Repitching off of Rachbier

[Guest]

Has anyone had any success with repitching yeast off of a Rauchbier. I am concerned with getting smoke in the next generations repitching. We will not be using tons of smoked malt. Weyermann Rauchmalt at about 25% with Bo Pils yeast.


Michael Uhrich
Carter's Brewing
Billings, Montana

[South County]

Most likely you will unless you move the yeast to a dunkel where the smoke flavor may be less noticeable. Ironically I was helping at a brewery once where the yeast from a smoke porter accidentally got pitched into a pale ale and... yep you guessed it "smoked" pale ale. It wasn't horrible and had it been a brewpub they make have called it some goofy name and sold it, but it got dumped. You have to figure on a portion of any yeast slurry containing the beer that it is in and smoke is just a dominant flavor. Depending on you pitch volume you could try washing the yeast but once again no guarantees and it may not be practical in your case.