First yeast starter followed by yeast recovery and wash for future

Well here is my first yeast starter. It is 1056 american ale from wyeast.

Fermented very nicely....from primary I harvested the yeast and washed. I dry hopped in the secondary.
My son getting the photo opp.

A day later and I have 3 quart jars like below.

I'm wanting to do this for some different yeasts in the future. I did this one first for I end up using it repeatedly in my recipies. I also want a good wheat beer yeast and a UK yeast, can anyone suggest some that are a good canidate to cover these needs?

Cheers!

Congrats on yeast washing and saving. You will find generations down the road are stronger and more impressive than the first strain. Our monastery started with Wyeast cultures, they have all the info you need at wyeastlab.com

Yesterday I pitched with one of my first washed yeasts. Fermentation took about 5 hours to start. The starter I used had a 72 hr start. Things are humming now! I love this stuff!

I just washed my first batch too! I'm getting a little nervous because I am reading conflicting information about how to store my washed yeast and how long it will keep. What are you doing to store it and for how long?

Thanks!

We store in a normal 39F fridge/freezer with temp. control.

how long? well, right now i have over 40 mason jars either in 2nd, 3rd, or 4th generations, the oldest this year being 5 months old and when i stir plate them they are unstoppable. Use information as a baseline but not as the law, yeast are strong and can last for years. That being said, cells do die, but its the building up with a starter on a stirplate that brings it back. I dont advocate pitching jars or viles or smackpacks straight in.

Also, all that being said, We only go one year on washed yeast, then we get a whole new Wyeast supply. The yeast will do about 500 gallons, than they are retired.

billdog said:

The starter I used had a 72 hr start.

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What is this exactly? You had the starter stirplating for 72 hrs? Or no stirplate, that would make more sense.

No stir plate. I'd just shake it up often. I'm with RJS, a year is plenty. I tag my jars with expiration date and yeast number. I would wager to say they would last longer, for as long as I am making a starter every time then theoretically I only need a 10 or so viable yeast cells. Once they wake up in wort starter i'm back in business. Plus if you don't see fermentation after 24 hours you can always go to store and repitch.