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Author Topic: Old yeast starter  (Read 3091 times)

Offline mtbrewer

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Old yeast starter
« on: November 30, 2009, 04:43:44 pm »
This past spring I was planning a BW using 1272. I made a  2L starter then bumped it up to 2.5 gallons. Then life got complicated and I could not make the batch. I put it away in a sterile mason jar in the beer fridge. That was in May, I really didn't give it a second thought, until now. I am wondering how much of the yeast is still viable, can it still be good? I am thinking of making a gallon of 1.030 wort and pitching it, but I am on the fence about using it. Anybody ever have a similar situation? Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

Offline a10t2

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Re: Old yeast starter
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2009, 06:16:37 pm »
There should be plenty of yeast in there; I routinely culture up things that are over a year old.

I would start MUCH smaller than a gallon. 250 mL at first, then go to 1 L. That should get you around 100B cells, which you can then pitch into your full volume.
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Offline bo_gator

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Re: Old yeast starter
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2009, 06:17:42 pm »
Yeah what he said
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Offline mtbrewer

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Re: Old yeast starter
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2009, 06:53:21 pm »
There should be plenty of yeast in there; I routinely culture up things that are over a year old.

I would start MUCH smaller than a gallon. 250 mL at first, then go to 1 L. That should get you around 100B cells, which you can then pitch into your full volume.
There is about 8oz. of slurry there. Are you saying to pitch the whole amount into 250ml., then work it up. That would be about a 50/50 start, or use less of the slurry like 125 ml?

Offline a10t2

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Re: Old yeast starter
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2009, 07:12:12 pm »
A few tens of mL should be plenty.
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Offline mtbrewer

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Re: Old yeast starter
« Reply #5 on: November 30, 2009, 07:17:09 pm »
Thanks!