Reusing Nottingham Yeast Cake

[hairybiker]

Interesting, I tend to pitch about 200ml of recovered yeast if I am keeping it between brews, but normally I brew and drop it on to the cake directly, it does tend to take off like a rocket though, and I always put it in the bath if I am using a cake or recovered yeast.
But then I don't do multiple takes, I use 6g of yeast/5gal wort, then reuse the cake for the next brew, getting 4 brews from my sachett of yeast.

Been doing this for a year with no off flavours or issues, so will keep doing what I am.

 

[danb]

I put the figures into mrmalty calc and it came up with using 95ml of the slurry. is this 95ml as is straight from the fv or is that 95ml after it has been washed and split? does that 95ml need to be put in a starter or pitched directly.

 

[DirtyCaner]

I'm guessing it's just straight from slurry into the new brew. Anyone?

 

[graysalchemy]

Yes I think it is otherwise you would use one of the other calculator options.

 

[DirtyCaner]

Cheers GA :thumb:

 

[danb]

if I wash the yeast then use it make up a starter does it matter about going from a lighter ale to darker or can it be used in any if washed.

 

[robsan77]

If washed well enough you can change beer colour no problem. I recently pitched some Irish yeast from a stout into an IPA.

Just don't pitch yeast from a high gravity beer into a low gravity beer. Keep it the same or increase.

 

[alster]

Sorry if this is a bit thick of me. I'm only brewing kits which come with yeast, is there any advantage in re pitching yeast from the bottom of the FV over using whats in the packet?

 

[fbsf]

There will be a lot more viable cells, so there is a lot less chance of a stuck brew. Also, as a lot of the off flavours are when the yeast is multiplying at the start, you will get less chance of this.

But, the downside is that you could introduce infection if you aren't meticulous with sanitation.

I've done it before using a packet of US-05 going from a 4.5% beer, and used the slurry to ferment a 9.3% IIPA - it worked very well indeed.

 

[graysalchemy]

Also, as a lot of the off flavours are when the yeast is multiplying at the start, you will get less chance of this.

But you also get ester production as well which you may want in a beer, I do in my bitters. :thumb: :thumb:

 

[DirtyCaner]

FBSF,

Did you pitch onto the whole cake or did you just use a portion for fermenting you IIPA?

GA,

Are you infering that ester production is not desirable in a pale ale, or other light beer?

DirtyC

 

[graysalchemy]

GA,

Are you infering that ester production is not desirable in a pale ale, or other light beer?

DirtyC

Not at all but most people seem to brew uber hoppy APA's my self included and really you want a clean yeast to allow the hops to shine, however if I was to brew a more traditional IPA then a bit of fruity ester wouldn't go a miss IMHO.

 

[DirtyCaner]

Fair play mate.

I do like a nice hoppy IPA, tis true, but I do enjoy my brown beers. In fact many of my friends think they are the best. Perhaps it's due to the local water...

Cheers,

DirtyC

 

[graysalchemy]

I think at one point Edinburgh rivalled Burton for IPA's. Because of the geology they could use different water supplies to produce different styles of beer. :thumb: :thumb:

 

[Good Ed]

And also the Scots invented the practice of sparging in the late 1700's, and it's use was widespread in Scotland by the 1800's.

 

[graysalchemy]

And Tennents have been making lager since 1885. :lol: :lol:

 

[Good Ed]

And Tennents have been making lager since 1885. :lol: :lol:

Ha ha, I think you will find the sparging as fact, I'd be on Alex Salmond's side of any discussion on the subject