Deferring a starter

[ColoradoChuck]

I made a 1L 1.040 starter; the source yeast wasn't too old, and it seemed to ferment well. Life intercedes, and that flask comes to sit covered with foil in my refrigerator.

- How long do I have before it is no longer good to use? Is saving it to a media bottle for a longer storage period a viable option?
- Can I re-pitch to another starter to keep it going, and if so, are there any modifications to technique or timing to be considered?

 

[JohnSand]

I have saved harvested yeast for months. Your starter will certainly keep in the fridge for weeks.

 

[Zadkiel]

that flask comes to sit covered with foil in my refrigerator.

if it's just a loose foil cover, maybe stick a rubber band around it to seal it, if it's going to sit there for a long time, bad things(tm) could get inside under a loose cover.

 

[day_trippr]

I try to never box myself in like this, but in the same situation, I would chill and then decant most of the spent wort and leave the rest in the fridge. A day before pitching I would warm it up and add enough fresh starter wort to make up a liter again, creating a "vitality starter", and ideally pitch it at high krausen, but post-fermentation would be fine as well...

Cheers!

 

[wepeeler]

Omega told me a starter is viable to direct pitch for up to 2 weeks, probably a bit longer. You can always use that starter to make another starter if you go longer than that.