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Splitting the Yeast Starter

MikeinRH

Grandmaster Brewer
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I've had some questions regarding this topic, so I will share.

Rather than "washing" and harvesting yeast from the bottom of a fermenter, I have found a way to split a yeast starter that is cleaner and much easier.

I start with a 1600ml of H20 and 1 cup of DME in a 2000ml Erlenmeyer flask.
Boil for 5-10 minutes.
Cool to room temperature or below by refrigerating or placing flask on ice.
Pitch yeast.
Cover with a soaked 4-inch piece of sanitized Handiwipe soaked in Star San. Secure with rubber band.
Place flask on stirplate at a speed sufficient enough to create a small vortex. Run for a minimum period of 24 hours.

I begin the above procedure two days before making a 5 gallon beer recipe. When the wort has cooled to a point where the yeast is ready to pitch into the carboy, I use 600ml of the starter ... leaving 1200ml in the flask. I return the flask to the stir plate for 48 hours. If I do not use  600ml for another batch, I separate the remaining 1200ml into sanitized mason jars ... then refrigerate.

I actually use one of the 600ml samples to create a new 1800ml starter. I'm now on my fifth 5-gallon batch ...and all have required a blow off tube into a bucket of sanitizer.

I will admit this is great if you're only using one type of yeast for your recipes. I'm still striving for the perfect IPA!
 
  I did the same basic thing for a series of stouts I brewed last winter.  I started off with a 1600ml starter, I brewed 2 Irish Stouts, a porter, a robust porter and used the remainimg 2000ml for a Kitchen Sink Stout.  All performed perfectly
 
I have not split a starter but like the idea.  I have 4 Erlenmeyer flasks (1-2L and 3-1L) so this would be easily doable.  This is especially useful when planning several brews in a row.  You could also make 5G of 1.040 extract as a big starter and not need to split a smaller one so much. 

I usually save the slurry from the prior batch.  My last batch a couple days ago, I kegged from the carboy had a bunch of leftover slurry.

I have two fine muslin bags soaking in sanitizer.  I sanitize the carboy top, my hands, my flash and my funnel. 

I had already boiled and cooled 800ml of water in the the Erlenmeyers.

I removed the excess sanitizer from the hop bags and covered the top of the carboy with them and poured into the funnel. I added 200ML of liquid to the flasks.

I chilled the flasks in the fridge.  There is a beautiful yeast cake with almost no trub or hop matter.  This was a big Imperial IPA.  These yeast should be ready for some more big action next brew!
 
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