Jamils new pitching calculator kicks ass

[Speyedr]

Well, I don't know what RDWHAHB means, and I wasn't around for the yeast tubes, but amen to the rest brotha!

[DannyW]

Well, I don't know what RDWHAHB means...

It's the catchphrase from the Godfather of Homebrewing (Charlie P)'s original book "The Joy of Homebrewing."

Relax, don't worry, have a homebrew.

Sort of a mantra for homebrewers that start to overthink and worry they will ruin something. Barley wants to be beer! We just have to get the ingredients close to each other and they know what to do.

[Speyedr]

Well, I don't know what RDWHAHB means...

It's the catchphrase from the Godfather of Homebrewing (Charlie P)'s original book "The Joy of Homebrewing."

Relax, don't worry, have a homebrew.

Sort of a mantra for homebrewers that start to overthink and worry they will ruin something. Barley wants to be beer! We just have to get the ingredients close to each other and they know what to do.

I know the book... and the mantra, just never saw the acronym before.

[jamilz]

My point is that this calculator gets us closer to where we need/want to be than most of us were before it. If you really want to nail those variables down you can always use a microscope to check the concentration and viability. If not, you can just pump in some conservative estimates and go from there. If your viability is really 10% and you estimate 1%, you'll be OK.

Rob, exactly what I would have said. It is just a best-guess estimate and probably the best you're going to get without doing some lab work.

[jamilz]

Oh, I forgot to ask, why in the world would you use a yeast slurry that is a year or more old? You really shouldn't use a slurry that is less than 90% viable.

[bperetto]

Oh, I forgot to ask, why in the world would you use a yeast slurry that is a year or more old? You really shouldn't use a slurry that is less than 90% viable.

Slurry in these cases is the yeast goo I've saved from a fermenter and kept sealed in a fridge (just to be clear, here- I don't want people thinking I'm leaving a fermenter full of yeast in my basement or anything).

Why? How many yeast strains are there? How many styles of beer are there? Sometimes I don't have a reason to use a certain strain of yeast for a while. Anything over a few months old, I give a wake-up call with a starter before using, of course. Though some people have taken my slurry of 9+ months old and pitched it directly without incident.

I've never had the slightest problem using slurry (or a commercial package of yeast) that is 2 years old. So my question would be, why WOULDN'T you use it? Unless you like spending money on something you already have.

[jamilz]

So, when you say you "know" the viability of your yeast at 2 years is much higher, you're saying that based on standard measurements with stain and microscope or your feeling that it is OK?

The reason you don't repitch such an old slurry is that the vast majority of that yeast is dead. Bacteria has taken over, feasting on the nutrients coughed up by the dead yeast. The dead yeast will also contribute a burnt rubber, meaty flavor and aroma and will impact head retention.

If you want to store a rare strain of yeast, the proper method for the average brewer is to store it on slants. However, it is cheaper and easier to let White Labs or Wyeast do the work for you (and they do it perfectly). The only reason to get into yeast ranching is if you can't get White Labs or Wyeast, or they don't have a strain you need, or you're just geeked about playing with yeast.

[Speyedr]

The only reason to get into yeast ranching is if you can't get White Labs or Wyeast, or they don't have a strain you need, or you're just geeked about playing with yeast.

OR if you KNOW that the oil is running out, no matter what THEY say, and you want to be sure you will have your favorites during all of the chaos when our capitalist society is brought to it's knees and we find ourselves in a barter society for our very survival, and the only thing we have to trade is our women and our homebrew....

but I digress...