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Yeast propagation : Long term base solution storage

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  • Yeast propagation : Long term base solution storage

    Hi gents,

    I've a whack ton of liquid and dried yeasts in my kegerator, a stir plate and some time to kill. I've been wondering, can I cook up a batch of DME and cold-store it, for grabbing some to propagate my yeast when needed. What's the downside to keeping unhopped boiled DME and store it at 4C for a longish time?

    The alternate to DME is to mash some pale ale grains and store in a similar fashion (1.040ish OG), DME is pretty grim tasting, although I'd only use it to multiply the yeasty boys. It's pita to boil up and chill 2L at a time for propagation. Who buys 2x packets of 34/70 when one is enough when propagated and potentially split for future use.

    Clean, sterilize and sanitize being the mantra of the day.

  • #2
    I don't think there is a massive risk if done right. Sterilise your jars (already cleaned and sanitised) in pressure cooker, boil your DME, fill jars, and if you really want to be extra safe, then put the filled jars in pressure cooker again as per normal canning procedures. Not sure I'd do this without a pressure cooker though. Downside is the cost of canning jars. Not sure I'd use any other container for this.

    I never buy more than one packet of any strain - liquid or dry. I don't see it as buying the right amount of yeast for the brew but rather as buying the strain. Then propagate to the required cell count.

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    • #3
      If it's an option for you - I mash and boil up a batch of pale malt to 1.080, then freeze in 750ml PET bottles. Defrost one, dilute 1:1 and boil in your Flask, cool and propagate.
      Kudos to Nick Reed for the idea

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      • #4
        I like that idea, how long do you keep the frozen malt? I'd go 1l 1:1, semantics. Pity I have an induction hob, guess a camp style burner should do the trick?

        Cheers Camsaway!

        Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

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        • #5
          I've had some for 6 months with no obvious problem.

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          • #6
            Mint, which 2L PETs are you using? I can already hear my missus being rarked up with 20L frozen malt in the fridge :-D

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            • #7
              I went to the local plastics store and bought a bunch of small ones - cost about R2 ea.

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              • #8
                OK so old-ish topic, but I have a question. I stored S-23 harvested from a lager I made for 3 months in the fridge, at 2°C. It was poured into a sterile glass jar and sealed. I pitched it into my wort on Sunday morning. It's Tuesday and I have NO indication of fermentation. I pitched at 12°C, but after 24 hours of nothing, I raised the temp to 14°C. It's now at 14.5°C, and still nothing, after 48 hours, not even a tiny bubble or even a thought of activity in the fermenter. I'm finding it SUPER weird, and while there's nothing to indicate there's anything wrong with the wort, I am worried about the fact that it's taking this long. I've had "silent fermentations" before where the airlock didn't move and there was no indication on top (like krauzen or foaminess or any bubbles), so I'm hoping this is it. Don't have the time to pop out and buy a new packet of yeast right now, and I'm going to be away for the whole coming weekend, so that's reason to worry for me.

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                • #9
                  Did you propagate? Did you store everything or just a bit? Wash or yeast cake? Many variables unfortunately. There are calculators that you can use to estimate viability, generally anything out of storage would be propagated first, with the exception of kveik


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                  • #10
                    I stored the entire yeast cake. It was washed and I stored about half a 750ml bottle of pure yeast. Smelled like healthy yeast before pitching as well. I didn't do anything other than pitch the stored cake directly into the wort. I've done it a few times before and it worked just fine, so I guessed it'll be OK.

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                    • #11
                      Maybe just lagging a bit

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                      • #12
                        Many factors at play here, what was your pitching rate?

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                        Harhm
                        Senior Member
                        Last edited by Harhm; 22 October 2019, 15:06.
                        2017 SANHC-Finals-German Pilsner.2019 Academy of Taste-1st Lager +1st Overall-German Leichtbier.2019 Free State Fermenters-1st Place-Australian Sparkling Ale.2019 SANHC-Final Round-German Leichtbier.2020 SANHC-Top 5-EishBock.2021 SANHC-Low Alcohol Cat: 2nd-2%Lager, Over All Cat: 2nd-Schwarzbier.2022 Free State Fermenters-1st-American light Lager.2022 Fools and Fans National Competition-Top 5-Dunkles Bock

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                        • #13
                          Hope so. It's a pretty long lag though. I'm giving it until tomorrow morning (72 hours) then I'm ramping up temps and pitching a generic yeast I have in the fridge. Can't waste the wort.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Harhm View Post
                            Many factors at play here, size of batch ? Slurry volume and density ? Did you make a stater ?

                            Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
                            Size of batch is 25l. Slurry volume was around 300ml pretty solid slurry. Mixed in with some wort to dissolve it properly left me without around 400ml of good slurry. I didn't make a starter, no. I expected enough live cells in the solution to be viable, since it only did a very low ABV ferment the last time.

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                            • #15
                              Just over pitched for a 1.050 Lager @ 1.75 mil/ml/°Plato. Taking into account 70% viability over 3 months you should still be fine ito cell count. Leave it like that, even 3 days is not too long at 10-12°C for a Lager fermentation to show activity if you have not made a starter.

                              Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
                              Harhm
                              Senior Member
                              Last edited by Harhm; 23 October 2019, 01:48.
                              2017 SANHC-Finals-German Pilsner.2019 Academy of Taste-1st Lager +1st Overall-German Leichtbier.2019 Free State Fermenters-1st Place-Australian Sparkling Ale.2019 SANHC-Final Round-German Leichtbier.2020 SANHC-Top 5-EishBock.2021 SANHC-Low Alcohol Cat: 2nd-2%Lager, Over All Cat: 2nd-Schwarzbier.2022 Free State Fermenters-1st-American light Lager.2022 Fools and Fans National Competition-Top 5-Dunkles Bock

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