Need help breaking all the rules

brick1083 2015-03-06 01:21:14 UTC #1

I've read some of the basics on yeast rinsing and on yeast starters. The preferred methods don't exactly fit my situation. I have one and a half days to turn this mess into the best and most yeast cells possible.

Six months ago I saved a Mason jar of a relatively clean and dense yeast cake. It had been chilling in the fridge until Monday night. I tried waking it by boiling 1/8 pound dry malt extract in A few cups of water and combining it all in the larger jar. Now I have about 1 quart of yeast and weak wort. Finally this evening there was activity when I got home from work. Suddenly there's yeast in suspension (making for a cloudy appearance), and there are sporadic bubbles launching up from within the muck.

I'm brewing on Saturday morning. I have a 1 gallon container , 7/8 pound of DME, and 40 hours left. What steps would you recommend to grow and isolate the best solution of yeast for pitching?

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brew_cat 2015-03-06 02:21:03 UTC #2

That looks like a lot of yeast. How many gallon batch you making. What gravity. I think you have more yeast than you need.

brick1083 2015-03-06 02:48:05 UTC #3

5 gallon batch
1.070 OG

Yeah, I guess it is more than enough. I guess I want to know how to wake up as many cells as possible and how to isolate them to some degree before pitching.

Are there likely enough cells in suspension now? Should I decant, dispose of the trub and cold-crash the liquid?

rebuiltcellars 2015-03-06 08:11:15 UTC #4

That's what I would do; most of the trub on the bottom is likely left-over trub from the last beer or dead yeast cells. But I doubt what is in suspension is enough for 5 gallons of 1.070 beer. I'd step it up before pitching. Boil 200 g of DME in enough water to make 2 l total, cool it to 70 then pour the liquid portion of your jar into it. Shake it intermittently for at least a day, then chill, decant and pitch. Sorry, I know this exceeds your schedule, but you can't hurry the yeast. I've had a situation like this a few times, and I've found that as long as your sanitation is good, the wort will sit in the fermenter for a day or so without problems if the yeast needs a bit more time to be ready.

brew_cat 2015-03-06 11:10:27 UTC #5

I've done it but not with that yeast and not quite that old. Pour off most of the yeast and a little trub. Put in your starter wort and shake. Cover with foil and swirl every once in a while. Pitch it at high krausen. Add a little nutrient if you have it. You can hold back a little yeast to step up and toss that in in a day or two if your worried. My opinion .