First time using liquid yeast

[bransona]

I just got a huge delivery of beer ingredients, amongst which was a package of wyeast trappist high gravity yeast. I'm extremely excited to start using liquid Belgian yeast, but I have some issues...

I brew 1.5 gallon batches. I did some calculations on brewer's friend earlier and it suggests that a whole packet is only slightly in surplus for a wort of 1.080. That's about the right range for my Belgian brews, and I'm not about to dump an $8 packet into a gallon and a half of beer. So, starter it is...

Now, I really want to keep this yeast. I can't buy liquid yeast for every batch. So, how should I keep it? A few thoughts

1) Save it from the packet directly by pouring into bunches of little centrifuge tubes or something. Make a starter from one tube as necessary.

2) Make a starter and harvest from that. Like, make the whole thing into a massive stockpile for freezing. I have concerns about this, the key ones being risk of infection and the inherent mutations that occur.

Which of these sounds more economical and reasonable? I really don't want to invest in slanting yeast, but it's not off the table.

 

[A2HB]

#2 is the standard procedure between those two options I think

If you keep the yeast properly sealed and in cold conditions you don't have to worry about infections or mutations, just cell viability. What you'll want to do if you store your yeast for a while is make a step up starter before you pitch it into a new beer, and you'll be good to go from that

 

[IslandLizard]

^ another vote for #2. It's called yeast "ranching."

You can keep doing that each time for quite a few generations, 10-12 at least. Split your excess yeast slurry over 3 or 4 small (4 oz) jelly mason jars. Each of those can make a new starter, which can be split/saved again the next time. The only backdraw is, the old ones will lose viability with time. According to calculators and current experiments, after a year, or 2, there's not much live yeast left. That's where freezing with glycerol comes in, if you want longer storage times.

Additionally, you can reuse part (1/4-1/3) of the yeast cake after fermenting too. Now after a high gravity fermentations it may be better to start fresh. Or not... "what doesn't kill you make you stronger" can be valid for yeast too.

 

[bransona]

^ another vote for #2. It's called yeast "ranching."

You can keep doing that each time for quite a few generations, 10-12 at least. Split your excess yeast slurry over 3 or 4 small (4 oz) jelly mason jars. Each of those can make a new starter, which can be split/saved again the next time. The only backdraw is, the old ones will lose viability with time. According to calculators and current experiments, after a year, or 2, there's not much live yeast left. That's where freezing with glycerol comes in, if you want longer storage times.

Additionally, you can reuse part (1/4-1/3) of the yeast cake after fermenting too. Now after a high gravity fermentations it may be better to start fresh. Or not... "what doesn't kill you make you stronger" can be valid for yeast too.

First off, thanks for helping on so many of my posts. You rock Secondarily, I actually do like second generation yeast and so on. I have some t-58 that's only getting better, just hit the fourth generation. I think I'll just make a big starter and harvest it. Mutations be damned Now, about freezing with glycerol...what? How? Why?