my carboy a good swirl, and then take about 3.5-4 cups of slurry and use that to rack the new wort onto?

4 cups is a TON of yeast - probably more than you have after fermenting 5 gal. Using the default settings, the mrmalty calculator says ~100 mL for a 1.060 beer.

Ive often thought I was over pitching on my repitches. If you look at how much is in a decanted 2L starter, compared to a full cup of slurry? It seems like too much. But then there's trub to consider too. Ive been experimenting all summer, so all fresh starter pitches. But this winter when I up my production and go back to repitching, I think I'll back off a bit.

Since we aren't doing cell counts aS homebrewers, t all boils down to experience. If you see the pitching calc recommends 100ml, and you pitch 100ml and you have signs of fermentation in 12 hours you know you have pitched enough. If not, then you better pitch more.

The calc has a slide option for "non-yeast percentage" as well. It is not perfect but you can get close.

4 cups of yeast is a heck of a lot of yeast.

Offline klickitat jim

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Re: using the yeast cake
« Reply #8 on: September 15, 2014, 12:07:23 pm »

so if im using the mr.malty calc right - i give my carboy a good swirl, and then take about 3.5-4 cups of slurry and use that to rack the new wort onto?

4 cups is a TON of yeast - probably more than you have after fermenting 5 gal. Using the default settings, the mrmalty calculator says ~100 mL for a 1.060 beer.

Ive often thought I was over pitching on my repitches. If you look at how much is in a decanted 2L starter, compared to a full cup of slurry? It seems like too much. But then there's trub to consider too. Ive been experimenting all summer, so all fresh starter pitches. But this winter when I up my production and go back to repitching, I think I'll back off a bit.

Since we aren't doing cell counts aS homebrewers, t all boils down to experience. If you see the pitching calc recommends 100ml, and you pitch 100ml and you have signs of fermentation in 12 hours you know you have pitched enough. If not, then you better pitch more.

The calc has a slide option for "non-yeast percentage" as well. It is not perfect but you can get close.

4 cups of yeast is a heck of a lot of yeast.

I think the most I've repitched was a cup and a half into an oktoberfest

Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: using the yeast cake
« Reply #9 on: September 15, 2014, 12:33:45 pm »
When harvesting, I just take a gallon sized ziplock type Baggie to line a half gallon plastic pitcher (to make it easier to pour into the Baggie).  Then I eyeball the amount from there.  I do a lot of ten gallon batches of same ABV range lagers, so for those, I will re-pitch at the rate of about half of the original harvested amount; ales go at around a third or less.  If the harvested yeast has sat for over a month, I typically will make a starter, but not always; sometimes I will just pitch a bit more than the fractions above.  YMMV, of course, and bigger beers of any type require more yeast to complete the process without excessive stress.
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Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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using the yeast cake
« Reply #10 on: September 15, 2014, 03:29:06 pm »
Yeah so I see I need to adjust slurry thickness on mr.maltywhich is why it said 3-4 cups. When moved to thick its 1.5 range


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« Last Edit: September 15, 2014, 03:33:20 pm by wort-h.o.g. »
Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
CPT, U.S.Army
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harveys-Brewhaus/405092862905115

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Science_of_Mashing

Serving:        In Process:
Vienna IPA          O'Fest
Dort
Mead                 
Cider                         
Ger'merican Blonde
Amber Ale
Next:
Ger Pils
O'Fest

Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: using the yeast cake
« Reply #11 on: September 26, 2014, 02:17:24 pm »
so mission accomplished. i harvested about 1.25 cups of slurry and pitched into my pale ale brew . curious to see the difference in lag time vs my yeast starter with previous brew.... that was 6 hours.
Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
CPT, U.S.Army
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harveys-Brewhaus/405092862905115

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Science_of_Mashing

Serving:        In Process:
Vienna IPA          O'Fest
Dort
Mead                 
Cider                         
Ger'merican Blonde
Amber Ale
Next:
Ger Pils
O'Fest

Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: using the yeast cake
« Reply #12 on: September 26, 2014, 02:43:59 pm »
I bet it will run like a house afire!  I am going to try scaling back a bit on my re-pitches to see if I get a little cleaner, less estery result on a few beers.  But lagers still need a good healthy pitch compared to ales (except for the monster ales - they need a goodly pitch, as well).

Let us know how it progresses.
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"

Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: using the yeast cake
« Reply #13 on: September 26, 2014, 04:11:46 pm »
I bet it will run like a house afire!  I am going to try scaling back a bit on my re-pitches to see if I get a little cleaner, less estery result on a few beers.  But lagers still need a good healthy pitch compared to ales (except for the monster ales - they need a goodly pitch, as well).

Let us know how it progresses.

fermentation took off at 4 hours...here we go.
Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
CPT, U.S.Army
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harveys-Brewhaus/405092862905115

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Science_of_Mashing

Serving:        In Process:
Vienna IPA          O'Fest
Dort
Mead                 
Cider                         
Ger'merican Blonde
Amber Ale
Next:
Ger Pils
O'Fest

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: using the yeast cake
« Reply #14 on: September 26, 2014, 04:15:42 pm »
I bet it will run like a house afire!  I am going to try scaling back a bit on my re-pitches to see if I get a little cleaner, less estery result on a few beers.  But lagers still need a good healthy pitch compared to ales (except for the monster ales - they need a goodly pitch, as well).

Let us know how it progresses.

fermentation took off at 4 hours...here we go.

Not surprised. It usually goes like gangbusters using healthy slurry !
Jon H.