stepping down on yeast (round two)

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by inchrisin, Sep 21, 2012.

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  1. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    I'm in the process of making a Scottish ale right now. This is the first time I used this Scot strain from Wyeast. I plan on making a stout next, but I'm going to go down considerably in gravity. It'll probably be from about 1.068 to somewhere in the 1.040s. Has anyone ever gone the wrong direction in OG considerably with yeast, and how did it come out? I think to compensate, I'll overpitch and just toss the next beer on top of the yeast cake
     
  2. antlerwrestler19

    antlerwrestler19 Initiate (0) Nov 24, 2010 Nebraska

    That'll be quite a healthy and happy population of yeast for a considerably smaller beer. I would imagine it would ferment rather quickly. I've done this one time with a Belgian IPA to a Belgian Pale Ale and it was definitely noticeable as the fermentation on the second batch (belgian pale) was over in two days with the exclusion of some finishing up. I think my gravities were 1.065 to 1.048 (I'd have to check my notes). I didn't have any off flavors from such a quick and vigorous fermentation but you've got an entirely different yeast strain and two different styles of beer.

    Edit: Love the Scottish Strain by the way. I fermented this years pumpkin ale with it and man does it bring out the maltiness in a great way. I'm considering throwing another (different) batch of pumpkin ale on top of it now - thanks for the idea.
     
  3. mnstorm99

    mnstorm99 Initiate (0) May 11, 2007 Minnesota

    You should be fine. What I usually do in this situation is save half of the cake in a mason jar for later...then pitch the smaller beer on the remaining cake.
     
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  4. bgjohnston

    bgjohnston Initiate (0) Jan 14, 2009 Connecticut

    If you are going lower on a subsequent beer, you will be able to reserve a significant portion of that yeast cake for another beer and no worries about underpitching.

    My experience with the Wyeast 1728 is if you pitch onto a big cake, it will ferment very aggressively. Even if it will be a lower gravity re-pitch, be prepared for it to take off, get hot, blow hard through a blowoff tube, and all the rest.
     
  5. jbakajust1

    jbakajust1 Pooh-Bah (2,552) Aug 25, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    Stone does it with their beers. All the beers that use the house yeast get a repitch from the IPA. But that is their yeast, not yours, so YMMV.
     
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