Pitch onto yeast cake, or wash yeast?

Martybhoy · Mar 4, 2018

I am fermenting a Belgian blonde right now and I'm due to bottle it in about a week's time. I want to re-use the yeast to brew a Belgian dubbel.

What are peoples opinions between pitching onto the yeast cake or washing the yeast?

Oberstbru · Mar 4, 2018

Martybhoy1980 said:
I am fermenting a Belgian blonde right now and I'm due to bottle it in about a week's time. I want to re-use the yeast to brew a Belgian dubbel.

What are peoples opinions between pitching onto the yeast cake or washing the yeast?

Pitching onto the yeast cake would be too much yeast. What you do is pitching some of the yeast slurry. Use a pitching rate calculator to find out how much slurry you need. Washing the yeast is not necessary unless you have dry hopped or have lots of trub in the fermenter.

Drunkula · Mar 4, 2018

As long as there's not loads of debris in the trub then pitch straight on top . If you've heard the term "beer on beer" then that's what they mean by it. People brew lower gravity beers basically as a wonderful by-product of a starter for a big 'un. I do it all the time.

Linalmeemow · Mar 4, 2018

No need to wash, just leave an inch of beer on the cake after bottling, swirl it in and put the slurry mix in a couple of sanitised jars. Use one straight away for your next batch and save the other to use as a starter next time you need that yeast strain. I've read that it's safer to store the yeast under beer than wash it and risk introducing other pathogens.

jceg316 · Mar 4, 2018

Some beers I do pitch straight onto the yeast cake, and whilst some of this is due to laziness, I'd do it only for very clear yeasts like American ale or lager strains. For a Belgian type yeast which is quite flavourful, it would be best to do what @Linalmeemow says. I would add that if you want to use the second jar, it's best to cold crash a couple of days before use (although it's most likely gonna be in the fridge anyway). Just before pitching, pour the beer on top down the sink and pitch the yeast. I usually leave a small bit of beer to swirl up the yeast or use a sanitised spoon.