Can I split a yeast packet into 2 x 22L brews?

[GlentoranMark]

I ordered some grains which arrived today but I reclaimed my yeast from my last brews which I was hoping to use with the grains. For the second time in a row, my reclaimed yeast failed to work so I'm not hopeful on the remaining stuff.

I've only 1 packet of Safale US 05 and 2 brews planned. Would 1 packet work in two x 22L brews if I split the packet?

 

[clibit]

When you brewing? You could make a starter and split that perhaps. If you have some DME.

 

[Marcarm]

I had this exact same predicament yesterday, ended up not risking it and getting another pack of yeast.

I was planning on making a 'starter' with it and splitting that, but as I've had problems with underpitching before thought it not worth the risk.

Sorry I can't help, but will be interested to see the answer.

 

[GlentoranMark]

I'm brewing on Saturday although my 2nd brew won't be until the following week. I haven't had much success in reclaiming yeast and I've no DME so I don't fancy making a starter. I wonder could I pitch half and leave it 24h and take a peek. If nothing is happening then chuck the rest in?

 

[GHW]

Question on starters, why do you have to use dme? Wouldn't sugar do?

 

[LarryF]

Following on from Gareth's question, could you use wort for your starter?

 

[TheRedDarren]

Question on starters, why do you have to use dme? Wouldn't sugar do?

The yeast needs a range of nutrients, not just the sugar. Unfortunately no, you can't use just sugar. The wort contains a lot of nutrients as well as the sugar and this is what you need to produce a healthy batch of yeast to undertake the arduous task of turning wort into beer!

 

[TheRedDarren]

Following on from Gareth's question, could you use wort for your starter?

Yes you can keep some wort to one side from a brew, aim for 1040 og.
I'm not sure how long it keeps though, without yeast doing it's thing.

 

[Smileyr8]

Could you use brew enhancer instead of DME?

 

[GHW]

@glentonranmark; steep a bit of the grain to make a nice wort for the starter?

 

[clibit]

Maybe brew enhancer. Interesting idea.

Why not pitch all the yeast in the first brew and rack it into another FV the day you brew the second one, and pitch the second brew onto the yeast from the first batch?

 

[MyQul]

Maybe brew enhancer. Interesting idea.

Why not pitch all the yeast in the first brew and rack it into another FV the day you brew the second one, and pitch the second brew onto the yeast from the first batch?

Might work but the first brew will only have 1 week on the yeast cake. I'd worry It'd get stuck

 

[TheRedDarren]

You could make the first brew and pitch as normal, then when you brew the second (a few days later), skim some of the krausen from the first and pitch it straight in. I did that with a second brew of witbier when I realised I ordered double the grain I needed but only one phial of yeast, worked a treat.
You'll need two fv's though.

 

[MyQul]

Good idea RedDarren but he's using US-05. I've only used this yeast once but it didn't give much of a krausen. I tried skimming S04 once which seems to have a similar krausen to US-05 and the S0-04 only gave me like 40bl cells or something, not enough for a full 22L brew

 

[MyQul]

Good idea RedDarren but he's using US-05. I've only used this yeast once but it didn't give much of a krausen. I tried skimming S04 once which seems to have a similar krausen to US-05 and the S0-04 only gave me like 40bl cells or something, not enough for a full 22L brew

:idea: But what you could do is keep some of the wort from the first brew skim the krausen then use the kept wort as a starter to build up the cell count of the top cropped yeast.

 

[TheRedDarren]

:idea: But what you could do is keep some of the wort from the first brew skim the krausen then use the kept wort as a starter to build up the cell count of the top cropped yeast.

That'll do it!

 

[clibit]

Eh? Why would the first brew get stuck, with a full packet of yeast? A lot of brewers rack to a secondary after a seek or so. You could then pitch your second brew on that yeast. No problem.

 

[MyQul]

Eh? Why would the first brew get stuck, with a full packet of yeast? A lot of brewers rack to a secondary after a seek or so. You could then pitch your second brew on that yeast. No problem.

You are right. Palmer says you can do it after the initial fermentation has died down . I vaguely recall doing something similar myself so I could rack the beer early into the bottling bucket and I think (can't remember now, need to keep more fuller notes) it didn't attenuate out fully. I don't normally rack to a secondary (too much bother).
So the only time I did it, it didn't go well - but having did a quick bit of googling my concerns are completely unjustified

 

[TheRedDarren]

Eh? Why would the first brew get stuck, with a full packet of yeast? A lot of brewers rack to a secondary after a seek or so. You could then pitch your second brew on that yeast. No problem.

It's not that it would get stuck, he's trying to brew two batches from one packet of yeast.
At least that's how I read it?
Pitching onto the cake is defo a good idea but didn't he say he had issues with doing that?

Ps: it's early and I could be way off the mark!

 

[MyQul]

It's not that it would get stuck, he's trying to brew two batches from one packet of yeast.
At least that's how I read it?
Pitching onto the cake is defo a good idea but didn't he say he had issues with doing that?

Ps: it's early and I could be way off the mark!

Yeah, he did say he had issues with re-pitching trub. Wonder why that would be? Normally it goes like the clappers when you repitch trub.
@glentonranmark did you aerate the wort well in the brews you repitched with?