Creating a supply of yeast

[ROAM]

I previously made a 1.5 L starter from 1 packet of Munich and saved 500 ml hoping to be able create another 1.5 liter starter from that and save 500 ml from that and to continue to repeat that process. Will the 500 ml I saved be enough to create another 1.5 liter starter that I can save 500 ml and repeat the process over and over?

 

[duboman]

I previously made a 1.5 L starter from 1 packet of Munich and saved 500 ml hoping to be able create another 1.5 liter starter from that and save 500 ml from that and to continue to repeat that process. Will the 500 ml I saved be enough to create another 1.5 liter starter that I can save 500 ml and repeat the process over and over?

yes, exactly what I do but you still need to use a calculator to figure proper pitch rate based on age of what you have saved and gravity of the next beer

 

[kh54s10]

I make starters a bit bigger than I need for the current brew, then take 5ml of yeast and combine it with 5ml glycerin and 10 ml water. I make 4 vials. I then chill these vials in the fridge overnight and freeze. If I made 4 new vials for 4 generations I could brew 256 times from the original purchase.

I am currently fermenting a pumpkin ale with Wyeast 1056 that I saved a sample of second generation on 1/27/2012. It is fermenting nicely.

I am now starting a step starter with Neobrittannia yeast that I froze 11/17/11. Results to be determined.

 

[ROAM]

yes, exactly what I do but you still need to use a calculator to figure proper pitch rate based on age of what you have saved and gravity of the next beer

So, what type of calculator do I need to use?

 

[ROAM]

I make starters a bit bigger than I need for the current brew, then take 5ml of yeast and combine it with 5ml glycerin and 10 ml water. I make 4 vials. I then chill these vials in the fridge overnight and freeze. If I made 4 new vials for 4 generations I could brew 256 times from the original purchase.

I am currently fermenting a pumpkin ale with Wyeast 1056 that I saved a sample of second generation on 1/27/2012. It is fermenting nicely.

I am now starting a step starter with Neobrittannia yeast that I froze 11/17/11. Results to be determined.

So, you are using a calculator suggested above to figure out what size starter you'll need to make from your vile, then make it a little larger, then harvest from that? I guess it's not as easy as, in my case, to pitch the 500 ml yeast I saved into 1.5 liter of wort and expect 1 liter of starter and 500 ml I can save for the next batch?

 

[ROAM]

Or even just pitching the 500 ml yeast that I saved directly into my next batch?

 

[kh54s10]

So, you are using a calculator suggested above to figure out what size starter you'll need to make from your vile, then make it a little larger, then harvest from that? I guess it's not as easy as, in my case, to pitch the 500 ml yeast I saved into 1.5 liter of wort and expect 1 liter of starter and 500 ml I can save for the next batch?

I take a bit of a guess as to how much I am removing for freezing. I use yeastcalc.com for the most part or mrmalty.com. It they say I need a 1 liter starter I make one 1.25 or 1.5 liters.

When I make a step up I do a small first step and cold crash it so that I can see the amount of yeast I get. If it looks small I do another small step. When I looks similar the the amount of yeast in a White Labs vial I use yeastcalc to calculate the remaining needed for my recipe.

 

[duboman]

So, what type of calculator do I need to use?

Www.yeastcalc.com

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Have a look at my Yeast harvesting, a non-slant method. You'll probably get some inspiration from there.

MC