How much washed yeast to use for a 1 gallon batch?

[zapbampow]

I've been doing 1 gallon batches because I have the equipment for it, I can brew more often, and my wife likes variety. In a few days I'm going to be brewing my 5th or 6th all grain batch since getting back into brewing. So here's my situation.

3 weeks ago I saved and washed some yeast. It settled in the jar and I probably have 2-3 Tablespoons of settled yeast in the jar.

There are plenty of instructions about making starters for 5 gallon batches or more. But I'm uncertain about what to do for a 1 gallon batch.

1. Can I just pour 1 or 2 Tablespoons in my next batch, which I'll do a month after harvesting the yeast?

2. If not, what size starter should I make for such a small batch? 1/2 a cup with a Tablespoon of settled yeast?

I don't have any DME on hand, but I have a nearby store to get it at.

What do you think?

 

[ericbw]

How much total slurry do you have? If it is half liquid and half yeast, I think you could add that to a half cup starter and it would be enough to do a batch.

I think it might be easier to make a cup of starter (2 oz DME and a cup of water), then let it ferment out for a couple of days. It will be more active then. After a month, you do lose some yeast viability, so a starter is in order.

That said, I have used a couple of tablespoons of yeast straight into a gallon batch and it worked. It's risky, and I have learned how to do it better now.

 

[Kent88]

My completely unscientific method of adding yeast to a 1-gallon batch is to make a starter and pitch into that right before I dough in, and then after I cool the wort and transfer it to the 1-gallon jug until it gets just above the "One Gallon" lettering, then eyeball the amount of starter I add, which usually ends up to be no more than 2 fingers. I haven't brewed anything very strong so I am really just trying to pitch active, healthy cells without pitching so much that blowoff or displacement from the siphon at racking/bottling becomes a huge problem.

I would guess that I'm overpitching, and that I'm wasting a lot of starter. My beers have turned out alright, though.

 

[zapbampow]

Thanks. It's not half and half. Here's a picture of the 8oz jar of it.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1475247749.886759.jpg

 

[ericbw]

But before you swirl it, pour off the liquid till it is about half liquid and half solid. Take a look at Wyeast's calculator for re-using yeast.