RE-using Kveik

[The Baron]

Hi I use Kveik virtually for most brews unless specialised beers and I am more than happy with the results.
I have though found a anomaly that when you pitch with slurry on the 3rd Generation it seems to take longer to ferment out even though it goes off like a train it takes probably 7 days to ferment out.
I pitch at 40c and let it freefall to room ambient but wrap the FV to keep the temp up for as long as possible and never have a problem but after the 2nd re-pitch the yeast starts to take longer, anybody had the same or any ideas why but I am still happy with the results

 

[YeastFace]

Just thinking out loud. Obviously these commercial strains have been isolated and propagated in labs, but Kveik has developed with being dried after use for repitching later. I wonder if issues with slurry after x generations is an issue others face? I may ask Lars for his thoughts on this.

 

[The Baron]

Yes it maybe that the slurry way is not the best way to re-pitch it any suggestions welcome

 

[Rodcx500z]

Hi Baron, i have used kveik slurry a few times and had the same problem so the next time i used it i only pitched a couple of teaspoons in a 21L brew and all was well, i don't know if that is right or wrong as i am no yeast expert

 

[Baffled]

Some interesting info on different pitching rates of kveik

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

I wonder if top harvesting over bottom harvesting could be a factor.
Does one method produce a better quality over the other?
But, trust me, I'm not even knowledgeable about Kveik.
I've only just learned how to spell it!

 

[RoomWithABrew]

I dried some of the kveik slurry on greaseproof paper from my first batch and then have kept the flakes in the freezer.
Each time I need to pitch I just take about 5cm x 5cm of flakes and throw them on the wort.
I'm pitching first generation this way each time.

 

[The Baron]

I dried some of the kveik slurry on greaseproof paper from my first batch and then have kept the flakes in the freezer.
Each time I need to pitch I just take about 5cm x 5cm of flakes and throw them on the wort.
I'm pitching first generation this way each time.

Hi RWAB how do you dry the Kveik on the greasproof paper?

 

[The Baron]

Thanks gents I think it is maybe to do with over pitching the slurry maybe so I am going to try and dry some and try both a teaspoon or 2 of slurry and dry some so it will take me a t least a couple of brews to fathom out which is best

 

[fgoulding]

I had some similar issues with over pitching because I collected the slurry in 50mil vials and then used that amount each time.

Now I use a tablespoon of slurry for each 23L brew and that seems to be the right amount.

Also, top cropping for me is pain when using my All Rounder FV.

 

[The Baron]

My first experiment will be to use the slurry off of one of the "problem" brews but just use 1 Tablespoon and see if it ferments in normal time

 

[fgoulding]

It will be interesting to see how you get on. I’m still under pitching on Gen 1 after countless brews!

In fact, when I bought my first dried versions of Voss and Lutra, I only pitched half a packet (which worked out great) and yet the Brewfather calculation said I needed to use 2 packets.

 

[The Baron]

Thats another thing I am going to do when I finally get around to pitching a new packet only use half or maybe a third?.
It will take a few months for me to brew enough to get a indication of which way to do things but I will report the results eventually

 

[fgoulding]

Yep, I wish I had tried a 3rd. So I’ll be doing the same next time as well :)

 

[RoomWithABrew]

@the baron
I basically followed this advice,


but just poured the slurry from the fermentasaurs collection bottle onto the greaseproof paper whilst on oven racks. Spread it out thin with a sanitised spatula and then in the oven on fan with the door open slightly. Took a few hours to dry.
When it was bone dry put the flakes in a tupperware in the freezer.

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

Thought I might as well add to this thread rather than start another.
I have washed the trub from my last Kveik brew and got 2 jars with about 3mm of yeast in the bottom. They are 100g coffee jars 6cm x 6cm.
I guess it's about the same amount as a sachet of it's parent (CML Voss) in each.
Should I just pitch one jars worth into my next brew?

 

[RoomWithABrew]

I believe about a teaspoon of the slurry at the bottom of your picture is good for 23 litres or so.
I repitch the dried yeast but think I remember the teaspoon info from somewhere.
My dried flakes of opshaug pitched sunday was 98 % percent done by weds pm and has only dropped 2 points since then. Seemed to go fine, crashing the brown ale tomorrow am.

That said I'd only pitch half a packet of Voss anyway.

 

[fgoulding]

I collect the trub without washing it and use a tablespoon to start the next fermentation.

I’m not how much you would use for washed yeast.

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

Well I used that pot of washed Kveik at about 5pm and at 8am it was going like a rocket.
I managed to top harvest about 50% of the foaming krausen.
An hour later it had replenished itself again so I took a bit more.
Then an hour later it had sunk and gone.
Pleased to catch it this time but it's such a short window of opportunity.