Yeast cake

[Pogierob]

SO...

I want to use the yeast cake from a brew I put in the fermenter a week ago, assuming I get a decent FG reading that stays stable for two days.
can I rack off to a secondary fermenter and then use the cake? I figured I would give the secondary vessel a blast with co2 to minimise potential oxidization before racking.

I was talking to Chris at grain and grape and he said that if I use the whole cake, it can lead to a less flavoured beer as I miss out on flavours created by the yeast as it builds it's numbers, has anyone found this to be true?

it's US-05 so it's more of an experiment I guess than a need to be a tight ass.

I want the first beer into the keg asap as I have friends coming over on the 11th Jan and currently have no beer on tap, with the secondary racking slow down the process/time frame? either way it is going to be a young beer on tap.

[Oliver]

Hi Rob,

FYI (you may remember this), the TTL that we made at the pub was dumped onto an entire Wyeast 1968 London ESB yeast cake from a bitter I'd bottled at home earlier that day. And it came up "real nice", as they say.

And given you're doing it onto US-05, which is a clean-fermenting yeast anyway, I don't think you need to worry about missing out on any yeast flavours, as suggested by G&G guy.

I don't think the racking will have any effect on the timeframe to the beer being drinkable. But it frees up the fermenter.

Cheers,

Oliver

[Pogierob]

Thanks mate, I do remember the TTL but was curious if we missed out on some awesome flavours, happy as I was with the beer.
And I believe in forming habits from good practices because I can be a bit lazy some times so even though I consider us-05 to be "un-stuff up-able" yeast I guess I want to make sure I'm doing it right.

I was going to pitch straight onto the whole cake until the conversation in GG. Probably will anyway.

[drsmurto]

Instead of using the entire yeast cake, scoop out a cup full (sanitised jug) and add that to a clean, sanitised fermenter (or clean the current fermenter). No CO2 required.

[Boonie]

Instead of using the entire yeast cake, scoop out a cup full (sanitised jug) and add that to a clean, sanitised fermenter (or clean the current fermenter). No CO2 required.

Exactly what I still do when I have a liquid or decent yeast on hand.

I even put mine in the fridge for a couple of weeks** and re-use them with no ill effects. **Caveat, I chill all my beer in the fermenter before kegging so the yeast cake is cool before throwing into a container.

Cheers

Boonie

[Pogierob]

I just used the scoop method from wyeast 1056 ale and scooped it into three new batches which are currently happily fermenting away after 4 days. Thanks for the advice.

Would it be an issue to wash the yeast after I bottle these batches?

[Boonie]

I just used the scoop method from wyeast 1056 ale and scooped it into three new batches which are currently happily fermenting away after 4 days. Thanks for the advice.

Would it be an issue to wash the yeast after I bottle these batches?

No issue, it would be fine IMHO. I only re-use a yeast about 4 times and then buy a new one.

Don't forget to mark them as I have a bottle in my fridge and I am stuffed if I can remember which yeast it was ....never keg/bottle disorganised and/or pissed.

Just teaching my mate this trick. Make sure that the stored yeast is put in a starter to make sure that the yeast is still ok....oh and that it is room temperature.

Cheers

Boonie

[Pogierob]

Sweet Cheers for the advice