Yeast Harvesting Guide - Pitching Rate

[barkar]

Sorry probably a bit off topic , i have a vial of pilsner yeast from whie labs- i want to use it for about 35-40 litres - Can i get the correct pitch rate by creating a 1 litre starter -
Should i just let it sit for 48 hours or let it ferment out completely , ie when does the growth phase occur ?


EDIT: I have moved this post as I think you will get answers within the Yeast forum: Dunfie

 

[Good Ed]

I would normally make up a 4L starter for pitching into a 23L brew of lager, so aim for a 6-7L starter. Do a bit of searching on here for how to make up starters and to step them up, or if you have any questions get back here.

This is also very good Mr Malty Calculator

When brewing lagers it's important to pitch big to get them off to a good start and to make a fine beer :

 

[barkar]

Hi i went and orderred another vial of yeast i ened up throwing the 2 into a 3.5 litre starter of light dme of 1.040 og. I hope this will suffice How long should i leave ? let it ferment out and chuck in or 2 - 3 days at high krausen - 12 hours have past and still no activity yet , getting a bit worried actually :wha:

 

[Good Ed]

3.5L is probably a bit too much to start with, but you should be ok with what you have done, it's just taking a bit of time to get going. Have you got it at about 20C?

Jamil (Mr Malty) does recommend ptching at high krausen; myself and others on this forum tend to let the starters run its course, pour off the spent wort and use some fresh cooled boiled wort on your brewday to get it up and running before pitching.

This is a good guide for splitting and fermenting with liquid yeasts http://uk-homebrew.tripod.com/index.html

:

 

[barkar]

Still no signs of fermentation starting - its now 24hours since pitching in the starter , hopefully something will happen between now and morn - the 2 vials of yeast had a best before of June 2011 so would imagine it might take a while to get going

 

[StubbsPKS]

Still no signs of fermentation starting - its now 24hours since pitching in the starter , hopefully something will happen between now and morn - the 2 vials of yeast had a best before of June 2011 so would imagine it might take a while to get going

Yea, if the best by date is passed it may just take a bit to get going. Should be all fine though. Keep us updated.

 

[barkar]

Checked this morning , no sign of ferment starting - no krausen , aerated again slightly getting fairly worried now , may end up having to chusk , hoping to have it ready for brewday on Saturday for a pilsener , may have to consider brewing something else !

 

[simonranson]

It could be worth sticking in the fridge for a while to let the yeast drop out and then pour off some of the wort to test the gravity. Does it look like it's done anything?

 

[barkar]

Sorry hectic day only replying now , havent been home yet , didnt put a bubbler on it so no real way of knowing , lager yeast do krausen dont they ? I know they work differently to ale or hefe yeasts

 

[Good Ed]

Most lager yeasts (if not all; I'm not sure) are bottom fermenting, so you won't see cauliflower heads as with an ale yeast; regardless of whether you have fitted a bubbler, you should be able to see signs of activity.

 

[barkar]

Checked last night and again this morning absoutely no activty decanted some off last bight to test inhydrometer still at 1.042. Annoyed i only bought the yeast on monday , it was chepaer than normal because of the best before date of june but still thought i would get it going, abosolutely no head or forms of anything floating on the top

 

[Good Ed]

Sorry to hear that, can you get your hands on a couple of packets of Saflager W-34/70 or S-23?