Using the yeast from one brew to the next

[keithm]

I'm currently brewing Coopers Aussie with saflager S23 - When its bottled I intend to make Coopers Mexican. Although I have S23 sachets to hand would the yeast from the bottom of the Aussie brew work happily in the new brew without too many flavour characteristics from the Aussie brew to compromise the, presumably, different nature of the Mexican? I mean I'm sure the yeast from the first brew will work well (tell me if that's a bad assumption) but is it more sensible to use fresh yeast?

[delboy]

As long as your saniation was good in the first instance you should be fine, taste the coopers and if its free from infection go for it. The orgianal sachet of yeast you used will have increased in number significantly so the fermentation should actually be quicker this time round. It'll also have the advantage of giving you a nice clean taste because of the higher cell number. In fact it you had the means you could probably ferment at lager temps to get a true lager.

As far as cross contamination of flavours, its two lagers so the flavours aren't that dissimilar in the first place so nothing to worry about.

[randomdave]

Surely using the same yeast from the previous batch would mean that you cant take an accurate OG.....?

[edit1now]

Surely using the same yeast from the previous batch would mean that you cant take an accurate OG.....?

Don't you measure the OG before you pitch the yeast?

[randomdave]

Surely using the same yeast from the previous batch would mean that you cant take an accurate OG.....?

Don't you measure the OG before you pitch the yeast?

Well ofc i do, but hes talking about knocking up his next batch of Lager on the yeast in the bottom of the FV from the previous brew he has made. Or thats how ive read it.

[adm]

I did the same thing yesterday. I just ran off some of the wort to test the OG before I dumped the batch onto the existing yeast cake. No problem!

[randomdave]

Ahh cunning plan. Id never really thought about doing that tbh.
I think ill stick with sanitising the FV before every batch an pitching fresh yeast with the kits im using.

[daveyk]

I did the same thing yesterday. I just ran off some of the wort to test the OG before I dumped the batch onto the existing yeast cake. No problem!

Hmmmm.... interesting, i know this is a slight aside but how much with the yeast effect the OG of the wort? is this case the same as pitching a satchet of yeast?

Dave.

[adm]

Very little I'd imagine.....

The batch that went is was 21L at about 1080, and there was probably a litre maximum of beer (plus LOTS of yeast) left in the FV that it got pitched into. That beer was about 5.0% ABV.

Technically, it would have diluted the OG a fraction, but certainly nothing to worry about, and basically the same as the liquid left in a 1l fermented liquid yeast starter would affect the OG of a batch.

[eeyores61]

I did this using the yeast from a wherry kit. Strangely the wherry seems to have a problem (cloudy after five weeks, tastes a bit strange - possible infection) whereas the nelson's revenge that followed it into the fermenter is clear and fine. I don't understand it but I'm glad I've got one good brew!

[shandypants5]

Am I missing something here?

If your making a kit up in the same FV that you just drained the last brew out of, then doesnt the hot water used to clean out the tins kill the yeast in the FV ?

Or do you scoop some out and then re pich it at the end?

[adm]

Am I missing something here?

If your making a kit up in the same FV that you just drained the last brew out of, then doesnt the hot water used to clean out the tins kill the yeast in the FV ?

Or do you scoop some out and then re pich it at the end?

Ah. I see where the confusion comes from. I'm doing all-grain, so I just boil the wort in my boiler, then cool it and pitch from there to the FV with the yeast in it.