I plan to rack my Oktoberfest beer into the keg for lagering and want to use that yeast cake to pitch into my Czech dark lager that I'm brewing Saturday. I didn't know if I needed to wash that yeast before using it to make my starter tonight or just leave the carboy in the lagering fridge and just pitch the wort onto the cake Saturday night. Anyone have any experience with this?
Yeast harvesting or using it immediately after racking?
- Thread starter aharri1
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With a yeast cake to work with you don't need a starter. Starters prove that the yeast is viable before pitching into your wort and provide more yeast cells to more fully attenuate the beer. You already know that your yeast is viable, it fermented the beer. You also have more yeast in that yeast cake than is needed for the next batch, like about 4 times as much. Divide the yeast cake into 4 sanitized jars and refrigerate them. Use one for the next beer, leaving you with yeast for the next 3 brews.
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aharri1
In Rembrance 6/2023
Okay thanks! I'm planning to pitch the yeast into my lager around 48 degrees for my batch this weekend. Even if I'm pitching cold you think one jar will be enough active cells?
Temp doesn't matter. If it is fresh cake, just use about a quarter. Store in sanitized jar in fridge until you use it.
If you get delayed and wait a month, use about half the cake as some of the cells will die over time.
If you get delayed and wait a month, use about half the cake as some of the cells will die over time.
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aharri1
In Rembrance 6/2023
Pic
That looks like a jar of beer to me. When I harvest slurry and let it settle in the fridge a bit, I end up with about 2/3 thick yeast and 1/3 beer on top.
Tell us about how you harvested this jar please? Just doesn't look like a jar of harvested slurry to me.
Tell us about how you harvested this jar please? Just doesn't look like a jar of harvested slurry to me.
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aharri1
In Rembrance 6/2023
I racked my Oktoberfest lager into the keg and boiled and cooled 3/4 gallon water and put it in the fermenter and shook it up and laid it on its side until it settled around 45 min and poured off the top layer from the trub. I have three jars like this from it.
OK right. That is called "washing the yeast" which is different to "pitching on the trub".
So you have a thin layer of very clean yeast in that jar. I would make a starter for sure.
Next time, don't bother with washing the yeast. Just save it in a jar as is, you get a lot more yeast this way and can skip the starter.
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aharri1
In Rembrance 6/2023
Oh okay I didn't know that. I'm new to this Yeast harvesting stuff LOL. Next time I will just swish what is left around in there without washing it and pour it into boiled sanitized jars then! That way I can save some for later if I don't brew a lager soon after. Thanks !
