Should I pitch or wait?

[Skyforger]

Hey, all. I'm brewing a czech pilsner right now, and am a bit disappointed with my starter. It was made from an old vial of WLP800 Czech Pilsner yeast, and took a long time and some TLC to take off. Right now, I've got about a half gallon of pretty nasty starter solution (I had to keep it warm to get it going) and I don't really want to pitch that in the beer. There isn't a ton of yeast on the bottom yet, though. I'm thinking it may be better if I pitch the bottom yeast into a new starter today, and store the pilsner wort I'm making in a cold shed until the yeast is good and ready to go.

What does everyone else think? Are there disadvantages to storing your wort before pitching? It will be in a very cold shed; wouldn't be surprised if it froze a bit. So infection shouldn't be an issue. If I do this, I'll just take it out of the shed in a few days to warm to pitching temps and pitch a healthy starter. Or else I underpitch now.

What say you?

 

[DrawTap88]

If you're having doubts on your starter, you're much better off making another starter.

 

[Skyforger]

That's what I'm thinking. I'm just kind of wondering if a few days of cold storage pre-ferement will do anything to the end product.

 

[Jawbox0]

Well, if nothing else, it will be a good test of your Sanitation methods.

 

[merkinman]

you may also consider a dry lager yeast. I have become a fan of Frementis 34/70. It is the Weihenstephaner strain.

 

[Skyforger]

merkinman; its a good thought, but I'm not sure I could get that sooner than I could grow a yeast starter at this point. None of the LHBS's carry Fermentatis, so far as I know.

 

[lumpher]

i'm using fermentis 3470 in a lager i've just chilled tonight (put it in 52 or so). i think it might be a good yeast for that. but anyway, i wouldn't pitch it if it was kept warm

 

[Skyforger]

I'm thinking I should get a packet of dry lager yeast to keep around for this sort of situation. I'll see if I can find that one. For this time, though, I already have a new starter going with the Urquell yeast. Now that it's been livened up a little I'll grow it at a proper temperature, so I don't have to wait for it to crash out completely.