Yeast starters from a yeast starter... ?

[joshF]

Hey fellas,
After only using liquid yeast once before (for a hefeweizen), I bought some of the WLP009 (Australian ale) over the weekend and wanted to know if i can replicate this yeast into multiple starters as i'd like to use this a few times if possible, especially considering the price tag!

Could i simply make a yeast starter for say 2 litres in my erlenmeyer and run it on the stirplate for a day or so and then pour this starter into a bunch of smaller containers? I was thinking those kids pop-top 200ml juice bottles would be useful or could a few PET bottles? If this is feasable i'd obviously have to use those to make another starter in the future before i used it aswell?

I've read the forums and read the reculturing yeast from bottles and re-using yeast cakes etc but couldn't find anything about making multiple starters from an original starter...

Can you beer guru's out there advise or point me in the right direction of how i can best mutliply the original little vial?

Cheers guys,
Josh

 

[donburke]

i make a starter that will give me an estimated 500 billion cells, i use this calculator to estimate the size of the starter i need

http://yeastcalc.com/

i then let the yeast settle and decant all but 500ml of the solution

i rouse the remaining solution and decant into 5 x 100ml schott lab jars (those blue lid ones) and store until next needed, i use the date i made the starter as the date to calculate viability (each jar should start with an estimated 100 billion cells)

 

[seamad]

This will give you a heads up, check out wolfy's one too
http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/45866-splitting-a-wyeast-smack-pack/

 

[joshF]

Thanks for the links! Is it neccessary to decant all the remaning liquid or can i just pour the whole lot into a few bottles whilst the yeast are all aroused/floating around?

That calculator is really handy, i've worked out that if i make a 2L starter with 200g LDME, i should end up with basically triple the number of cells i originally started with so i could end up with 3 bottles of the yeast with around the same cell count as the original white labs vial. Does this sound correct? If so, then this is alot easier than i thought!!!!

Also since the starters aren't that big in volume, do you still check the gravity or are there more visual signs used for such a small scale?

cheers,
Josh

 

[donburke]

Thanks for the links! Is it neccessary to decant all the remaning liquid or can i just pour the whole lot into a few bottles whilst the yeast are all aroused/floating around?

you can keep all the liquid, the yeast will settle eventually

That calculator is really handy, i've worked out that if i make a 2L starter with 200g LDME, i should end up with basically triple the number of cells i originally started with so i could end up with 3 bottles of the yeast with around the same cell count as the original white labs vial. Does this sound correct? If so, then this is alot easier than i thought!!!!

you should be aiming for an innoculation rate of 50million per litre, triple sounds about right according to the calculator

Also since the starters aren't that big in volume, do you still check the gravity or are there more visual signs used for such a small scale?

cheers,
Josh

i usually look for the krausen to die back down and check there is no more co2 bubbles rising, almost certainly done and dusted in 48 hours with the stir plate going at room temp

 

[joshF]

Thanks Don,

On that calculator, can someone clarify the difference between the two stirplate methods? I can't see an option there for 'Computer fan with plastic lunchbox' hahahahaha.

No but seriously there appears to be a substantial difference between the efficiency of the Troester and Zainesheff methods so i'm curious which one the DIY stirplate best replicates.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

The easy ways

No1
Take your pack and make up a 2 litre starter in a soft drink bottle.let this ferment for a week.
Take 6x600 ml drink bottles and split the 2lt into each bottle evenly. Top up each bottle with worth at around sg 1020.
Now you have 6 fresh starters to make a 2lt starter from. Just store in the fridge

No 2

Make a 2lt starter in pour into 23 of wort. Halfway thru fermentation when sg is about 1020 draw out 2lt from the tap into a bottle . This is your new starter

 

[Nick JD]

WLP009 is available at virtually every suburban shopping area in fresh amounts to build up a starter from.

$3.15 per innoculation. And it comes with a free schooner of beer.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

?

 

[Nick JD]

?

Have a guess where White Labs source their Australian Ale strain from...

 

[Yob]

My beard

 

[Truman42]

Have a guess where White Labs source their Australian Ale strain from...

I give up..... where????? Coopers???

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Have a guess where White Labs source their Australian Ale strain from...

hope its not the skanks at the local shopping center drinking VB

 

[Nick JD]

I give up..... where????? Coopers???

Is there another Australian Ale?

 

[hoppy2B]

I love the Coopers yeast.

 

[joshF]

How you reckon this yeast would go in a James Squire 150 Lashes clone?

 

[hoppy2B]

How you reckon this yeast would go in a James Squire 150 Lashes clone?

I just Googled the 150 Lashes and it says its cloudy. Coopers yeast tends to flocculate very well so perhaps if you're after a crystal version. US05 might do a better job of bringing out the hop flavours it mentions. Coopers tends to produce some esters and I also have had some tartness from it.
Maybe the Wy1010 might be the go.