I have been freezing my liquid yeast.
This is even easier than washing yeast. Though it takes longer to get ready for brew day.
I start by making a starter larger than needed for my recipe.
Before pitching I make 4 vials to freeze. This is generation 1. I have 40ml vials and I add 10ml yeast, 10ml glycerin and 20ml water. Shake them and put in the refrigerator. When cool I put them in the freezer in a tub with some freeze packs. This is to counteract the defrost cycle of the freezer to keep the yeast frozen.
If I go the recommended 4 generations and make 4 new vials from each frozen vial I could do 256 brews. I obviously don't do that.
When planning a brew I start about a week early to propagate my yeast from a frozen vial. I make a small weak starter of about .25L. I run the stirplate about 18 hours. I then decant and feed another .5L starter. This gives me approximately the same amount of yeast as a vial or pack. I then use this to make a starter the size needed for my recipe.
I have frozen yeast from November 2011 and have recently used those successfully.
I also now have 6 varieties and 21 vials to use.
This is even easier than washing yeast. Though it takes longer to get ready for brew day.
I start by making a starter larger than needed for my recipe.
Before pitching I make 4 vials to freeze. This is generation 1. I have 40ml vials and I add 10ml yeast, 10ml glycerin and 20ml water. Shake them and put in the refrigerator. When cool I put them in the freezer in a tub with some freeze packs. This is to counteract the defrost cycle of the freezer to keep the yeast frozen.
If I go the recommended 4 generations and make 4 new vials from each frozen vial I could do 256 brews. I obviously don't do that.
When planning a brew I start about a week early to propagate my yeast from a frozen vial. I make a small weak starter of about .25L. I run the stirplate about 18 hours. I then decant and feed another .5L starter. This gives me approximately the same amount of yeast as a vial or pack. I then use this to make a starter the size needed for my recipe.
I have frozen yeast from November 2011 and have recently used those successfully.
I also now have 6 varieties and 21 vials to use.