Liquid yeast no starter, high gravity, 1 gallon

[IllegalOnion]

Hi guys!

I've searched in the forum but didn't find exactly what I was looking for. After a fail with my first liquid yeast, I'd rather ask before I do anything wrong.

I'm planning to do a belgian triple with the yeast from Imperial Triple Double.

This yeast was made 17/08/2016 (DD/MM/YYYY).

My target OG is 1.079.

On Beersmith, I can read that viability is 24% so roughly 50 Billions cells.

Mr Malty says I need 54 Billions cells for a 1 gallon batch

Am I wrong assuming that I can use the whole can without starter and reach my goal?

Thanks for confirming guys!

 

[flars]

I would make at least a 0.5 liter starter with this yeast. According to calculators there may be nearly enough yeast for the beer being planned. It is possible the yeast had not been stored under ideal conditions and the viability is lower. The starter will give more assurance off flavors will not be produced by overly stressed yeast in the high OG wort.

 

[IslandLizard]

^ This!

Also do a search for "vitality starter" and use 0.5 liter of your wort* to prepare one on the day you brew. After 4 hours on your stir plate or with frequent shaking, pitch the whole starter, don't decant.

* If possible, use a bit lower gravity for the vitality starter, like 1.050-1.060. Make up for that by brewing your main batch at a little higher gravity. An extra 2 points (1.081) will about compensate it.

 

[kh54s10]

^ This!

Also do a search for "vitality starter" and use 0.5 liter of your wort* to prepare one on the day you brew. After 4 hours on your stir plate or with frequent shaking, pitch the whole starter, don't decant.

* If possible, use a bit lower gravity for the vitality starter, like 1.050-1.060. Make up for that by brewing your main batch at a little higher gravity. An extra 2 points (1.081) will about compensate it.

I would try to get the starter wort even a little lower in gravity - about 1.040. You could just dilute with sterile water.

 

[Kent88]

If you make anything, vitality starter.

You're in a tricky spot. If you are fermenting in a 1-gallon glass jug, you'll have a hard time getting a starter and all the wort in the jug.

But you're brewing a beer of a high enough gravity that you want to make sure the yeast are healthy and active before pitching.

I guess if it was me, I'd make a starter, add enough of it to pretty much fill the fermenter (topping it off after the wort was all added), and immediately put a blowoff tube in, making sure that the tube doesn't go below the surface of the wort.

 

[IslandLizard]

[...]You're in a tricky spot. If you are fermenting in a 1-gallon glass jug, you'll have a hard time getting a starter and all the wort in the jug. [...]

The OP didn't say he was going to ferment a gallon batch in a gallon fermentor, that's asking for losing at least 1/4 of it. Now if he's top cropping it can be the easiest way.