Renewing The Yeast Cultures

[Chad]

Has anyone given the LP9716 Tubes a go. I can see that I would be able to throw the tubes into a pressure cooker, but how will the caps go?
I see from this table that the caps would have to be a High Density PE, but the product description doesn't differentiate between LD and HD.

Has any found 10mm tubes to be too small anyway? Would the 30ml be a better option? I'm just trying to save space in my already limited fridge.

 

[Vlad the Pale Aler]

Chad, I bought 100 of the LP9716 tubes. Too small and fiddly, go with the 30ml. I boiled the tubes and caps together with no problems.

I've had a go at slanting and can't decide if its really worth the stuffing around, with the increased risk of infection and failure.
I will use the tubes to split up packs of fresh yeast and reanimate from them, much easier and safer.

 

[mikelinz]

Has anyone given the LP9716 Tubes a go. I can see that I would be able to throw the tubes into a pressure cooker, but how will the caps go?
I see from this table that the caps would have to be a High Density PE, but the product description doesn't differentiate between LD and HD.

Has any found 10mm tubes to be too small anyway? Would the 30ml be a better option? I'm just trying to save space in my already limited fridge.

I went with LP9025 for 2 reasons 30ml, easier to work with (yup uses a bit more medium but costs bugger all) and both lid (PP) and container (PP) can be autoclaved, for when i get around to getting a pressure cooker. You can boil/pressure cook these with lid screwed on and they won't collapse when they cool down. I offered to do a bulk buy but didnt get any feed back. Still could.

 

[hockadays]

I went with LP9025 for 2 reasons 30ml, easier to work with (yup uses a bit more medium but costs bugger all) and both lid (PP) and container (PP) can be autoclaved, for when i get around to getting a pressure cooker. You can boil/pressure cook these with lid screwed on and they won't collapse when they cool down. I offered to do a bulk buy but didnt get any feed back. Still could.

Same here and the 30ml are easy to step up in when you want to use them.

 

[Chad]

Thanks guys, 30ml it is.

 

[mikelinz]

Chad, I bought 100 of the LP9716 tubes. Too small and fiddly, go with the 30ml. I boiled the tubes and caps together with no problems.

I've had a go at slanting and can't decide if its really worth the stuffing around, with the increased risk of infection and failure.
I will use the tubes to split up packs of fresh yeast and reanimate from them, much easier and safer.

I guess you are missing the one point of stanting. If the slant is contaminated you can see it as all non yeast populations will grow visually differant. There is no visual check if you simply split you yeast while there is potentially an increased risk of contamination. Also slanting allows you to grow on populations whereas just spliting the pak means that you will still have to buy new ones just not as often.

rgds mike

 

[Vlad the Pale Aler]

I guess you are missing the one point of stanting. If the slant is contaminated you can see it as all non yeast populations will grow visually differant. There is no visual check if you simply split you yeast while there is potentially an increased risk of contamination. Also slanting allows you to grow on populations whereas just spliting the pak means that you will still have to buy new ones just not as often.

rgds mike

Thanks Mike, but at $9.80 for a smackpack, as opposed to the time it takes to play with slants, I'll take the risk.

 

[schooey]

I read a lot about this topic now, but I still have a couple of questions. Maybe they have been covered off, but I can't find where, so anyway...

I read somewhere that a a few people make up their media by boiling some LME, Agar Agar and Yeast nutrient and then put it in their vials that have been pressure cooked. From the impression I got, they then pressure cook the whole lot again to sterilise? If this is the case, do you do that with the lid on or off the vial? and if it is off, how do you stop all the condensate in the pressure cooker filling up in the vials?

:blink: Maybe I'm way off here...

 

[braufrau]

OK .. haven't done it yet but ...

put the unsterilised vials with a agar/malt solution and pressure cook.
The lid has to be on or its not pressure cooking, and it will only get to 100C.

 

[schooey]

:lol:.. I didn't mean does the lid need to be on the pressure cooker, I get that bit, I meant does the lid need to be on the vials in the pressure cooker to avoid them fillng up with moisture?

 

[MCT]

I read a lot about this topic now, but I still have a couple of questions. Maybe they have been covered off, but I can't find where, so anyway...

I read somewhere that a a few people make up their media by boiling some LME, Agar Agar and Yeast nutrient and then put it in their vials that have been pressure cooked. From the impression I got, they then pressure cook the whole lot again to sterilise? If this is the case, do you do that with the lid on or off the vial? and if it is off, how do you stop all the condensate in the pressure cooker filling up in the vials?

:blink: Maybe I'm way off here...

Good question Schooey, I've been wondering this too.
All the guides I've read have said to sterilize with the lids off the vials, which has lead to alot of condensation forming drops at the bottom of the slanted media.
My slants have ended up looking like this:

 

[braufrau]

LOL!

I think I'm suffering from sugar poisoning! Sorry about that.

OK .. I don't know .. but I'm planning on just sitting them on top.
Then I was going to screw them on with sanitised hands.

This ppt thingy about autoclaving says to vent lids on solutions. linky
and this link on propogating orchids also says to leave them on loosely.
linky

Better wait 'til someone who knows answers.

 

[Sprungmonkey]

MCT - why don't you just tip the condensate out before innoculating the slants?

 

[braufrau]

Well I've done mine and I put the lids on top, but didn't screw them on until they were done. Aren't they pretty?

The bit of fencing wire was autoclaved too as well as the little jar for putting aside some starter for inoculation in.

 

[Vlad the Pale Aler]

Well I've done mine and I put the lids on top, but didn't screw them on until they were done. Aren't they pretty?

The bit of fencing wire was autoclaved too as well as the little jar for putting aside some starter for inoculation in.

During my short slanting career I used a large darning needle, looped end, to inoculate the slants, worked quite well.

 

[braufrau]

During my short slanting career I used a large darning needle, looped end, to inoculate the slants, worked quite well.

That would certainly be more elegant!
I looked through my sewing box but couldn't find one quite the right size then hit upon the fencing wire idea.
I think that's what's known as "a bit agrigultural!".

 

[mickoz]

I've only ever used an electric steamer to sterilise my slants after filling them with malt jelly. Seems to work fine as I have had no infections and it is a whole lot easier than mucking with a pressure cooker.

I will take some photos next weekend and post them here as I have run out of clean slants and need to make more. I actually use specimen jars, they're a bit easier to handle I think.

Mick

 

[Chad]

I'm now another step closer to preparing my slants .
Found a very decent priced pressure cooker from Victoria's Basement which I just ordered. Went for the slightly better model as I want to use it for cooking as well. I don't know what this company is like as this my first purchase from them.

 

[hoohaaman]

I guess you are missing the one point of stanting. If the slant is contaminated you can see it as all non yeast populations will grow visually differant. There is no visual check if you simply split you yeast while there is potentially an increased risk of contamination. Also slanting allows you to grow on populations whereas just spliting the pak means that you will still have to buy new ones just not as often.

rgds mike

Well mikelinz,I didn't want 100 plus slants in the fridge.So I took your advice and culture off one.Took all precautions,flame above working area ect.

First reculture from slant success,contaminate original slant seems not.I think the single slant(have 3 backups)will last many brews.Will of course do visual,smell and taste to proof.But I'm a convert and will be buying proper equiupment.

Thanks

 

[mikelinz]

Thanks Mike, but at $9.80 for a smackpack, as opposed to the time it takes to play with slants, I'll take the risk.

Where are you buying them for $9.80 Vlad