How to start another brew using previous yeast colony

[Mikeymu]

Hello. I've got a bucket of elderberry wine that's been brewing for a few days now and a few more pounds of berries in the freezer which I'd like to use for another batch after the present one has been racked for secondary fermentation.

Question is - once this has been done, how do I use the bucket with its dregs to start another brew? Do I use yeast nutrients again? Do I get the temperature of the dregs and the new must about the same to avoid shocking the dregs?

 

[Brewtrog]

The way I'd do it is prep the berries as the recipe directs in a fresh fv then pitch the dregs in when the recipe calls for the yeast.

 

[Boatbrewer]

Personally, I would take half a litre of your current brew, add some sugar and nutrient and grow that for a couple of days as a starter while you sort out your next batch. The dregs will have live yeast but it will also have a lot of dead cells and also the potential for adding off flavours and unwanted stuff to your next batch so I would tip that away and make a fresh start.

 

[Mikeymu]

Thanks for those answers to my post guys.

If I were to decide to add the other 3lbs of elderberries to this week old must, should I add nutrient to that?

 

[Tim_Crowhurst]

Extra nutrient is definitely recommended. If you're using the pulp from a previous brew, you won't have the entire yeast colony - most of it will be in the wine you've just siphoned off. It's worth keeping the fruit pulp in the new batch, as there'll be some goodness in there. If you can get them, I'd add 1-2Lb of blackberries as well as the elderberries, plus a couple of bananas if you want a bit of body. You'll need extra pectolase plus some amylase if you add the bananas.