I had a vial of White Labs WLP001 from a previous batch of beer that I decided to use a dry yeast for. It's been in the fridge for a few months and MrMalty said its vitality rate is 30-35% and would require two vials for anything less than a 2 liter starter.
I don't have a big enough flask for 2 liters, so I did a 1.5L starter with 200 grams of extra light DME and have that 48 hours on the stir plate. Yesterday, I chilled it to get the yeast to drop while I got another 1.5 liters and 200 grams of DME boiled and chilled. I dumped the liquid off the starter, let it warm up, and then dumped the new wort onto the yeast and put it back on the stir plate.
This morning at 5 am, I got up to find it had started foaming over the top. Got it cleaned up and moved it to a cooler part of the house and put a cookie tray under it to contain any more disasters.
Got home tonight to a "lava flow" of yeast. Got it all cleaned up, back on the stir plate, and within 5-10 minutes, this is where it's at. It looks like I should have plenty of yeast for the beer, EdWort's Haus Pale Ale, and hopefully I won't be over pitching, but clearly the yeast are active and ready to go. This was the first I ever stepped up a starter and it will make me rethink how I do it next time.
I'd like to let this thing ferment out and then chill it. I'm hoping it's under control for when I go to bed tonight.
I don't have a big enough flask for 2 liters, so I did a 1.5L starter with 200 grams of extra light DME and have that 48 hours on the stir plate. Yesterday, I chilled it to get the yeast to drop while I got another 1.5 liters and 200 grams of DME boiled and chilled. I dumped the liquid off the starter, let it warm up, and then dumped the new wort onto the yeast and put it back on the stir plate.
This morning at 5 am, I got up to find it had started foaming over the top. Got it cleaned up and moved it to a cooler part of the house and put a cookie tray under it to contain any more disasters.
Got home tonight to a "lava flow" of yeast. Got it all cleaned up, back on the stir plate, and within 5-10 minutes, this is where it's at. It looks like I should have plenty of yeast for the beer, EdWort's Haus Pale Ale, and hopefully I won't be over pitching, but clearly the yeast are active and ready to go. This was the first I ever stepped up a starter and it will make me rethink how I do it next time.
I'd like to let this thing ferment out and then chill it. I'm hoping it's under control for when I go to bed tonight.