Help With Oktoberfest Lager Yeast Starter

[osagedr]

The Mr. Malty website discusses this with respect to their assumption of 20 billion cells per gram. "While there are 20 billion cells, you'll find that many manufacturers will state other numbers on their products. The number on the products is the guaranteed minimum viable cells per gram. The reality is somewhere between 20 billion and that number, depending on the yeast strain and how the yeast was handled. Use the production date to calculate the viability of the yeast, which should get you fairly close to the correct number."

As noted in the post above, the 6 billion cells per gram is a minimum guaranteed number from the manufacturer.

As to cost...four packs of rehydrated dry yeast vs. multiple packs of liquid to get to the same cell count or one pack of liquid plus your DME cost plus the starter time. Not a big deal if you have a stir plate and can do steps to grow cells quickly, but not easy otherwise. And really, few people are going to ferment cool enough to need those four packs. Generally speaking, it's going to be two packages rehydrated.

To each their own.

 

[Thumbs71]

The Mr. Malty website discusses this with respect to their assumption of 20 billion cells per gram. "While there are 20 billion cells, you'll find that many manufacturers will state other numbers on their products. The number on the products is the guaranteed minimum viable cells per gram. The reality is somewhere between 20 billion and that number, depending on the yeast strain and how the yeast was handled. Use the production date to calculate the viability of the yeast, which should get you fairly close to the correct number."

As noted in the post above, the 6 billion cells per gram is a minimum guaranteed number from the manufacturer.

As to cost...four packs of rehydrated dry yeast vs. multiple packs of liquid to get to the same cell count or one pack of liquid plus your DME cost plus the starter time. Not a big deal if you have a stir plate and can do steps to grow cells quickly, but not easy otherwise. And really, few people are going to ferment cool enough to need those four packs. Generally speaking, it's going to be two packages rehydrated.

To each their own.

So, do you think I'll be ok if I rehydrate 2 packets and pitch at around 63 degrees?

 

[Thumbs71]

I just wanted to give you an update. This weekend I brewed my Oktoberfest and used 2 packets W-34/70 rehydrated in a cup of boiled water cooled down to about 65. I pitched at about 63 degrees and had fermentation going after about 12 hours. This morning it was at a steady 50 degrees, according to the stick-on thermometer on the carboy, and bubbling every second.

Thanks again everyone for all of the help!

 

[osagedr]

So, do you think I'll be ok if I rehydrate 2 packets and pitch at around 63 degrees?

Sorry I missed this post the other day. Yes, I think you would be okay with this provided you cool down to proper ferm temps afterward. You could even pitch in the mid-50s.

 

[Thumbs71]

Sorry I missed this post the other day. Yes, I think you would be okay with this provided you cool down to proper ferm temps afterward. You could even pitch in the mid-50s.

Don't worry about it. I figured the worst thing that could happen is I need to pitch another packet of yeast. In any case, fermentation is going real nice. It's kind of weird seeing so much activity at such low temperatures.

 

[osagedr]

You did the 34/70, right? I always enjoy watching it churn away down about 44 degrees. I'm not sure there's any reason to go that low except sheer morbid curiosity regarding how low I can push it. Both S-23 and S-189 seem to become sluggish under 50 degrees or so and take significantly longer to ferment. I would never try pushing them right to FG at those temps without really big yeast counts--easiest just to raise the temps in the mid 1.020s.

 

[Thumbs71]

Yes, I used the 34/70. My OG was supposed to be 1.051, but it ended up being 1.056. I'm not real sure why, but we'll see what happens. As long as it's fermenting we'll end up with something to drink.

Watching it churn is almost hypnotizing. It's funny how different yeasts work. This batch is continuous smaller bubbles at least 2 every second, but previously using the Muntons dry ale yeast, there seemed to be larger bubbles every 2-3 seconds.