two starters for one yeast

Hey all
I just picked up a vial of Whitelab Irish Ale yeast and would like to split the contents into two starters, one for now and one to store for a few months. I have only used dry yeast to this point and have never I made a starter before.
I am pretty sure of the procedure for the starter but my question is about the portion I want to save for later. Should I let this portion sit at room temp same as the one I want to use now or can I put it in the fridge right away.
Will splitting the contents be enough for two 5 gal brews.
Appreciate any help, thanks.
DK

How long will you be between batches? You could just salvage the yeast from your secondary and use that in your next batch. Especially if it is for the same recipe, the yeast will customize itself for your brewing conditions and Darwinize itself - if you believe in that kind of thing...

To answer your question, you should keep your 1/2 vial cold and not bring it to room temperature. You can start with a 1/2 vial no problems. You just need to ptopogate it longer in the starter before pitching so that you have enough.

good luck!

might be a couple of months before I need this yeast again.
So is it better to just start half and store the rest in the vial and not put it in a starter until needed?
How do I bring the part I want now to room temp and not the rest. I worry about exposing what remains to bacteria if I decant that protion...can you tell I'm new at this?
DK

I don't use those vials - I use starter packs. I take the yeast off the bottom of my secondary and put it in a very clean 2L plastic pop bottle. I add about 12 oz. of sterile, unhopped wort to that and squeeze the air out of the container and store it at just above freezing. I can let it sit like that for a month. Probably longer, but I haven't tried. I have heard that people use baby food jars and put them in the freezer with a little yeast in them.

I don't think you should worry about it as much. If you can pour out 1/2 your vial and save the other half - even if it's in another sterile container - and you keep it cold, it will be fine. good luck!

ok thanks for the help. All I can do is go for it and learn along the way.
Thanks again
DK

I wouldn't use any yeast at all from the secondary- only from the primary! The yeast in the secondary appears cleaner, but it's the most stressed and least flocculant yeast and not recommended for reuse.

What I would do is make a starter, and use it for a batch. Then do yeast washing: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/

Then, save the yeast in sterilized jars and use when needed. Simply make a starter and go. One batch of yeast washing usually gives me about 6 baby food jars full of yeast.