Have never pitched on a yeast cake. Quick question

[ThreeStrandsBrewing]

Hey, now -

I've got an ale that I plan to transfer next weekend, and would like to rack a higher gravity beer on the yeast cake. Currently the ale is fermenting in an Ale Pail. After transferring the ale out of the bucket, would I just rack the new wort onto the yeast cake? Would I need to clean any of the krausen ring/leftover gunk that might be on the walls of the bucket beforehand?

Sorry for the newb questions...I just want to get it right, and I like the idea of reusing yeast! Any tips/best practices is appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer]

I would look at Mr Malty and look at the slurry pitch rate. For my EPA it said 250ml slurry. I pitched it last night and it is working great. I saved the other 250ml for the next batch. I plan on rotating like this. Use two save two more.

 

[heckler73]

I usually just dump it in once the new wort's at the right temperature. Sometimes I'll go to the trouble of pouring the cake into a settling carboy for 20 minutes with some sanitized water and then pour the yeast back into the new primary, leaving behind the trub. Cleaning out the bucket is likely good, but hasn't been necessary in my experience.

 

[ronjonacron]

When I've pitched onto a cake before I didn't bother cleaning.

 

[ThreeStrandsBrewing]

Thanks, guys! Great tips!

 

[Yooper]

Some food for thought: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/why-not-pitch-your-yeast-cake-166221/

Even if you don't care about any of those reasons, one thing to keep in mind is that it's even easier to take the bucket, and pour the yeast cake into 5 sanitized mason jars, and put them in the fridge, leaving enough for the new batch in a newly cleaned and sanitized fermenter. Then, instead of pitching on a yeast cake- you have enough yeast ready to go for 6 batches or so, depending on what sized batches you make.

 

[Pkrd]

You can just dump the fresh cooled wort directly onto the cake and you will indeed end up with beer...

But a better process is to decant the cake, let the junk settle out of it for around 10 minutes, pour off 1/3 of the yeasty liquid on top and pitch that, this will put you in the ball park for the correct amount of yeast, and leave you with a cleaner beer. While you're doing that clean the ale pail.

 

[ThreeStrandsBrewing]

Thanks Yooper and Pkrd. Makes a lot of sense!