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Author Topic: Over pitching in small batch brewing  (Read 1036 times)

Offline Drewch

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Over pitching in small batch brewing
« on: September 20, 2020, 12:21:13 pm »
I mostly brew small batches -- 2 gallons or less. I've done ok using a full pack of dry yeast, but I'm wondering what would happen if I just used a full pack of, say, Imperial. They quote 200B cells per pack -- that'd be like a 4x over pitch according to Brewer's Friend.

If bad things would happen, what would be the best way save half a pouch of yeast between brew days?
The Other Drew

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Offline denny

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Re: Over pitching in small batch brewing
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2020, 12:29:03 pm »
I doubt you'd notice any difference.
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Offline Kevin

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Re: Over pitching in small batch brewing
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2020, 01:09:58 pm »
I mostly brew small batches -- 2 gallons or less. I've done ok using a full pack of dry yeast, but I'm wondering what would happen if I just used a full pack of, say, Imperial. They quote 200B cells per pack -- that'd be like a 4x over pitch according to Brewer's Friend.

If bad things would happen, what would be the best way save half a pouch of yeast between brew days?

Make a starter and split it in half.
“He was a wise man who invented beer.”
- Plato

Offline Saccharomyces

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Re: Over pitching in small batch brewing
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2020, 03:32:06 pm »
Remember, over pitching just results in fewer post-pitching replication periods before maximum cell density has been reached.

Offline Drewch

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Re: Over pitching in small batch brewing
« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2020, 07:17:08 pm »
Remember, over pitching just results in fewer post-pitching replication periods before maximum cell density has been reached.

That's what I was assuming/hoping ... we just need each yeast cell to bud once to get from 100B (for a dry yeast pack) to 200B (in an Imperial pouch).
The Other Drew

Home fermentations since 2019.

Member at large of the Central Alabama Brewers Society and the League of Drews.

Offline Saccharomyces

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Re: Over pitching in small batch brewing
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2020, 07:18:25 pm »
That's what I was assuming/hoping ... we just need each yeast cell to bud once to get from 100B (for a dry yeast pack) to 200B (in an Imperial pouch).

Those pitch rates are not equivalent. I wish that people would stop using pitch calculators because they are flawed. The difference between 100B and 200B cells is one replication period, which is in the noise with respect to pitching rate. What matters is yeast cell health and dissolved O2.  If we pitch 100B cells into a 5-gallon batch of wort, I can assure you that dissolved O2 in the wort will play a role regardless of if the yeast is dry or liquid.