Stir plate = Huge difference

[Britinusa]

I made a starter with my stir plate last night and WOW what a difference in the amount of yeast produced compared to the "Shake when you go by" method
I have 4 times the yeast I started with!
What im doing is buying a vial of yeast then growing it to produce more vials, then ill use one of those to make another starter and pitch this weekend.

 

[eastoak]

4 times in one go?

 

[Britinusa]

Yes, 4 times the yeast in one go!
It has been running since 7pm yesterday and I shut it off at 6pm today

 

[Ocharbonneau]

The only way you can know for sure how much yeast cells you have its by counting them with a microscope...
4 times... I doubt it

 

[Hamaki]

Isn't the increase governed to a great extent by the volume of starter wort vs volume of yeast inoculated? I'm not arguing for or against 4X increase in 24 hours but am curious what volume the OP used and how 4X was determined/estimated. I assume it originated with one newly purchased white labs vial.

 

[EarlyAmateurZymurgist]

Actually, it's not uncommon to get achieve a five-fold increase in yeast biomass. Maribeth Raines covers the differences in biomass growth rates in an article that she wrote entitled "Yeast Propagation and Maintenance: Principles and Practices."

http://www.maltosefalcons.com/tech/yeast-propagation-and-maintenance-principles-and-practices

Maribeth is an expert brewer who just also happens to hold a Ph.D. in microbiology. She was the brains behind Brewtek. Brewtek is the company that introduced the culture that we know today as Wyeast 1450 Denny's Favorite 50 to the amateur brewing community (the culture was originally known as Brewtek CL-50 California Pub Brewery Ale). Her yeast culturing kit and pamphlet taught an entire generation of amateur brewers how to plate and slant yeast. I really miss being able to purchase yeast cultures on slant at home brew trade price points.

 

[Britinusa]

Here's what I got, from one vial

 

[MrNickVT]

This gives me even more reason to pick up or buy a stir plate!

 

[tagz]

Here's what I got, from one vial View attachment 164109

And you know he means business cause he's wearing his business socks.

 

[TimelessCynic]

Stir plates are amazing. I built mine using a nintendo enclosure. I love propagating yeast with it. Think I will do it today.

 

[eastoak]

Stir plates are amazing. I built mine using a nintendo enclosure. I love propagating yeast with it. Think I will do it today.

View attachment 164122

you win.

 

[PRE66_6TART]

Stir plates are amazing. I built mine using a nintendo enclosure. I love propagating yeast with it. Think I will do it today.

That is awesome, although I am a little sad that the world has lost a Nintendo

 

[EarlyAmateurZymurgist]

Stir plates are amazing. I built mine using a nintendo enclosure. I love propagating yeast with it. Think I will do it today.

View attachment 164122

Now, that's a good example of "outside of the box" thinking!

 

[Jayhem]

Thanks for the reminder that I need to get around to building my stir plate!

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Stir plate = continuous aeration. Nothing more nothing less.

 

[EarlyAmateurZymurgist]

Stir plate = continuous aeration. Nothing more nothing less.

A stir plate also keeps the culture in suspension.