Tweet
Hey guys. Lookin fior a little advice. In a miss communication, a 7bbl lager yeast was ordered, when I needed a 14bbl pitch. It is white labs marzen yeast. I am going to make a bock, but need to put it in a 14 bbl tank to lager it. My question is, can I brew a 7bbl batch and pitch this yeast, and put it in my 14bbl tank. Let it get going, and brew 7 bbl again abd run it into the same tank. This is usually how I bouble batch, but I am usually pitching the right amount or using a yeast that is ready to work. I dont want to run my glycol in a tank that is only half full, so it would be starting warmer than a lager should. I am wondering if it would hurt the beer if it took a couple days before I saw fermentation, and then brewed into that same tank. Once it is a full 14bbl I would start dropping it to lager temps. What do ya think?
-
Tim Butler
Empire Brewing Co.
Syracuse, NY -
Tim,
Giving that you are brewing a higher gravity lager, you need to be careful about having enough yeast to pitch.
If I were in your situation and had a day or two to prepare, I would bump that yeast up before brewing. In the past, we have made a starter wort of a low-to-mid gravity, and pitch the yeast & wort into a 10 gal cornelius keg. Fermented for day with a blow-off tube then used for brewing. I'm not enough of a lab guy to know if that will double your cell count, but it should be an improvement over pitching the smaller amount.
We keep some dry malt extract and a propane burner around just for such situations. Also, it probably worth the extra money for White Labs to get you the balance of the yeast quick. -
That sounds like a good idea, but no cornie kegs. Isnt that what I would be doing? In a sense, making a starter, but a really big one. My starting gravity probabably wont be much higher than 1070..Tim Butler
Empire Brewing Co.
Syracuse, NYComment
-
Thats what I did. When I needed a starter I made a late day (transfered at 10pm) 7bbl batch pitched the yeast, then sent over on the second day in the morning of the second day(started brewing at 6am). The next day it was thundering along, and turned out fine. It was a 16P beer, and ended up, 3.5P.
Now I need to dial in that damn diacytel rest.Comment
-
We did this with our O'fest last year. 10BBL KO on a 10BBL pitch in a 20BBL FV, we oxygenated the hell out of it. Second 10BBL KO'd 24 hours later w/ no O2. Turned out great, in fact we ran out the second week in October
Jeff ByrneComment
-
Carboy
If you don't have a cornie prop the yeast for two days in a 5 gallon carboy and pitch on the day of the brew. Just make sure to keep adding sterilized wort and hitting it with oxygen and you should have no problems.Comment
-
diacytel rest
Jay C, are you raising the temp. up a few degrees when you reach your final gravity? We've found that if you raise your temp. from 49 F to 54 F and let it sit for a few days the yeast mops up the diacytel better than sitting at 49 F.Comment
-
Jephro's experience gels with mine. If you're worried about the yeast count for a single batch pitching, just do the double brew...Originally posted by JephroWe did this with our O'fest last year. 10BBL KO on a 10BBL pitch in a 20BBL FV, we oxygenated the hell out of it. Second 10BBL KO'd 24 hours later w/ no O2. Turned out great, in fact we ran out the second week in OctoberComment
-
prop yeast and temp control
I agree with the need to grow the yeast up. Double brewing will do this nicely, as you suggested doing. However, letting the first brew ferment warm even for just a couple of days raises a red flag for me. Warm fermented lagers just don't come out clean enough. I would keep the temperature in the range it is supposed to be (45-50°F??) if at all possible.Steve
Stevenson, WAComment
-
I've had good luck letting the temp rise to the low 60's after the gravity hits 1/2 the original Plato. Pretty sure that one of Fix's books discusses it. Using Augustiner yeast, FYI.Originally posted by dubo11Comment
-
ok...alot of good stuff here guys...thanks. What should I start the first batch at....65? 60? 70? Should I wait to see visual fermentation or just go on the second day?????? I love this website!!!! Hope I can drink with all of you soon!!!!Tim Butler
Empire Brewing Co.
Syracuse, NYComment
-
As long as you wort is touching the temp probe i wouldn't worry about the glycol running in the jacket. I have done 10 bbl batches in 20 bbl FV's on many occasions. You may pitch a few degrees high just so speed up the growth phase of the yeast, otherwise you would "steam" part of the first batch, and may have some undesirable ester production.Jeff ByrneComment
-
I was quoted directly from Chris White that the first 24 hours in the FV will not produce Esters. That's why they suggest start at 75F and cool when fermentation starts. Just get that second batch in within 24 hours as you are supposed to anyway.Originally posted by NYSBrewer
AS a side note, I too have dealt with a miscommunication on yeast size but didn't realize it until 24 hours after pitching (yeah, no activity). Our solution was to hit it with o2 from the bottom for 20 minutes two days in a row. Was fermenting hard within 72 hours-yeah way too long, but that was the choice we had. Attenuation was great and after it finishes lagering I can tell you how it tastes.
I think you'll be ok.Matt Van Wyk
Brewmaster
Oakshire Brewing
Eugene OregonComment
-
So..... Brew 7bbl, pitch at 75. come in next day, brew again, keep at 75 then? Or begin to bring it down?Last edited by NYSBrewer; 01-23-2008, 04:18 PM.Tim Butler
Empire Brewing Co.
Syracuse, NYComment
-
Wow! Pitch a lager @ 75°F.Originally posted by BMOOR
I would have never thunk it, but if Chris White said it. Good to know! Too much lag time keeps me up at night, or makes me drive down to the brewery @ 2:00 am just look for bubbles.
Jeff ByrneComment
Comment