Do I need a starter for my slurry

Hey,

I brewed a 15 gallon beer on December 23rd using WLP001. I fermented it for 14 days, crashed it the fermenter for 8 days at 34. On January 14, I collected and washed four 1quart mason jars of yeast (during transfer to serving kegs). After washing, the first 2 inches of the 6 inches in each jar was good yeast. This is about 33% of a quart. The starter tool in beersmith says I need .46 liter slurry and no starter.


I am brewing a 15 gallon, 1.048 beer this Saturday and have some questions.

What date should I use for slurry when using the viability section of the beersmith starter (what initiates the collected slurry's born on date)?

Do I need a starter at all?

Input will be appreciated.

no one?

When I make starters from slurry I use the date I harvested the yeast on. It's always worked for me.

Thanks for the info. That is how I was going to do it. I searched all over the internet for details on dating yeast and couldn't find what I needed. Its my first time to use slurry. According to beersmith I have enough slurry to skip the starter. Is that the norm?

I only brew 5 gal batches; but, if I have enough slurry based on Mr Malty I do not make a starter. Just pitch the slurry.

I'd do a starter, if not for propagation it should cut the lag time.

I don't trust Mr. Malty for slurry. it is a crap shoot in trying to estimate the yeast content, and then the viability goes down wayyyyy too quick. I think 2 month old slurry is 10% viable, but 11 month old slurry is also 10% viable. It is too conservative in loss off viability.

If using slurry within a couple of months of harvesting, I recommend using roughly a third for the same volume and OG. If stored in refrigerator, I don't think there is much loss of viability.

No need to make a starter as far as I am concerned if you trust your process.

Very good.

Thanks for the feed back. This is my first attempt at harvesting. I was VERY careful while harvesting. I think the slurry is in great shape. I even shot a little co2 in the jars before sealing them up. Anyway, I appreciate you guys help. I had to push the brew to next Saturday. I think I will use all of it, then re-harvest it for one more use.

Update,

My brew day got pushed to last weekend, so I went ahead and used all the slurry. Finished the brew about 7:00 in the evening. By 11:00 that evening I had a few bubbles in my blow off. The next morning the fermentation was extremely vigorous!

Thanks for the posts