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hunterlab · 09-19-2012, 05:08 PM

I brought my mixture to a slight boil for a few minutes. I have had no problems with the mixture.

inhousebrew · 10-13-2012, 08:40 PM

Being cheap and not wanting to buy new yeast every time plus the fact that I'm hands on and like doing extra stuff for my beer I'm onboard for this. I don't like washing yeast and I've failed at freezing the stuff probably because my freezer doesn't maintain temps so I think this is it for me. Got the pressure cooker cooling now as I've just read through about every post on here. Wish I had done this before because I would have added some food coloring and made sure my caps were autoclavable. Guess we'll find out soon enough.

inhousebrew · 10-13-2012, 10:35 PM

Well the caps survived 15PSI so I guess they are good! I used four grams of agar agar I found at the chinese grocery store; kind of long noodle like stuff. Can't read anything on it because it's all in another language but it did say 100% agar agar and something about it being vegetarian.

Dukeman9988 · 11-19-2012, 06:03 PM

In the original post it says store in coldest part of the refrigerator, is that the freezer or actual refrigerator

**BullGator** · 11-19-2012, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dukeman9988

In the original post it says store in coldest part of the refrigerator, is that the freezer or actual refrigerator

Refrigerator. Typically the bottom where you have slightly colder temps. You can't freeze yeast unless you use glycerin.

**raysmithtx** · 11-24-2012, 07:37 PM

After buying 4 dead packs of Wyeast from the LHBS this is now on my Christmas list. Thanks for the great write up and the pictures.

**Jukas** · 12-21-2012, 09:17 PM

I'm still trying to wrap my head around how to calculate starter sizes when growing up from slant. When starting from the slant, the culture will have X million or billion cells. But without a way of knowing what X is how do we calculate growth during the process?

If I start with a slant of WLP001 and go culture -> 20ml sterile wort (intermittent shaking for 24hr) -> 200ml sterile wort on stir plate -> 1L starter on plate -> ???

How can I estimate cell count so I know how far I need to step up for the given style (ale/lager) and gravity of the wort short of actual cell counting with a microscope and hemocytometer?

theveganbrewer · 12-21-2012, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jukas

I'm still trying to wrap my head around how to calculate starter sizes when growing up from slant. When starting from the slant, the culture will have X million or billion cells. But without a way of knowing what X is how do we calculate growth during the process?

If I start with a slant of WLP001 and go culture -> 20ml sterile wort (intermittent shaking for 24hr) -> 200ml sterile wort on stir plate -> 1L starter on plate -> ???

How can I estimate cell count so I know how far I need to step up for the given style (ale/lager) and gravity of the wort short of actual cell counting with a microscope and hemocytometer?

Use yeastcalc.com and once you get to step three, reset the top value to show the cells you ended up with in step 3.

You can also estimate your cell count based on a 1-4.5 scale where the number represents the billions of cells per mL. A 1 would be a thin slurry, like cloudy wort, and a 4.5 would be a very thick, sticky compact yeast.

**Roadliner** · 12-26-2012, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gkeusch

Thanks for the explanation - I'm sure I would have learned that the hard way.
While I have your attention, do I need to use an erlenmeyer type flask on a stir plate, or will a standard beaker (or even a canning jar) work OK?

I'm sure you already got this answered.. But maybe for future subscribers... Anything with a flat bottom will work. Beakers or mason jars can do starters, but I do. Prefer an Erlenmeyer flask.

**Roadliner** · 12-28-2012, 04:08 PM

Got my pressure cooker for Christmas, and just placed my Cynmar order.. WOOHOO!!