Short term yeast storage - maintaining a pure viable culture

[killian]

I’m looking to narrow in on a set of house cultures. I have a bunch of strains that I like but I want to really evaluate strains side by side.

I’m thinking about making extra large starters growing enough yeast to pitch and filling small containers with the remainder of the slurry. I plan to store the containers in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 weeks and then start growing the yeast again.

All of this makes me feel a bit uneasy I’ve dabbled with repitching here and there but mostly just when racking on to a yeast cake or harvesting a bit of the slurry after fermentation.

I have started to assemble a small lab, bought a cheap microscope, got a hemocytometer but haven’t used it yet. So I am a little concerned with my pitch rate and viability when growing the 2nd pitch and so on.

Any thoughts or comments are appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read this!

 

[SoCal-Doug]

Practice OCD level hygiene and go for it! It is more common than you might think to over-start (split a large starter) and save some.

I heisted some dregs from some Allegash White and loved it in a basic wit recipe. Did it again and grew the hell out of it. Used some, saved some. Re-started and saved again.

 

[homebrewer_99]

When I make a starter I will usually fill 2 of the old WLP vials (Remember those? I saved a couple dozen of them) before using it in a brew. The starter vials are used to seed new starters.

 

[killian]

Just started the 1st run, Brett anomalous and Brett claussenii

This will take a few steps to build so that will take a while but up next I’m looking at...

WLP004 Irish ale and WLP028 Scottish ale.

Or

WLP830 German lager and WLP 838 southern German lager

Oh and I do remember those vials

I’m probably going to use small mason jars

Thanks for the reply’s!

 

[homebrewer_99]

LOL! I sent WL 70 labels just before Christmas and received my coupons in January...

 

[killian]

I’m eyeing up the sweatshirt but it doesn’t look like they offer fat man sizes