New brew on existing yeast bed - help

[towser]

Last Friday, I re-used a yeast-bed (Thames Valley 3 slant).
The original gravity of the brew was 1.054. After just 3 days, it's already down to 1.014!!! I was expecting it to hit about 1.016 - so I'm totally shocked that it has hit 1.014 so quickly.
Normally, I leave the brew around 10-12 days in the FV - but I'm beginning to think that the yeast didn't have to work at building up its numbers - hence why it got stuck into the beer so quickly. It was popping in the airlock after just one hour in the FV and after 12 hours was popping every 2 or 3 seconds.

It's the first time I've used an existing yeast-bed in a FV - so I'd appreciate a bit of advice.

Do I just watch the gravity, wait for it to completely settle out (although I'd be surprised if it went much lower than 1.014) and then leave it 3 days or so to clear the beer? I'm a bit worried that the normal 10-12 days may be way to long. I'm thinking more along the lines of 7 days with this one. It makes me wonder if this is how the breweries have such short FV cycles.

[delboy]

I have this yeast on a slant in the fridge, i'll be watching this thread with interest.

Was wondering did you make up the starter as brewlabs recommended, nothing to do with the original question, im just curious.

[mysterio]

I haven't used this particular yeast but my experience is similar with other liquid yeasts. Lots of numbers and peak yeast health means a very short ferment. And you're right, breweries can have a beer mashing one week and in the pint glass at the pub seven days later partially because they will tend to re-pitch yeast.

Pitching the whole yeast cake is probably not the best way to go about it, it's possibly better to take a measured amount as you want to allow some yeast growth for flavour and attenuation reasons.

I think you can go ahead and keg this one in a day or two. Give it a taste and make sure theres no diacetyl.

[towser]

Thanks Mysterio.

By taking a measured amount - how much would be recommended?

Next time I do a TV3, I will propogate first I think - as the results (before conditioning in the Keg) are the best I've had so far with any yeast. Early days I know.

Delboy - I followed brewlabs instructions - and to be honest they are dead simple.
3 tablespoons of spraymalt added to 300ml of water (straight from the kettle in my case) - into a stainless steel pan. I brought it to a simmer, then switched it off. placed tinfoil over the pan and dunked the base of the pan into a tray with ice-cold water. Waited until the temp was somewhere between 20-30C (guessed), then popped it into a 500ml sparkling water bottle that I'd already sterilised. I then placed an airlock on the bottle. I left the starter in a room that was around 22C.

After 2 days, I boosted the starter by added another lot of wort (900ml water this time with 9 measured tablespoons of spraymalt). I then waited another 2 days for brewday (well 2.5 days in all truth).

Within 24 hours in the FV, the airlock was popping like crazy - so the starter worked a treat.

[mysterio]

About 100ml of yeast for a standard 5 gallon batch.

[SiHoltye]

Hi,

Strong ferments are great but hop acids stick to yeast and drop out when the yeast flocculates. Increase the yeast and increase the effect. Also as the yeast doesn't have to work so hard 'cos there is more of them they are stressed less and so produce fewer esters.

Getting an appropriate pitching rate is a good idea, this said I think twice as much is better than half as is necessary.

[adm]

The Mr. Malty Pitching Rate Calculator will tell you how much yeast slurry to pitch based on batch size, OG, slurry thickness etc....

http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

As an example, 23L of 1054 Ale, from yeast slurry harvested on 23rd Jan this year would require a 135ml pitch size....

I tend to use this, but add an extra 10% or so just to be sure.

A good way to do this is to rack off the first batch of beer, then pour the slurry into a sanitised 1L jar and stick that in the fridge for a couple of days so it will settle out further. Then pour the beer off the top and you will be left with a nice thick slurry. You can then take some of that to pitch with, and stick the remainder in sanitised small containers in the fridge where it will keep happily for a few weeks (maybe even several months). Make a starter from one of these and you are good to go again!

[towser]

Brilliant advice from everyone yet again

Everyday is a school day so they say

Thanks all!

[towser]

Update on this one.

I bottled the brew last night. It has moved in total from 1.054 to 1.012 - so 5.53% - which is going to be a decent summer ale!
There was half a glass left, so i duly sampled it. I have to say that it feels almost ready to drink - not forgetting that it's only been in the FV a week. The beer is clear and bright loads of hoppy fruit and a terrific balance. All it needs is a bit of conditioning now in the bottle and for the head to build.
This has certainly been turbo-brewing with, what seems at this stage at least, an amazing end result.