Lager propgation

[binkman]

Hi all,

I've been brewing for about a year now, with only a single lager under my belt. At the time I didn't make a starter and just shelled out some ridiculous amount of cash for four white labs vials of a lager strain. Can't remember which off hand, though I've written it down at home. Probably just wlp830. It turned out well, but I'm not paying $25 for yeast next go around.

I'm thinking of brewing up 5 gallons of bock in the next month or so, but I don't want to have to shell out more than $5-6 for the yeast, so I'm thinking of buying a single vial, and propagating it by brewing up a 5-gallon batch of steam beer around 1.040. I don't see much point to spending the money on extract and then just dumping it down the drain. I might as well get some more beer out of it.

Would the yeast be too stressed or exhausted after the steam fermentation to perform well with a bock fermentation of around 1.065?

Another option is to just buy as much saflager as I need.

Any advice?

 

[beerman0001]

One vial would only be enough yeast for a 1 gal batch at 1.04. But that would be a great way to get enough yeast for your next batch. It is really easy to just pitch 2 pacs of dry though.

 

[binkman]

I would make a half gallon starter initially before the steam batch to bump up the cell count. I just don't want to make a 2 gallon starter.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I would make a half gallon starter initially before the steam batch to bump up the cell count.

just make a starter from the vial or pack you get/have. this guy'll surely help you out.

 

[PVH]

Yes, you can do what you're suggesting without problems. The higher fermentation temps for the steam beer will not harm the WLP830. Although people argue about ideal propagation temps, IMO your fermentation temps for the first batch will not be high enough above your fermentation temp for the second batch to be concerned about.

 

[Delaney]

why not just buy a nice bottle of lager beer that is bottle conditioned and make a starter with it if you're looking to save a few dollars?

 

[binkman]

Yes, you can do what you're suggesting without problems. The higher fermentation temps for the steam beer will not harm the WLP830. Although people argue about ideal propagation temps, IMO your fermentation temps for the first batch will not be high enough above your fermentation temp for the second batch to be concerned about.

Thanks! That's just what I wanted to know!

 

[solbes]

It's a great way of doing it. I will probably do 2 lagers back to back in the fall in just that manner. I did this for ales with Patersbier and Tripel and they both turned out awesome.

 

[badbrew]

I wonder how many cells can be harvested from a 1 trillion cell batch after washing. I may try this as well with one of the go to yeasts including filtering the trub and then package everything in 100 billion cell mason jars.