54% viability ...stepping up a starter help

I have this yeast 1388 and it has 54% viability according to mr malty's pitching calculator..I need a pretty large starter at least 5L ..So my question is what the best way to step this up and how long before brew day should i start the stepping up process?

http://yeastcalc.com/ is a great tool for step starters!

yeastcalc.com is your best resource.

let a starter run 24 hours (give it 36 if you can), then 24-36 hr cold-crash in the fridge, decant, repeat all steps again by brew day. so if you go long, 36+36+36+36= 6 days.

it's certainly possibly to do it faster than that, some folks only give their starters 16 hours before cold-crashing. you could also not cold-crash the last step and pitch the whole thing.

jakecpunut said:

http://yeastcalc.com/ is a great tool for step starters!

Click to expand...

Awesome ..thanks you..it says i need to do a 1.5L starter then a 1.5L step up giving me 298 billion cells..Its says i need 290 billion cells..so i quess im in good shape and all i need is to step up once ..Thanks

I have found the viability by date to be highly inaccurate on Mr. Malty and Yeast calc. You are likely closer to 75% viability.

Analysis here:
http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/2012/12/refrigeration-effects-on-yeast-viability.html

Also the viability may be fine but the vitality will be low. Don't go by a set schedule of days with old yeast. Wait for the krausen to start to fall or for half of the sugar to be consumed.

See here:
http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/2012/12/yeast-cell-growth-observations.html

OK..step one of the starter..1.5L water + 5.2 oz of DME (1.037 OG wort) chill to 62*F and pitch yeast..allow to ferment for 24-36 hours..chill for 24 hours and decant...But i have 1 question..once the wort is chilled and ready to decant should i warm it back to 62*F before adding step 2 wort? my fridge is 40*F..Would adding 62*F wort to 40*F yeast cause the yeast to struggle?..should i warm the yeast to 62*F before i decant and add new wort? srry if this is a stupid question..i just get confused sometimes never did a step up starter

you want to decant while the yeast is still cold, that helps keep the yeast compacted at the bottom of your flask/jar/etc. you could i add a little wort at a time, over 15-30 mins, to slowly warm up the yeast. i sometimes do this, other times i've also pitched it all in at once and it came out just fine.

sweetcell said:

you want to decant while the yeast is still cold, that helps keep the yeast compacted at the bottom of your flask/jar/etc. you could i add a little wort at a time, over 15-30 mins, to slowly warm up the yeast. i sometimes do this, other times i've also pitched it all in at once and it came out just fine.

Click to expand...

Ok cool..thanks alot