Krausening or Another Term During Fermentation?

[DrCDPriest]

OK, ran out of yeast, didn't realize it until after I had started the partial mash process for two brews, a pale ale and an IPA. Quickly researched using bread yeast, clearly read from most that this was not the best choice.

Read about krausening, and thought, huh, active yeast is active yeast, right? If it works for carbonating, it may work for fermentation.

Took a couple of bottles of pale ale I had recently shelved to carbonate (been carbonating a couple of weeks), used ones that were still very cloudy (as soon as they are clear they are transferred to the refrigerator), and poured them into the cooled wort in the two carboys (is that the plural of carboy?).

Seems to be active yeast and formed a nice, foamy krausen head in the carboys by the second day.

That was 4 days ago, and the yeast still appears to be very active in the pale ale and subsiding in the IPA.

I read in Palmer's "yeast ... obtained from a ... prior fermentation will have good vitality and adapt readily to the new wort." But know using a bottled set for carbonation was not in his discussion.

Thoughts on flavor issues, problems, re-pitching yeast (when it arrives), racking, etc? Any thoughts or tips would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[1977Brewer]

You will probably get poor flocculation due to the fact that you pitched from a non-flocculant population, and may have underpitched by a significant amount. Other than that, you did pitch ale yeast into your ale.

 

[kh54s10]

There was so little yeast in the bottles that the batches were severely underpitched. The yeast will reproduce and ferment the beer. Will it have off flavors - probably. How bad is yet to be determined.

Krausening is usually described as the process of skimming the krausen off the top of a fermenting beer. Then this is usually pitched in a starter to increase the cell count before pitching into a full batch.

Good luck.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

If it was your beer you already know the yeast strain and you'll probabl be fine. Palmer's comments i believe were directed at those that culture yeast from commercial beers. Many commercial brewers jealously guard their yeast, and filter out the fermentation yeast, replacing it with a carbonation yeast. For instance, Dogfishead has a house yeast called doggy that they use in primary and remove before force carbing.

 

[DrCDPriest]

Thanks for the comments, it is a US-05, perfect for my climate and temps in S FLA, still seeing activity and krausen at the surface, more on the pale and less on the IPA, but the IPA slightly overflowed on day 3, then calmed down, and the airlock on each is showing constant bubbles.

Yeast should be arriving today, and from kh54s10 and 1977Brewer, seems I may have underpitched so will add more if the airlocks go inactive in the next couple of days. Thanks for the insight and sharing your knowledge.

 

[frazier]

At this point I don't think re-pitching will gain you anything. Just hang onto the arriving yeast for the next time you brew.

While others have pointed out the problems inherent in your method, I will just say Congrats! Your quick thinking and resourcefulness got your process going, saved two batches, and you will end up with beer. Well done!

Many folks, myself included, like to keep a packet or two of US-05 in the fridge, as cheap insurance for situations like yours.

Cheers,

 

[DrCDPriest]

Thanks for the input everyone. The fermentation process went smoothly, each turned out with appropriate final gravity. And, most importantly, each tasted fantastic.
I do now have many dry packs of yeast on hand, for future emergencies, thanks for the tips.