BeerBorg

Stepping it up to 2L of 1.040 today. I think part of the key to reviving old yeast (other than good prep work from the start) is going no more than 1.020 at the first step. From the research I've done lower OG is better. Put less stress on old yeast.
Here is the yeast on the bottom of the first step before decanting.



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Lookin good. Your getting something in there for sure.

That's very good for the first step. You got lots of yeast to build with. I've heard 20 points is the sweet spot to step up to.

Pitched the second step at 1:00pm. This won't take long to see activity. I'll post when I do.

Edit: The first step had that wonderful yeasty smell you expect from a starter.

4 hours later, 1056 is kicking butt.



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Definitely working. It's also good that your "smell test" was positive. It's not definitive, but I do believe in trusting our senses throughout this enterprise.

Took a look at the yeast fridge this morning and have 007 and WLP090 San Diego yeast both in jars from mid December. Using a calculator I see it's only 8% viable and I may try this step up experiment myself. If I brewed weekly, I wouldn't feel so concerned about the possibility of bad or weak yeast but as I've only been able to brew about once a month, I'd hate to take a chance so I do have backup.
I may start with 2 liters at 1.025 then jump to 3 liters at 1.040 and see where that takes me. Baby steps!

What size jars? How much yeast is in them? Did you farm or wash it?

I have no doubt this will ferment out 6 gallons of beer and that wasn't the end of it.



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Inkleg wrote:What size jars? How much yeast is in them? Did you farm or wash it?

I have 2-500ml jars that were from a fresh starter that I overbuilt just to keep. It's clean and been sitting in jars in the fridge.
Usually, if just a few months old, I could get by with 1 jar but I'll probably use both since I'm not interested in keeping old yeast. I already got my money out of it.
There's a good amount of yeast in each.

You have 2 jars of each or were you going to mix both in one starter?

2 of 090 and 2 of 007. I don't want to mix. I'm thinking the 090 for the pale and maybe using the 007 for Steve's brown ale shortly after.
I could probably dump 2 of the 090 in a huge starter, crash and decant and forego the step process. 5 liters would be more than needed for a 1.050 beer.



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Yeah that 090 is a beast, a single 3L starter with two jars of farmed yeast should be more than enough for a 50 beer.

Inkleg wrote:Yeah that 090 is a beast, a single 3L starter with two jars of farmed yeast should be more than enough for a 50 beer.

So I don't get to geek/perv watching a step up starter? Damn! Guess I'll just have to settle for watching reruns of the debates every night until brew day!

If you want to step step. Do one jar 090 in 1L 1.020 then step that up to 2L. Bet that'd do a 50 beer too.

How's that go? Brewers Choice?