Same Yeast - Three Batches

[sweetkness]

I'm looking to re-use the same strain of yeast for the first time and was looking for some opinions regarding my procedure....what things, if any I should change, be careful with, etc.

I was looking to brew a Ordinary Bitter, followed by an Old Ale/Winter Warmer, followed by an American style Barley Wine. Basically going from about a 1.040 SG to 1.070 to 1.100. My plans were to purchase a Wyeast British Ale yeast, start with the Bitter, and pitch the next batch right onto the primary yeast cake of the previous batch. I would prefer not to transfer or try to store the yeast if possible to avoid contamination issues.

Does anyone else have experience with a similar procedure? Would this be an overwhelming amount of yeast for the Old Ale? Would I most likely need a blow-off for the Barleywine, even if using a 6.5 gallon primary? Any other concerns that I should worry about?

Thanks up front for any info.

[barleyburps]

I ferment in plastic buckets and upon siphoning the beer out into my kegs/bottling bucket, I normally swirl the yeast and residual beer in the fermenter until it is slurried pretty well, then pour off into a sanitized wide mouth jar, and top up with tap water and keep it in by dedicated beer refrigerator covered completly with aluminum foil until I need it again.

I've kept lager yeast this way for 2 months between uses with no problems, and have reused for at least 25 generations. I do the same thing with ale yeast, but I try to use it every month and tend to change it out more frequently as I tend to loose ester making capability in my proceedure.

to answer your question, you should be fine. . .lots of brewers that visit here repitch onto the former yeast cake.

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by barleyburps
I do the same thing with ale yeast, but I try to use it every month and tend to change it out more frequently as I tend to loose ester making capability in my proceedure.


you may be loosing ester production by have more yeast. Most esters are created while yeast are reproducing. You could probably keep you yeast, but pitch 2/3 of the slurry when your esters start to wane.

[sweetkness]

you may be loosing ester production by have more yeast. Most esters are created while yeast are reproducing. You could probably keep you yeast, but pitch 2/3 of the slurry when your esters start to wane.

Does this mean I could lose some esters if I pitch directly onto the yeast cake....since it would be the entire amount of the yeast slurry?

I ferment in plastic buckets and upon siphoning the beer out into my kegs/bottling bucket, I normally swirl the yeast and residual beer in the fermenter until it is slurried pretty well, then pour off into a sanitized wide mouth jar, and top up with tap water and keep it in by dedicated beer refrigerator covered completly with aluminum foil until I need it again.

Barleyburps....do you pour the entire yeast slurry into your jar? or do you have a predetermined amount, then get rid of whatever is left?

[Mill Rat]

I've done almost exactly the same thing with WLP 007, going from a bitter to a porter to an AG impy stout every weekend for three weeks. Made a starter out of the gate and then just pitched on top of the old yeastcake. The bitter took about 5 days to ferment out, the porter 2 days, and the impy just plain detonated. Yeah, blowoff tube is necessary unless you're really into mopping the ceiling. As for losing esters, with the increasing amounts of roast grain in my series... ester, schmester, who needs 'em anyway. But with your lighter brews, dumping half the cake each time is a good idea.

[sweetkness]

I've done almost exactly the same thing with WLP 007, going from a bitter to a porter to an AG impy stout every weekend for three weeks. Made a starter out of the gate and then just pitched on top of the old yeastcake. The bitter took about 5 days to ferment out, the porter 2 days, and the impy just plain detonated. Yeah, blowoff tube is necessary unless you're really into mopping the ceiling. As for losing esters, with the increasing amounts of roast grain in my series... ester, schmester, who needs 'em anyway. But with your lighter brews, dumping half the cake each time is a good idea.

Thanks for the info Mill Rat. I always seem to get some good info from you on each of my posts, its much appreciated.

That sounds like the exact same procedure I was planning on doing.....one beer a week. Did you do a secondary for your bitter? Looks like I will use half the cake then.

About the blowoff tube, I have yet to use one seeing as a 6.5 gallon has been big enough. I planned to do the carboy cap with the tubing to a bowl of water and an airlock in the other hole. Is this standard practice? or is there a better option?

[Mill Rat]

I secondaried all three, the first two if for no other reason than to get it out of the way of the next batch, and the fact that this yeast does some pretty good clean-up during secondary, so I try not to rush it along into the keg. The impy needs to age for several months, so that gets the secondary treatment, too.

[gallowd7]

About the blowoff tube, ...... or is there a better option?
While I've only had one explosion with a 6.5 gallon carboy, an easy blow off tube is 1" tubing with one end directly in the mouth of the carboy and the other in water. This way there is almost no way you'll get a clog.

As for secondary on the bitter, I usually rack to the corny (after 2 weeks) crash them in my fridge and force carbonate, or no cooling with finings and sugar if they go on the beer engine.

[barleyburps]

Barleyburps....do you pour the entire yeast slurry into your jar? or do you have a predetermined amount, then get rid of whatever is left?

I never save all of the slurry as that would be too much. I fill the jar ~1/2 way with slurry (slurry is probably about the equivalance of a pint), then top off to about 2/3 capacity with cold tap water and store.

[barleyburps]

you may be loosing ester production by have more yeast. Most esters are created while yeast are reproducing. You could probably keep you yeast, but pitch 2/3 of the slurry when your esters start to wane.

that's worth a try. I always fiqured it had to do with the fact that I harvest from the bottom after primary as opposed to top cropping.