Splitting White Labs vial between batches

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womencantsail

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I am going to be brewing a 2 gallon batch of pLambic soon and using the White Labs Belgian Sour mix for it. I also plan on brewing a 5 gallon batch of Flanders Red in a few weeks and wanted to use the same yeast for it.

My question is, would I be fine with simply pitching part of the yeast vial into the fermenters for the pLambic and then saving the rest of the vial for the Flanders Red, or should I just buy two of them?
 
If you make a starter for the second one you could split. You would need to build a starter to ensure you had enough yeast.

Pitch the first half into the smaller batch and pitch the reminder into a starter. Build the starter up over a couple of days and you will more than enough yeast for the Flanders Red.

If its going to be a couple weeks sanatize a mason jar put the second half of the yeast in the jar and build the starter 4-5 days prior to brewing
 
That's what I was thinking, but figured I would ask before I just "waste" it.

The mason jars that I have are 1 pint in capacity, I don't think it would be that big of a deal, but would having that much head space be a problem? Or should I maybe add some boiled and then cooled water to fill up the jar?
 
Why put it in a mason jar? White Labs yeast come in tubes, just close the tube and store it until you can build your starter.
 
i wouldn't split the yeast. the lambic will probably be ok depending on its OG. but the Flanders would be under pitched. buy the new culture.
 
I have pitched the whole tube into a batch then added boiled and cooled water back to the white labs vial. The little bit left in the vial will settle to the bottom and can then be used to build up a starter. Though if you only need half the vial in your smaller batch that would probably work even better for a starter. Also I found if you wrap a ball of foil around the bottom of the vial you can form a make shift stand to hold the vial upright.
 
The first thing that comes to mind is this is a sour blend. I don't think I have ever heard anyone recommend building up a yeast pitch from a small amount when it is a blend.

That said, I have never done it and am only speaking second hand information. Good luck what ever you do.
 
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