Harvested Yeast -- 1L; warm to room temp or need a starter?

Hi everyone,

Last week I stepped up a few bottles of Bell's and ended up with a 1L starter wort in a growler. I intermittently shook it over a few days, but knowing that I wouldn't be brewing, I put it in the fridge. I have two questions.

1. How can I confirm that I have activity? It's sort of hard to tell from the brown bottle. I think I see a yeast layer, and there was some bubbly activity, but...

2. Do I need to make another starter for brewing, or should I just bring to room temperature, decant, and pour in? I'm making a pretty big beer (1.085), but only about 3.5 gallons of it. Any thoughts?

Thanks.

rtb178 said:

1. How can I confirm that I have activity? It's sort of hard to tell from the brown bottle. I think I see a yeast layer, and there was some bubbly activity, but...

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I would think it should be easy to observe activity and the presence of a yeast cake in a 1 liter starter. If you are unsure at all, I would decant and repitch starter wort and observe healthy and active fermentation. It should be very obvious and easily observed without a doubt IMO.

Since you had to ask, seems doubtful you have enough yeast. Post a pic if you want better guesses as to what you have.

Here are a couple of pictures after the growler's been out of the refrigerator for 90 minutes or so. There's a thin layer of yeast, but it's hard to tell exactly what's going on in there.

Thanks.

Mr. Malty can tell you how much yeast would be ideal here...
http://www.mrmalty.com/index.php

While you have some yeast in the photo, it looks lacking to my untrained eye...I would decant and add more starter wort FWIW.

Yeah, I'm thinking this one is a no-go. Could I put it back into the refrigerator and use it later (by creating more starter wort, etc.)? I believe that if I were to do this, I'd need to first decant off the top, then put into a sanitized mason jar, then fill with distilled water? Is this right?

Sorry for the questions. I'm new to yeast washing, and was hoping to avoid it with this batch in the first place.

I'm far from any kind of expert, but I would simply pour off the spent wort and add new starter wort to the growler that it is already in. If you don't have starter wort, buy a bottle of malta goya at the supermarket. Empty the bottle and leave the yeast behind, then add new wort so that it can grow and multiply. keep it simple.

No need to wash it, just simply pour off the top liquid, and feed the yeast that are in your jug w/ fresh wort, or store bought malta goya...it's simple.

wilserbrewer said:

I'm far from any kind of expert, but I would simply pour off the spent wort and add new starter wort to the growler that it is already in. If you don't have starter wort, buy a bottle of malta goya at the supermarket. Empty the bottle and leave the yeast behind, then add new wort so that it can grow and multiply. keep it simple.

No need to wash it, just simply pour off the top liquid, and feed the yeast that are in your jug w/ fresh wort, or store bought malta goya...it's simple.

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This would require another 24 hours for the yeast to eat up the starter wort, yes?

rtb178 said:

This would require another 24 hours for the yeast to eat up the starter wort, yes?

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likely that long or more...several days???

wilserbrewer said:

likely that long or more...several days???

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Fair enough. I think I'll have to go with dry and then take another shot with this yeast another time.

Thanks for your help everyone.