WoodlandBrew
Well-Known Member
For counting yeast cell density and viability what would be the most appropriate tools?
With a few searches on this site it seems that the $20 Hemocytometer, and an inexpensive microscope with 400x magnification are adequate, but I would like to hear about peoples experience with cell counting. What tools and techniques work, and which ones just don't cut the mustard.
Hemocytometers seem to range from $20 to over $200! For homebrewing I would imagine counts that are within a factor of two would be adequate. Would there be any need in a brew lab for the expensive hemocytometer?
The two microscope I have my eye on now are both from Amscope. One is about $80, monocular, fixed stage, up to 1000x, The second is $165, binocular, mechanical stage, up to 2000x.
$80 microscope
$165 microscope
$20 Hemacytometer
$200 hemocytometer
With a few searches on this site it seems that the $20 Hemocytometer, and an inexpensive microscope with 400x magnification are adequate, but I would like to hear about peoples experience with cell counting. What tools and techniques work, and which ones just don't cut the mustard.
Hemocytometers seem to range from $20 to over $200! For homebrewing I would imagine counts that are within a factor of two would be adequate. Would there be any need in a brew lab for the expensive hemocytometer?
The two microscope I have my eye on now are both from Amscope. One is about $80, monocular, fixed stage, up to 1000x, The second is $165, binocular, mechanical stage, up to 2000x.
$80 microscope
$165 microscope
$20 Hemacytometer
$200 hemocytometer