Splitting Yeast Pack To for Multiple Uses?

[ultravista]

I've been tossing around the idea of taking a smack pack of yeast, splitting into 4 sanitized containers, and making starters out of each to get more milage out of the original pack.

Has anyone done this, and if so, what was your process and results?

When working with small samples of yeast, what is the process for stepping up to get proper propagation?

Can I simply take a few cups of wort and expect it to work?

 

[Boodlemania]

I've never done that per se, but I am a diehard follower of the practice of yeast washing.

 

[ultravista]

It seems like this would be a bit easier, pre fermentation. The post fermentation washing doesn't look difficult either.

 

[broadbill]

You should have no problems doing this. However, instead of splitting the small volume that comes out of the smack-pack, I'd pitch the whole thing into a larger starter, then split that starter after its fermented. That way, you minimize under- (and over-) pitching by attempting to split the inital smack pack volume 4 ways.

Combine that with yeast washing and you can probably make that smack pack last 20-30 brews...if you wanted to take it that far.

 

[Ovidsmuse]

I've had a lot of success with using 3/4ths of the vial or smack pack for a starter for the beer I'm about to do, then stepping up the remainder into a large starter that becomes my "yeast bank". I feel that there is less of a chance of infection amplification this way. I have yet to have an infected batch or starter, and I have plated samples to check generations just to be sure. I think it is always better to start as close to the source as possible.