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You are here: Home --> Forum Home --> General Forum --> Chitchat --> Starter wort strength for old yeast

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tracebusta
Charter Member
Somerville, MA
155 Posts


I've got some Hefe IV yeast that's been sitting in my fridge for the last 8 months or so. Think I should use the usual 1.040 starter gravity, or should I start with 1.020, crash, then bump up to 1.040? I don't think I've left yeast sitting this long without using it so I'm not sure what would be best for the yeast.



Posted 34 days ago.

Matt
Charter Member
Normal, IL
341 Posts


How much yeast is there? If it is a pitchable amount (small mason jar?) I think you could get away with a smaller 1.040 (I like 1.037) starter. If it is a small tube, maybe 50-100 billion cells, I would step it up for sure. That's probably the safer option, since you know you won't be stressing the yeast. 



Posted 34 days ago.

mchrispen
Bastrop, TX
485 Posts


Your call. I would do the two steps.

The lower gravity should allow cells to wake up and take up nutrients preparing for the step into the 40 pt gravity starter. You won't have a lot of cell growth in the first step, but proof the viability of the slurry. That said - not sure there is harm in going right into the 40 pt wort.

If you can cell count - it is likely there's a good deal of dead yeast in there.

Since that is an expressive yeast, I would want to pitch the healthiest yeast possible.




Posted 34 days ago.

tracebusta
Charter Member
Somerville, MA
155 Posts


The two steps is probably a good idea. The yeast was harvested off a starter, so it's about the same amount as a vial. 

Think I'll get this spinning tonight, thanks for the feedback!




Posted 34 days ago.

ingoogni
nl
314 Posts


Two steps, 1020 then up to 1040 and the volume you need, but don't cold crash and decant, just ad enough wort of the right strength to get to about 1040 once there is decent  activity in the 1020 step.




Posted 34 days ago.
Edited 34 days ago by ingoogni

homebrewdad
Charter Member
Birmingham, AL
2480 Posts


I would agree to start off with a small - say, half liter or so - starter of lower gravity.  Then add more starter wort of a normal (~1.037) gravity to step up.



Posted 34 days ago.

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