Why starter with washed yeast?

[Beer_Eugenics]

I always have plenty of washed yeast on hand and depending on O.G. will determine how many jars I will pitch. So why use a starter it seems like an extra step for infection plus more money for DME? Or am I missing something?

 

[Dan]

Sounds like you have plenty of experience using washed yeast and wonder why use a starter, Right?

Starters just build up the yeast cell count. If you aren't having any problems with washed yeast then don't change anything.

 

[1Mainebrew]

Except that viability goes down quickly after harvest...that and its glycogen stores are insufficient to give a good growth phase after as little as a week without a starter.

 

[pabloj13]

I always have plenty of washed yeast on hand and depending on O.G. will determine how many jars I will pitch. So why use a starter it seems like an extra step for infection plus more money for DME? Or am I missing something?

It just depends on the volume of slurry you have and the age (viability) of the culture. If the culture gets old and you underpitch, 50 cents worth of DME seems like a small price to pay to potentially cause off flavors in your $20-50 batch of beer. Plus if you follow proper sanitization procedures, the risk of infection is very minimal.

 

[Revvy]

I do it to help wake the washed yeast up after being dormant in my fridge for a period of time.

 

[Gear101]

I personally did mine the other way, I took “fresh” yeast and made a couple big starters and then cut them in half. Half to save for the next starter and half to pitch, that way I can help avoid any off favors or colors.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I personally did mine the other way, I took “fresh” yeast and made a couple big starters and then cut them in half. Half to save for the next starter and half to pitch, that way I can help avoid any off favors or colors.

That's what I do as well. IMHO it means the tastes of the previous brew do ot end up in the current batch. I usually do a starter cold crash, decant and harvest 4 preform tubes ( the container white labs packages their strains in) then i re-feed and pitch 24 hours later. That gives me 3 more batches with a particular strain without the need to reharvest. The 4th propogation restarts the process. Pretty simple, considering I'm making a starter anyway.

 

[Gear101]

I too stany my WL tubes and re-fill them. I really don't need much more than that. If i can double the amount of yeast that WL sends out, one I have plent of yeast for my next brew and second I don't have to store and toose all of those jars that I just have washed too much yeast, but I only make about 200-300 gallons a year.

 

[Beer_Eugenics]

I do it to help wake the washed yeast up after being dormant in my fridge for a period of time.

Even with a coffee stout? j/k Thanks for the feedback.