[davidgzach]

Hey fellow brewers! Long time no talk.  Sorry, I don't work from home anymore so can't sit around and chat.  I hope you are all well and brewing great beer!

My buddy brought me a bottle of Westvleteren from his last trip to Europe.  For those that don't know about this beer, definitely Google it and read the story.  I am sitting with it now and have to say can understand why it was voted the best beer in the world....

I wanted to try and propagate the yeast so please critique my process and let me know your thoughts.

I made a 3/4 liter starter at 1.030 and hit it with O2 for about 30 seconds.  Not on a stir plate as it's currently being used so put in a half gallon jug with a stopper and plan to open and swirl whenever possible.  If I see some activity, I'll decant and make another 1 liter starter at 1.035 and step it up to whatever I need to make a beer after that.  Thoughts?

[denny]

Don't bother.  It likely won't be all that healthy and WY3787 is the same thing.

[davidgzach]

Don't bother.  It likely won't be all that healthy and WY3787 is the same thing.

Thanks for the buzz-kill Denny!  You lose a batch of beer or something?   

[denny]

Don't bother.  It likely won't be all that healthy and WY3787 is the same thing.

Thanks for the buzz-kill Denny!  You lose a batch of beer or something?   

Sorry, man...you know how I feel about return for effort.  If you really want to do it yourself, what you propose is fine....although I would have started in about half as much wort at 1.020.  I just want ya to make the best beer possible without wasting your effort.  Between the strength of the beer and the travel, the yeast won't be in great shape.  Not to say it won't work, but....

[davidgzach]

All good bud.  Have not done it before so something new to give a try.  Just another notch in my homebrew resume.....and I was worried 1.030 was a little high.  Oh well.

Dave

[erockrph]

I've only done it a few times, but it has worked for me so far. I start by adding about an ounce of 1.020 wort to the dregs in the bottle. It usually takes a few days to see a small krausen form. By a week or so I step it up once more in the bottle by filling it about 1/2 to 2/3 full with my usual strength starter wort. From there I'll pitch it into a half gallon starter for the final step.

I don't bother decanting the step up starters since I want to get any yeast still in suspension as well. Saccharomyces strains get capped with foil and swirled frequently, while sours get a stopper and airlock to keep oxygen out.

I've heard others recommend using a very small amount of wort for the initial step (barely enough to cover the dregs), but by using a little more you can actually see and smell whether things are progressing as hoped.

[cornershot]

Isn't wlp530 rumored to be the westmalle/westvleteren strain?

[HoosierBrew]

Yep.   WLP530/WY3787 according to Stan in BLAM.

[davidgzach]

I've only done it a few times, but it has worked for me so far. I start by adding about an ounce of 1.020 wort to the dregs in the bottle. It usually takes a few days to see a small krausen form. By a week or so I step it up once more in the bottle by filling it about 1/2 to 2/3 full with my usual strength starter wort. From there I'll pitch it into a half gallon starter for the final step.

I don't bother decanting the step up starters since I want to get any yeast still in suspension as well. Saccharomyces strains get capped with foil and swirled frequently, while sours get a stopper and airlock to keep oxygen out.

I've heard others recommend using a very small amount of wort for the initial step (barely enough to cover the dregs), but by using a little more you can actually see and smell whether things are progressing as hoped.

Good info, thanks.  Do you think I went too big on the first step to 3/4 liter?

[denny]

I've only done it a few times, but it has worked for me so far. I start by adding about an ounce of 1.020 wort to the dregs in the bottle. It usually takes a few days to see a small krausen form. By a week or so I step it up once more in the bottle by filling it about 1/2 to 2/3 full with my usual strength starter wort. From there I'll pitch it into a half gallon starter for the final step.

I don't bother decanting the step up starters since I want to get any yeast still in suspension as well. Saccharomyces strains get capped with foil and swirled frequently, while sours get a stopper and airlock to keep oxygen out.

I've heard others recommend using a very small amount of wort for the initial step (barely enough to cover the dregs), but by using a little more you can actually see and smell whether things are progressing as hoped.

Good info, thanks.  Do you think I went too big on the first step to 3/4 liter?

We'll see, huh?

[davidgzach]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^LOL, good point! 

[morticaixavier]

I've only done it a few times, but it has worked for me so far. I start by adding about an ounce of 1.020 wort to the dregs in the bottle. It usually takes a few days to see a small krausen form. By a week or so I step it up once more in the bottle by filling it about 1/2 to 2/3 full with my usual strength starter wort. From there I'll pitch it into a half gallon starter for the final step.

I don't bother decanting the step up starters since I want to get any yeast still in suspension as well. Saccharomyces strains get capped with foil and swirled frequently, while sours get a stopper and airlock to keep oxygen out.

I've heard others recommend using a very small amount of wort for the initial step (barely enough to cover the dregs), but by using a little more you can actually see and smell whether things are progressing as hoped.

Good info, thanks.  Do you think I went too big on the first step to 3/4 liter?

not sure about this particular beer but I have had good luck propagating from dregs starting with a 3/4 cup starter as the first step. Then I add another pint after a few days. I crash that and pitch it into a normal starter for a batch.

**Edit to Mention**
I actually just did this last night with a bottle of 'merican' saison.

[reverseapachemaster]

I think you'll be fine with your starter. That strain is fierce.

[1vertical]

Next time go with one ounce or so...then just double volumes from there IF you
get activity.

[davidgzach]

So I added 1250 ml of 1.035 wort to make it 2000ml of about 1.030 wort and put it on the stir plate.  Next step will be a full blown starter.  Looks like it's gonna work.  Now I hope the beer turns out good!

Dave