Jamil's Pitching Rate Calculator with Wyeast Propagator pack

[Brandt]

BrewerB: There are several methods and theories for harvesting yeast. I have tried top croppping with favorable results (ie. taking a scoop of the krausen during active fermentation.) But a no hassle method is to simply rack your beer off the yeast, and re-use the slurry. Then you want to make sure the mouth of the carboy is sanitized. I use rubbing alcohol. I tried to flame the mouth once and cracked my carboy, so I stopped doing that.

Then I just pour as much slurry as will fit into a sanitized mason jar. This should keep for a few months in the refrigerator. I routinely go at least 5 and up to 10 generations this way. It's not the most selective method as you aren't seperating the healthiest yeast from the sluggish/dead cells, but it is simple and effective. Lag times for me are usually under 6 hours.

[jaken]

If it were me, I would step it up once. First starter with that small pack in a 500 ml starter,let it ferment out, then pour that into 1500 ml of wort to give you 2000ml, and go from there unless you are doing a real big beer.

Barry

why would you do this? why not just make a 2L starter from the beginning?

your contamination is HUGH if you do that. by the time you pitch your yeast into your beer you'll be putting those yeasts through 3 lag phases. Yeast populations can double every 2-4 hours until they exceed their food supply. To re-pitch a starter into a slightly larger starter will only introduce another lag phase of yeast growth and you'll end up with less yeast than if you just did a 2L stater from the beginning.

[oneal66]

If it were me, I would step it up once. First starter with that small pack in a 500 ml starter,let it ferment out, then pour that into 1500 ml of wort to give you 2000ml, and go from there unless you are doing a real big beer.

Barry

why would you do this? why not just make a 2L starter from the beginning?

your contamination is HUGH if you do that. by the time you pitch your yeast into your beer you'll be putting those yeasts through 3 lag phases. Yeast populations can double every 2-4 hours until they exceed their food supply. To re-pitch a starter into a slightly larger starter will only introduce another lag phase of yeast growth and you'll end up with less yeast than if you just did a 2L stater from the beginning.

If you create a smaller starter first it will reduce the stress on the yeast. You're not only looking for a large amount of yeast, but those yeast need to be healthy. If your train of though is correct then why not just pitch a few grams of dry yeast. Also, as long as you sanitize everything, you shouldn't have too much to worry about with contamination.

edit to add: You could start out with a 2L starter and still be in good shape. Either way as long as you're sanitary you'll be fine.

[oneal66]

Alright, I thought about this a little more. The Wyeast propagator is just enough yeast (15-18 billion cells) to pitch into 2L of 10 plato (1.040) wort. Stepping in this case isn't a bad thing, but it really isn't necessary. If the propagator were 15-18 billion cells then stepping would be absolutely necessary.

[Eagle Creek Brewer]

Alright, I thought about this a little more. The Wyeast propagator is just enough yeast (15-18 billion cells) to pitch into 2L of 10 plato (1.040) wort. Stepping in this case isn't a bad thing, but it really isn't necessary. If the propagator were 15-18 billion cells then stepping would be absolutely necessary.

Sorry guys, I lost track of this thread for some reason. But, this was exactly my thought. Like I said, I have never used the wyeast packs so I was just figuring from the numbers. 15-18 million cells is a pretty small amount of yeast to start with and personally, I am not sure why they would produce it that small, unless its aimed specifically to the market of people who want to grow starters in this way to save a bit of money. If thats in fact the case, they should make instructions available stating so.

Barry

[oneal66]

The propogator is 15 - 19 billion (not million). Wyeast says its over 20 billion.

[Eagle Creek Brewer]

The propogator is 15 - 19 billion (not million). Wyeast says its over 20 billion.

Yes B not M but still 20% of a White Labs vial or a Lg Wyeast.

[Imakewort]

i am now starting to do everything from slants, I transferred all of white labs yeast to slants, andI build it up from there. so for MrMaltys calculator I should move the growth factor to the least amount of yeast?