Growing/Storing Yeast

[petrolSpice]

So the process of making a starter is fairly simple, but a little time consuming. Could I make a large multi-step starter and then split it up into lets say 3-4 equal batches of yeast, then store the yeast in the fridge until its needed? This might be a better approach than creating a starter for each brew.

In theory I would never need to buy yeast, but I have heard that 3-4 generations is about the limit. But then I've heard of people using the same yeast for dozens of brews.

 

[brewcephus]

I did this for some 1272 yeast that I got with a kit a while back. made a fairly large starter and split over 6 pint sized mason jars that I had boiled and stored some sterilized water in.

I put it in the mason jars on 10/27/13 and stored in the fridge. I used one of those mason jars to make a starter last week for a beer that I made this last weekend and it was still alive and well.

I'll let you know in a couple weeks how the beer came out.

 

[petrolSpice]

I did this for some 1272 yeast that I got with a kit a while back. made a fairly large starter and split over 6 pint sized mason jars that I had boiled and stored some sterilized water in.

I put it in the mason jars on 10/27/13 and stored in the fridge. I used one of those mason jars to make a starter last week for a beer that I made this last weekend and it was still alive and well.

I'll let you know in a couple weeks how the beer came out.

Good to hear. I was thinking of making a large starter, decanting, and then splitting the batch into sanitized white labs vials for storage.

 

[vinpaysdoc]

I've been doing this for about 4 months. If you don't have enough White Labs test tubes look for the Baby Soda Bottle Preforms that are 33 ml. These are very close to the same size as the White Lab tubes.

http://imgur.com/a/Bdh2I


This was an adaptation of Brulosopher's Novel approach to yeast propagation.

 

[petrolSpice]

Is it okay to store the yeast in the starter liquid/beer, or would it be better to decant the starter liquid and mix the yeast water?