Moving a yeast starter from flask to mason jar for short-term storage

[nwbrewing32]

Hey everyone,

So I'm not brewing a my beer that I made a starter for. It's currently in a flask with a foam stopper and tin foil.

Can I transfer this to a mason jar for 1-2 week storage?? I need to use the flask.

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

I do all the time. I boil the jar and lid in water then let them cool, crash the starter in the fridge overnight, decant the liquid off the top leaving enough to stir up the yeast, then pour the slurry into the jar.

 

[nwbrewing32]

Awesome. Couple more questions -

1) Should I tighten the lid of the jar, or leave it loose?
2) How long will it last like this?

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

Leave it loose for a bit when you first put it in the fridge, I'll wait maybe 3-4 hours to make sure the yeast are very very sleepy. I tighten the lid down then and marker the lid with strain and date.

It should stay in decent shape for quite awhile, I keep smaller samples around to build starters later. They perk up pretty quickly. I imagine a starter slurry should stay ok for 2 months before you start seeing a major drop off in vitality. Make sure when you are going to do your brew day pull the slurry out, loosen the lid a bit, and leave it out on the counter to let it warm up before pitching.

 

[nwbrewing32]

To bring this back - is it okay to have headspace in the jar? I have say 20% space right now.

 

[flars]

Head space is okay if your sanitation was good at every step. It is near impossible to eliminate all the head space.

BTW; I just use a Starsan solution to prepare the receiving storage jar.

 

[budbo]

Awesome. Couple more questions -

1) Should I tighten the lid of the jar, or leave it loose?
2) How long will it last like this?

Tighten it, in the fridge it will last months