How do I feed my saved yeast?

[hicks107]

I already saved some San Fran Lager yeast from a batch of Anchor Steam.

Its been a few weeks and I remember reading somewhere to feed the yeast with some fresh wort every few weeks, but Im not too sure how to do this.

My questions are: How much wort do I make? How much DME and how much water? How do I give it to the yeast? Do I just pour it in, and stick it in the fridge? Or should I put it all in a 1000ml flask and let it ferment for a week?

I would hate to add fresh wort to the yeast and end up with a huge mess in the fridge if it ferments. But if its so cold, will it not ferment??

I have two mason jars with yeast in the bottom, about 1/2 inch each of yeast, and old wort on top.

Thanks!!!

[Spicoli]

1/3 cup of DME to 3 cups water will make a 1.040 gravity starter. 1/2 cup DME will give about 1.060. Bring water to a boil add a pellet of hops and stir in DME for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and chill to 70. Pitch on the yeast and wait for signs of fermentation. When you see activety put it in the frig. I wouldn't try to keep this up for months at a time. You can buy some malt agar and some slants that would keep for up to a year. This is what I do. I sounds way more complicated than it is to make slants. Trust me its just a easy as making beer.

[Spicoli]

And welcome to the boards.

[hicks107]

Thank you!!

I will probably try to use it really soon, because if I keep doing this, then it will have costed me more in malt then to have purchased new yeast !!

So, I should throw the fermenting mason jar back in the fridge with a lid? Or use my 1000ml flask with an airlock??

Thanks again!!!!

[Spicoli]

I never use airlocks on my starters. Just sanitize some tin foil and wrap it around the top of your flask. Use the flask. Read this (http://www.maltosefalcons.com/tech/MB_Raines_Guide_to_Yeast_Culturing.php) when you have a moment. It's quite long winded but well worth the knowledge you receive. Good luck.

[Mill Rat]

I use 1/2 gallon growlers for my starters with a quart of ~1.040 light DME wort and a few hop cones. A cheap 3-piece airlock with No 6.5 drilled stopper works just fine. After sanitizing the growler I have plenty of sanitizer left to fill the airlock. I launch the starter about 24 hours before I'll need it and leave it at room temperature until then.

[Spicoli]

The reason why I use tin foil is because everytime I walk by the starter I shake the crap out of it. This keeps yeast in suspension and get the o2 thing happening. Airlocks don't do well with shaking. Now I use 2 magnetic stir plates to keep o2 and yeast going. This process makes a huge difference in yeast multiplication. Again check out this Yeast Propogation Article (http://www.maltosefalcons.com/tech/MB_Raines_Guide_to_Yeast_Culturing.php) and read the first few paragraghs and you will be amazed. It proves that an airlock is the least efficient at growing yeast. Foil and shaking is next to the least, then airation with pure o2 and then using a stir plate is about 250 times more efficient. Check it out.

[RichC]

Do you have any info on how to maintain yeast with slants?

[Daniel James]

Originally posted by RichC
Do you have any info on how to maintain yeast with slants?

http://www.unm.edu/~draper/beer/slantuse.html

http://brewingtechniques.com/library/backissues/issue2.3/king.html

[Spicoli]

Originally posted by RichC
Do you have any info on how to maintain yeast with slants?

I just leave them in the frig. They will last about a year. About that time you could make a new slant with th older one.