Big Fat Load of WLP005

I just got a whole quart of fresh WLP005 from a local brewmaster. Puled right from his conical. He says its the first generation of this batch, which is awesome, and that it's very healthy right now. Here's what I'm wondering---if I put it in my fridge until I brew on Sunday, should I worry about making a starter? I know, a quart of slurry is alot of yeast cells, but...?

you lucky sonofa.......


yea it should be fine

Chimone said:

you lucky sonofa.......


yea it should be fine

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That's what I'm thinking. Should be the perfect strain for my PacGem Bitter. I also think my friend is gonna use some of it to inoculate his mead, at least to start it out. I've never made mead before, but he has. I still don't trust british ale yeast in mead, though. But it's his deal, not mine.

I suspect a cup of slurry will be plenty.

I'd be saving off a few (or more) vials. That's enough yeast to keep you brewing bitters, pale ales, porters and "browns" for a lifetime.

That is one of my favorite strains. You lucky dog!

I'd say jst pitching the existing slurry would be great. Do it cold too.

Evan! said:

I just got a whole quart of fresh WLP005 from a local brewmaster. Puled right from his conical. He says its the first generation of this batch, which is awesome, and that it's very healthy right now. Here's what I'm wondering---if I put it in my fridge until I brew on Sunday, should I worry about making a starter? I know, a quart of slurry is alot of yeast cells, but...?

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Geez, you and your awesome brewmaster stories. Always making the great yeast scores.

Well, THAT much yeast could result in a few things. First, a very fast fermentation will result in a fusel-y, estery beer. Depending on what you want, this may or may not be suitable. But UNDER-Pitching will cause a lag time that could make the fermentation infected with bacteria or wild yeast. I cant tell you how much exactly, but Im sure one does NOT want a quart to pitch.

Better to overpitch than underpitch. I'd still only pitch half of your container. That will do just nicely!

I was thinking you should let it warm up to room temp while you are brewing the wort.
You definitely won't need a starter and, oh by the way, be ready for that thing to take off like a rocket.:rockin:

RichBrewer said:

I was thinking you should let it warm up to room temp while you are brewing the wort.
You definitely won't need a starter and, oh by the way, be ready for that thing to take off like a rocket.:rockin:

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Damnit. I pitched half that quart of fresh slurry onto my cooled wort yesterday, around 4pm. Aerated for an hour, and capped it.

This morning...nothing. The surface is as still as glass. Oh well. Hopefully, by the time I get home this afternoon, something will have happened. If nothing is going on by tomorrow, I may toss some US-56 on there.

You'd think that half a quart of fresh slurry (yes, it was warmed to fermenting temp) would take off quickly. Weird.

Oh well. My Munich Summerdunkel, on the other hand, is in the lagerator, and is getting close to blowing off. When I left for work, I had maybe 2" before it hit the cap. THAT one, I pitched with a starter of harvested bohemian lager yeast. :rockin: