Jamil...I'm soooooo confused!

[Homegrown Hops]

I realize how easy it is but most people are either not willing or scared to try due to fear of failure. Some may argue that its easier, and more sanitary to just buy the tubes or packets. I am lucky to have a lady that allows me enough freedom ( space) to actually do what I want, unless of course it cuts into her space.

Cheers,
HH

[jamilz]

The only problem with maintaining your own slants is having the ability to screen for mutations, etc. Most brewers are not willing to prepare the proper wort for trials, the RDMA plates, etc. While the slants themselves are not a lot of work, ensuring that the yeast still brews good beer is quite a task. That is the reason I rely on White Labs and Wyeast to handle that task for me. The only slants I maintain now are strains I can't get from the major suppliers.

[Ozbrewer]

I agree with you there a little Jamil, but my testing comes in the form of tasting the starter wort prior to the final build up, im happy enough with my taste and smell technique thus far......if i was brewing commercial or on a fitty g system maybe ill pull out a micro scope, but basic techniques have worked well for me, Sterility is a key factor in my process,

also cost is a factor,over here a fresh yeast is about $17, abd a 5 gal batch is costion me $7 in grain and hops, Ill rather loose $7 every now and then than fork out $17 per brew, especially when i brew every week, it would become to expensive....


My process to ensure the strain is good at the start is to take the yeast sample, and streak it onto 2-3 differnet plates, once they have grown i look for the nice clean single colonies and take them off the plate and keep them in sterile water, i will then make a starter from the new yeast and make a 1ltr starter, let it ferment out, and then leave it in a bottle , on the bench for a week to allow any bad stuff to keep growing away, on tasteing if it is good, i will make up the slants and store them in the fridge untill i need them, it it tastes off, or not the same as the origonal profile i toss it out... I have used slants that were over 18months old, and they were still good.....i tend to look at the color of the yeast asweel, if its nice creamy white im happy, if its starting to brown or show signs of spots i toss it out

[jamilz]

The biggest issue seems to be petite mutants and respiratory failure. You'll end up with a starter that tastes OK and a beer that won't ferment out.

In any case, I hear you about the cost. As long as you're starting from a fresh Whitelabs or Wyeast culture every year, I imagine your problems will be few.

[Chris Vejnovich]

Here is another take on the whole Chris White said starters aren't that big of a deal thing. Chris White would be taking a less than positive stance on his product if he didn't say that one could pitch just the vial. I mean, that is what his whole company is based on right. I'm sure that he is not misleading the general public/regular homebrewer, but if you really wanted to get down to yeast growth and cell counts and optimal pitching rates I bet he would support using a starter and probally even tell you what would make the best starter. But in the business mind set it would be bad for his company if he went on the record as saying that you really need to make a starter with his product when his product is advertised as pitchable.

Just my random thoughts.

[jamilz]

I can agree with that and Chris at the same time. Chris and White Labs or Dave and Wyeast are not trying to pull one over on customers. They make really fantastic products that make great beer. They put a lot of effort into making products that the new brewer can just toss into a batch and have a decent beer at the end. Of course, they try to do this at a price point that is reasonable and will make the new brewer consider their product. Makes sense to me, I'd do the same thing.

Now, I'm sure Chris and Dave would both say that to get the most optimal beer out, you might want to repitch or do starters, pitch cold, etc, etc. Of course, that is a lot more work and cost and for someone that just wants beer that isn't a million times more difficult and expensive than just buying great craftbrew at the store...

You get my point. Starters and repitching are for us beer geeks. Heck, if you're on this forum, I've got some bad news for you: YOU'RE A BEER GEEK.

[Ozbrewer]

Godd Point Jamil....I dont recall either of the yeasty boys saying things like dont do a starter, dont try and reculture dont do this dont do that. When it comes down to it they are in the business to make $$$, and they make a good product. Im pretty sure that when either of them make a brew at home they either pitch 2 packs are make a starter......

I just had a look a tthe B3 site and saw the price for a vial of w/labs...at $5.fitty each i would not bother with slants,ill jsut take a vial , split it into 5 and make starters frm there, still only making it $1 per pitch...But then again, im a tight ass....infact im so tight you can stick a lump of coal up my ass and have a diamond by the morning.......

[rich]

Starters and repitching are for us beer geeks.

Apparently I'm not geeky enough. I do starters, but at six bucks a pop, the price of yeast is killing me. I need to to start re-pitching more than I need to go all-grain. What I need is some basic reading material on harvesting the yeast cake, and how to reuse it. I think I have the basic idea, but would like to hear step by step procedures from all you freaks (those of you who can type better than I, anyway).

I like the idea of splitting a WL vial into multiple cultures, one for pitching and the others for a rainy day. Please advise.