wyeast

[voodoochild7]

I have been using white labs yeast partly because others I know have used it and partly because it's pitchable. I have been reading about wyeast and some people I have read just smack the pack let it swell and toss in the wort others make a starter. I was just wondering what is best in case I decide to try a different yeast.

 

[God Emporer BillyBrew]

I've heard it recommended that you use a starter even with the smack pack. I think from John Palmers website. So it's still just as much work and you have to smack it even earlier.

 

[justbrewit]

i've never had to make a starter using a smack pack. i just smack, swell and pitch. theres supposed to be like 100 billion cells in the packs, if thats not enought to start, i don't know what is.

 

[El Pistolero]

Which is best is really a matter of opinion...if you're not going to make a starter, then the smack paks at least will give you a postive sign that the yeast is viable. But you really should make a starter, and in that case it's probably six of one, half dozen of the other.

 

[david_42]

The smack pac is a starter, although somewhat small. Like all liquid yeasts, they have a limited shelf life, so one has to check the dates and give them more time to swell if they're older. (now there's a problem I understand) I've had very good success with them even when I just smacked them at the store and then went home and brewed.

 

[Walker]

starters are good for helping save money on yeast. those smackers are about $5 each. That's pretty pricey, IMHO.

I just started using smackpacks, and after the first one decided I wanted to get the most out of my money, so I now make 1 quart starters, pitch 1/2 of that into my beer, and save the other half in the fridge to be used for a second batch.

The wife doesn't seem to really mind the plastic soda bottles full of yeast in the fridge, and if I can just get 2 batches out of a smacker, then the price is much more pleasant to me.

-walker

 

[Darth Konvel]

Lower gravity beers you can smack and pitch without much trouble. I'd recommend making a starter regardless of how heavy a beer you're making though.

The smack pack gives the yeast food to make sure they're alive, but it won't really strengthen your cell count. With a starter, they have air to breath, which helps them multiply. You can also divide up your starter to use over multiple batches to save some $.

 

[voodoochild7]

maybe I'll give them ago. So far my white labs batches have had no problem and started after as little as 3 hours.

 

[Walker]

wow.. 8 messages in 8 minutes. I guess we were all hear at the same time!

-walker

 

[Truble]

I am just getting started in this here brewing game, and have only used dry yeast so far, but in both batches, I rehydrated for 30 minutes, and then proofed with some LME for a while (1 hour on the first batch, 2 hours on the second)-the second lived up to it's name (Banshee Red) by thrashing about and blowing out the 3 piece!

I would like to try liquid yeast, though, and save batches for re-using, but I am waiting until I get a dedicated fridge for the operation...

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

I've been pitching my entire 1-2L starter at full krausen (or relatively close to it) and I've just started washing yeast from the primary for re-use. I swirl the trub with some water and pour it into a 2L pitcher. After that has settled out some I decant the yeast-laden liquid into as many little jelly jars as I want and in the fridge they go. By morning there is a little yeast cake on the bottom of each jar, about as much as a White Labs vial, I'd guess. I've made two successful starters by pitching the contents of one jar into 2L or wort, so I guess it's working. I'm expecting to get more than 10 batches from one starter, depending on how long I stay with recipes on that strain and how long-term viability of the yeast in the fridge pans out.

 

[God Emporer BillyBrew]

The wife doesn't seem to really mind the plastic soda bottles full of yeast in the fridge, and if I can just get 2 batches out of a smacker, then the price is much more pleasant to me.

-walker

So how long do they keep? And do you think you could do it with a dry yeast?

 

[2nd Street Brewery]

Every time I come here I get something new from the site. While I have begun making starters with my WL yeast I never thought to split it and use some on the next batch of brew. Since I am finally settling in on a style of beer that I will be brewing regularly this will help cut costs which is good.
God I love this place.

 

[voodoochild7]

do you store these things in the fridge with caps on or and airlock or can I get some instructions to making these things to store 'em or direct me to where I can?

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

do you store these things in the fridge with caps on or and airlock or can I get some instructions to making these things to store 'em or direct me to where I can?

I just screw a sanitized lid on and stick 'em in the fridge. There's no real activity going on at those temperatures so an airlock is unnecessary. It's essentially the same thing as a White Labs vial, and in theory there's nothing much in there to ferment, anyways (I'm referring to washed yeast from trub, not splitting starters).

 

[user 574]

So how long do they keep? And do you think you could do it with a dry yeast?

How long they keep isn't very clear in my mind. However I have 3 bottles of saved WL Belgium Yeast that's been in the fridge for 2+ months now and I'm starting to get itchy on that. Because of this it is extremely important to do a starter to make sure it actually is still healthy/alive before use.

I'd not bother with dry yeast. When you start using strains for the correct style of brew via liq yeast you get into this game for price management.

do you store these things in the fridge with caps on or and airlock or can I get some instructions to making these things to store 'em or direct me to where I can?

Yes the fridge. I use Grolsch flip-tops to store it in. 1/2 full. The pressure in these after 1st bottled can become VERY high. You're to burp them on occasion to release some of the pressure and why I like the swing tops for this purpose. My burp schedule is within 24h of bottling burp. Then maybe 3 days later, then once more after a week and then leave them alone. I saved some Amer Hefe Yeast and didn't burp until 48h later and the pressure was huge (felt it on my face just by barely opening). Without a burp you could get a mess later, broken bottle. Search this site for Save Yeast Slurry. Topic comes up probably once a month.