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Pitching Yeast by Mass in a Small Microbrewery

MBAA TQ doi:10.1094/TQ-48-4-1228-01  |  VIEW ARTICLE

Eric Luman (1,2) and Michael Lentz (1). 1. University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL 32223. 2. Seven Bridges Grille and Brewery, Jacksonville, FL 32246.

Abstract
Utilizing correct pitching rates in alcoholic fermentations is an important factor in producing a consistent and quality product. Small breweries often do not have access to the resources to accurately measure pitching rates and in these instances use a rule of thumb to measure the amount of yeast to be utilized. This project was designed to determine if pitching by mass alone is a viable method to measure the yeast required for a healthy fermentation. Brewing and fermentation experiments took place at the Seven Bridges Grille and Brewery in Jacksonville, Florida. Three trials of yeast samples, covering ten generations each, were analyzed for cell density and absolute cell numbers. It was determined that yeast cell density decreased over serial use, and therefore pitching rates were consistently lower for successive generations. The pitch-by-mass method appeared to be useful over approximately six generations, after which the cell counts fell outside of the ideal range.

Keywords: brewing yeast, microbrewery, repitching 

S�ntesis
La dosificaci�n correcta a ser usada en fermentaciones alcoh�licas es un factor importante para alcanzar un producto consistentemente bueno. Cervecer�as peque�as normalmente no tienen acceso a los recursos necesarios para medir la dosificaci�n por lo que frecuentemente miden la levadura al ojo por ciento. Este proyecto fue dise�ado de manera de determinar si la dosificaci�n por masa es un m�todo viable para medir la cantidad de levadura necesaria para una fermentaci�n saludable. Los experimentos se realizaron en el Seven Bridges Grille & Brewery en Jacksonville, Florida. Se practicaron tres series de pruebas con muestras de levadura durante diez generaciones, analizando la densidad de c�lulas en la masa dosificada y el la cantidad absoluta de c�lulas usada. Se pudo determinar que la densidad del n�mero de c�lulas disminu�a con el n�mero de generaciones por lo que la cantidad de levadura dosificada disminu�a consistentemente con en generaciones sucesivas. El m�todo de dosificar seg�n la masa pareciera ser aceptable por unas seis generaciones, pero ya en las generaciones subsiguientes el conteo de c�lulas deja de ser el ideal.

Palabras claves: Levadura cervecera, micro cervecer�a, reuso de levadura

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