Is this enough WLP530?

[Lodovico]

Ok, don't suggest I go to Mr. Malty. I did and I don't always use that as a rule. I want to know what my smart friends at HBT think.

I'm brewing a Belgian Dark Strong and using the WLP530 yeast. My OG is around 1.090 and I was going to use two vials of yeast.

I was going to make a 2 quart starter with one of the vials and then just pitch the other vial in.

What do you think? I just don't feel like making a huge step starter or making two separate starters.

 

[enid]

I think this should be fine. At minimum you will be pitching around 340 billion yeast cells, which is plenty for this beer. WLP530 is a great yeast, I like to pitch cool, around 65 then let it ramp up naturally. I have let it get into the low 80's. If you pitch enough yeast like you are planning, you wont get the strong fusel alcohol flavors associated with higher temps. You will get the nice esters you are looking for.

 

[Lodovico]

I think this should be fine. At minimum you will be pitching around 340 billion yeast cells, which is plenty for this beer. WLP530 is a great yeast, I like to pitch cool, around 65 then let it ramp up naturally. I have let it get into the low 80's. If you pitch enough yeast like you are planning, you wont get the strong fusel alcohol flavors associated with higher temps. You will get the nice esters you are looking for.

Awesome, thanks. I don't have a brew belt and it's getting cold here in NW Pennsylvania so I'm hoping I'll be able to ramp the temperature up in the 70's after fermentation has been going for a bit.

Blankets and sweaters for the carboy I guess.

 

[devilishprune]

Why don't you make the starter with both vials of yeast? Were you planning on pitching the second one later?

 

[Lodovico]

Why don't you make the starter with both vials of yeast? Were you planning on pitching the second one later?

That was my original thought but would it make sense to make only a 2 quart starter with 2 vials of yeast?

Like I said originally, I don't want to go through stepping up a starter to make it huge. I've got a 1 gallon growler I use for starters and that's what I want to use. I was going to just make a starter with 1 vial and then pitch the other one but both at the same time.

I guess I thought that a 2 quart starter wouldn't be enough wort for 2 vials of yeast.

Would this work?

 

[enid]

I think your plan is good, you don't want to over-pitch. If you can keep your ambient temp around 70, the fermentation temp will raise with that much sugar to eat. My last Belgian Dark Strong was 1.094, with ambient air around 68-70, the actual fermentation wort temp hit 82 degrees.

 

[DrinkNoH2O]

Do you have a stirplate?

Personally I would make a 1qt starter with one vial of yeast, throw that on the stirplate for 36 hours. Feed it another 1qt of starter, stirplate for another 36 hours. Throw it in the fridge overnight, decant, and pitch all of the slurry.

Save the second vial.

 

[Lodovico]

Do you have a stirplate?

Personally I would make a 1qt starter with one vial of yeast, throw that on the stirplate for 36 hours. Feed it another 1qt of starter, stirplate for another 36 hours. Throw it in the fridge overnight, decant, and pitch all of the slurry.

Save the second vial.

I don't have a stirplate. But if I did, would that really be enough to get me to the cell count I would need?

Good idea if so but I didn't think that would be enough. Obviously I don't know or I wouldn't be asking. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[enid]

I don't have a stirplate. But if I did, would that really be enough to get me to the cell count I would need?

Good idea if so but I didn't think that would be enough. Obviously I don't know or I wouldn't be asking. Thanks for the recommendation.

A 2 stage starter on stir plate with 1L each would produce about 397 billion. So yes this would actually be more then what you are currently planning on pitching.

Without a stir plate you are looking at only 234 billion. If you only wanted to use one vial of yeast you could do a 1L starter then step up to a 2L starter to give you approx. 320 billion. Or do a 4L single stage starter.

 

[Calder]

1 vial, 2 liters wort, swirl as often as you can, and I bet you will have plenty of yeast.

The additional yeast in the second vial will be such a small contribution that it's probably not worth wasting. Save it for another brew.