Moonlighting
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- Oct 15, 2012
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The more I brew, the more I realize that I don't quite understand the intricacies of some of the process. Right now I'm very curious about yeast. I understand the basics, I even understand some of the more complex stuff. And theres a lot of literature out there about it but I'm coming up short in understanding just a few things. I'm mostly looking for the wisdom from someone else's experience, since all I know is how I do it in my garage.
Lets say that I decided that I liked a particular strain of liquid yeast for my beer, and I wanted to brew a few big batches of it. Normally I'd make a starter, which multiplies the amount of yeast from the tiny little tube, to a factor of three or four times.
1. But if I need a heck of a lot more (like 3 or 4 more starters worth), how would I go about making that yeast more, or can I even get it to multiply that much?
2. How do bigger brewers (like microbreweries with 400+ gallon batches) do it? Do they buy these strains in bulk? Or do they start with small samples and cultivate it themselves.
3. I know that you can re-use the yeast from a batch of beer several times before it starts to change too much. Does this process only happen with batches of actual beer, or will this happen with your standard starter solution (DME/water at 1.040) as well? Is there a way to multiply it without modifying it?
4. I understand after feeding and multiplying the yeast will essentially go dormant for a while. What is a good amount of time to let it rest before using it? In other words, if I make a big starter that makes a whole bunch of yeast, is that yeast going to need to rest before I can pitch it into a wort? Or is it good to go anytime? (I ask this because I know that after hi-grav fermentations the yeast needs to rest before bottle carbonating will happen. So will a mad rush of making baby yeasts require a rest too, and how long?)
5. How long will healthy yeast survive at room temp? I know to store long term we keep it cold, but what about 70ish degrees? Will it stay dormant or die out? After how long?
Thanks for any answers you can give. I really appreciate it.
Lets say that I decided that I liked a particular strain of liquid yeast for my beer, and I wanted to brew a few big batches of it. Normally I'd make a starter, which multiplies the amount of yeast from the tiny little tube, to a factor of three or four times.
1. But if I need a heck of a lot more (like 3 or 4 more starters worth), how would I go about making that yeast more, or can I even get it to multiply that much?
2. How do bigger brewers (like microbreweries with 400+ gallon batches) do it? Do they buy these strains in bulk? Or do they start with small samples and cultivate it themselves.
3. I know that you can re-use the yeast from a batch of beer several times before it starts to change too much. Does this process only happen with batches of actual beer, or will this happen with your standard starter solution (DME/water at 1.040) as well? Is there a way to multiply it without modifying it?
4. I understand after feeding and multiplying the yeast will essentially go dormant for a while. What is a good amount of time to let it rest before using it? In other words, if I make a big starter that makes a whole bunch of yeast, is that yeast going to need to rest before I can pitch it into a wort? Or is it good to go anytime? (I ask this because I know that after hi-grav fermentations the yeast needs to rest before bottle carbonating will happen. So will a mad rush of making baby yeasts require a rest too, and how long?)
5. How long will healthy yeast survive at room temp? I know to store long term we keep it cold, but what about 70ish degrees? Will it stay dormant or die out? After how long?
Thanks for any answers you can give. I really appreciate it.