Sammus
Amateur Brewer
- Joined
- 16/3/06
- Messages
- 3,226
- Reaction score
- 13
Alright, so I whip up an IIPA the other day, and after all my efforts of building up a starter for this monster (which actually happened to come out much smaller than expected...stupid inefficiency) I had about 1cm of compacted white yeast on the bottom of a 500ml jar (after washing).
OK, so I'm thinking all these people talk about needing 1-2L of slurry for a good start. At the time I was thinking "damnit I couldnt get anywhere near 1-2L, this is only like 50ml! hopefully this will get it started before an infection sets in". Well needless to say, it took off like a rocket.
My question is why the hell do people talk in "yeast slurry"? that has to be the most ambiguous useless descriptor ive come across in brewing. I'm guessing a 1L of slurry is pitching a yeast into 1L of wort and shaking it up once its fermented out. Thats bad enough in itself, because depending on how much yeast you start with, and if/how you step up to 1L, the cell count would have to vary lot (not even mentioning type of yeast and temperature and other environmental factors).
That off my chest, I get to my question. Can someone tell me the approximate number of cells in the compact white sludge you get after putting a washed yeast/water mixture in the fridge for a few days? I can't seem to find it anywhere (I thought this would be the most common way of approximating yeast cell count?)
I did find this topic, but that relies on the percentage of solids after settling. I can't see how that makes it any better? when I wash my yeast, I'm sure I add a different amount of water each time I fill the jar a shake it, and then once the yeast has packed down in the fridge, I keep changing the water on top till it remains clear. once its clear I only bother keeping it under about 1cm of water. So the percentage of solids doesnt make any sense here.
I am aware that the tight packed white layer isnt pure viable yeast, but surely its going to have a roughly similar percentage of viable yeast from culture to culture. Even if it isnt all that similar, itd sure as hell have to closer than unwashed trub shaken up in the starter method.
OK, so I'm thinking all these people talk about needing 1-2L of slurry for a good start. At the time I was thinking "damnit I couldnt get anywhere near 1-2L, this is only like 50ml! hopefully this will get it started before an infection sets in". Well needless to say, it took off like a rocket.
My question is why the hell do people talk in "yeast slurry"? that has to be the most ambiguous useless descriptor ive come across in brewing. I'm guessing a 1L of slurry is pitching a yeast into 1L of wort and shaking it up once its fermented out. Thats bad enough in itself, because depending on how much yeast you start with, and if/how you step up to 1L, the cell count would have to vary lot (not even mentioning type of yeast and temperature and other environmental factors).
That off my chest, I get to my question. Can someone tell me the approximate number of cells in the compact white sludge you get after putting a washed yeast/water mixture in the fridge for a few days? I can't seem to find it anywhere (I thought this would be the most common way of approximating yeast cell count?)
I did find this topic, but that relies on the percentage of solids after settling. I can't see how that makes it any better? when I wash my yeast, I'm sure I add a different amount of water each time I fill the jar a shake it, and then once the yeast has packed down in the fridge, I keep changing the water on top till it remains clear. once its clear I only bother keeping it under about 1cm of water. So the percentage of solids doesnt make any sense here.
I am aware that the tight packed white layer isnt pure viable yeast, but surely its going to have a roughly similar percentage of viable yeast from culture to culture. Even if it isnt all that similar, itd sure as hell have to closer than unwashed trub shaken up in the starter method.