Pitching just brewed wort on previous yeast cake.

[sabres032 1,170]

So I was talking with a friend who runs a microbrewery and the conversation turned to saving money brewing. One suggestion he had was to pitch fresh brewed wort onto the yeast cake of a similar brew style. I've read up on washing and reusing yeast but nothing in my research have i seen this.

 

One reason I ask, I'm planning on brewing a SMASH IPA this Friday with Wyeast 1272 American Ale yeast and a similar IPA on the 12th. The first brew OG is around 1.050 and the OG on the second is around 1.080. If my second brew uses similar grains and hops but OG is higher is this OK or should I wash the yeast first? I don't want to ruin a batch trying to save a few bucks.  

[Jim Johnson 1,263]

Do you go commando with the hops? If not IMHO you'll probably be ok, but you'll only need like half the cake. I'd wash the other half, get more yeast for the money

[sabres032 1,170]

10 hours ago, Jim Johnson said:

Do you go commando with the hops? If not IMHO you'll probably be ok, but you'll only need like half the cake. I'd wash the other half, get more yeast for the money

 

I normally put the hops in comamdo for my brews. If I'm understanding you correctly similar brews with completely different hop residue will impart the previous hop flavor in the new brew? Or will putting hops in comamdo strain the viable yeast in the cake?

 

If it's just a matter of hop flavor I think I'll be OK. My SMASH IPA will use Simcoe hops and my second IPA will use Columbus, Mosaic and Simcoe hops.

 

 

[syncman 21]

This guy does it often. Uses mr Beer kegs too.

 

http://counterbrew.blogspot.com/2015/10/so-i-quit-washing-yeast.html

[Jim Johnson 1,263]

16 hours ago, sabres032 said:

 

I normally put the hops in comamdo for my brews. If I'm understanding you correctly similar brews with completely different hop residue will impart the previous hop flavor in the new brew? Or will putting hops in comamdo strain the viable yeast in the cake?

 

If it's just a matter of hop flavor I think I'll be OK. My SMASH IPA will use Simcoe hops and my second IPA will use Columbus, Mosaic and Simcoe hops.

 

 

right, old hops will impart their flavor but you're plan seems ok to me

[RickBeer 6,139]

Most people that dump on the yeast cake:

 

- remove half of it to avoid blowouts

 

- make sure the first beer is lighter and less hoppy

 

I never have.  Mr. Beer provides free yeast.  Dry yeast for a 5 gallon recipe is $3 or less.  That's $.06 per 12 oz bottle.  A 5 gallon recipe costs me low $20s to low $30s.  I don't want to ruin a batch, not worth it.

 

If you use liquid yeast I can see the interest in doing it.

[sabres032 1,170]

I've readjusted my next brew to be closer to the OG of the brew I have fermenting. The one in primary came in at 1.050 for OG. The estimated gravity of my next brew is 1.061. The Wyeast 1272 American Ale II data sheet says it can ferment upto 1.060 without making a starter or adding more yeast. I think I'm right in that ballpark that this can work. 

[sabres032 1,170]

On 11/3/2016 at 5:55 AM, RickBeer said:

Most people that dump on the yeast cake:

 

- remove half of it to avoid blowouts

 

- make sure the first beer is lighter and less hoppy

 

I never have.  Mr. Beer provides free yeast.  Dry yeast for a 5 gallon recipe is $3 or less.  That's $.06 per 12 oz bottle.  A 5 gallon recipe costs me low $20s to low $30s.  I don't want to ruin a batch, not worth it.

 

If you use liquid yeast I can see the interest in doing it.

 

 

I never replied to this. The yeast I used was the Wyeast 1272 American Ale II smack pack. Which is a liquid yeast with some nutrients added. That was $6.99 for the pack. Labeled at 100 billion cells. 

 

My first brew that's in primary now is a simple SMASH IPA, low gravity, low hop. I redesigned my second brew to come closer to the OG of the first and what the yeast is labeled to handle. 

 

If half the yeast cake is needed I'll attempt @Jim Johnson suggestion and wash the other half for a later brew. If my plan is successful I'll get three batches for a grand total of $6.99 which will equal about 0.049 cents a bottle. Seems like a lot of work but at the moment money is tight. More I can save, better off I am. 

[sabres032 1,170]

I brewed my Triple Play IPA yesterday and pitched it on the yeast cake of my SMASH IPA. Fermentation took off in two hours. So far, 24 hours later there is no blow over. Since the OG of my Triple Play IPA was 1.080 and the OG of the SMASH was 1.050 I used the whole yeast cake. So far, so good. I'll update with a gravity reading in about a week.