Advice Racking/Washing a sour beer

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by FenderOffset238, Aug 5, 2015.

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  1. FenderOffset238

    FenderOffset238 Zealot (627) May 27, 2012 Pennsylvania
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    Hey all,
    Recently (a little less than 3 months ago) I brewed an American Wild Ale with a stepped-up, mixed culture of yeast/bacteria from a wide array of dregs from some of my favorite sour beers. The beer is turning out wonderfully from a sample I drew not too long ago. Before the sample, and after, I have been very careful when it comes to O2 exposure. My first attempt at a sour was spoiled by off-flavors and discoloration from oxidization. Since this is a unique bend of yeast/bacteria that I would like to reuse again, I would like to wash some of the yeast and save it for another brew day. So now for my questions:

    1) When should I wash the yeast? I assume this has to be done before there is a lot of autolysis.

    If I have to wash the yeast before I plan to bottle, I imagine that I would have to rack to a secondary fermenter.

    2) If so, do I need to worry about O2 exposure? I do not have CO2 to purge with. Should I spike a small secondary fermentation?

    3) Is it worth the trouble?....

    Thanks!
     
    #1 FenderOffset238, Aug 5, 2015
  2. sj3324

    sj3324 Zealot (586) Jun 9, 2011 Missouri
    Trader

    Any time I have re-used bacteria/wild yeast I have just racked the beer off the cake and then racked the fresh wort right on top of it. I have never washed, or even read about washing, sour cakes. I am not sure how that would affect all of the bacteria in it.

    Also, I have let sours sit on yeast cakes for over a year.
     
    #2 sj3324, Aug 6, 2015
  3. OldSock

    OldSock Maven (1,418) Apr 3, 2005 District of Columbia

    It depends what you want to accomplish. If you want to use the blend as is, I'd rack and re-use ASAP (I have a mixed saison culture that I do this for). As you suggested, the brewer's yeast likely won't hold up well as the acidity of the beer increases (not to mention 6-12 months sitting warm. The other option is to repitch a small amount of slurry when this one is ready to packaging to provide the non-Sacch microbes along with a fresh culture of brewer's yeast to ensure a healthy start to fermentation.Heck, your homebrewed bottle dregs are a great source for microbes too!

    I don't see a good reason to wash the yeast either way. I also wouldn't repitch the entire yeast cake as the other poster suggested. Better to give the microbes some room for growth.
     
    #3 OldSock, Aug 6, 2015
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  4. FenderOffset238

    FenderOffset238 Zealot (627) May 27, 2012 Pennsylvania
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    @OldSock how would this process differ from re-pitching the entire yeast cake? Do you only use a portion of the leftover saison culture? Also, any need to worry about racking without a way to purge with CO2?
     
    #4 FenderOffset238, Aug 6, 2015
  5. OldSock

    OldSock Maven (1,418) Apr 3, 2005 District of Columbia

    Exactly. Yeast behaves differently when it grows. So I'm pitching much less than a whole yeast cake.

    Brett will scavenge the small amount of oxygen that is introduced during racking. I don't usually purge my secondary fermentors for sours (although it is best practice). The free flow of air is what you really need to worry about, dry airlocks, poorly sealed lids, faulty carboy hoods etc.
     
    #5 OldSock, Aug 6, 2015
    ChrisMyhre likes this.
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