YEAST CULTURING:
Each vial of White Labs liquid yeast is designed to be used directly in 5 gallons, hence the term 'pitchable yeast'. Each vial is equivalent in cell count to a pint starter, or 75-150 billion cells. One vial will usually start fermentation in 5 gallons in 5-15 hours at 70°F. If a faster start is desired, or if initial gravity is over 1.070, we recommend a 1-2 pint starter be made. If a starter is made from a fresh vial, one vial can be added directly to a 2 liter starter, which in 2 days will grow to approximately 240 billion cells, to achieve a pitching rate in 5 gallons of of 1 million cells per 1mL per 1° Plato (with a 12° Plato beer).
DIRECTIONS:
Store in refrigerator until use, do not freeze. Remove 2 hours prior to addition and let warm to room temperature (~70°F). This makes re-suspension in the vial easier, and prevents a temperature shock when added to wort. Remove the shrink wrap on cap, shake the vial well to re-suspend yeast, and open cap carefully. Pour into fresh, aerated wort (by shaking fermentor for 15 minutes or injection though an aeration stone) at 70-75°F. The first sign of fermentation will be a raised airlock, then wisps of foam will start to cover the top of the wort. A full, thick krausen will be evident 1-2 hours after this. Be careful to leave enough head space in the fermentor, or use a blow off tube because some fermentations will be very active, and it is not unusual for a 5 gallon fermentation to blow the airlock off a 6.5 gallon fermentor! When fermentation activity subsides, check the gravity. If fermentation is complete, bottle the beer or transfer the fermentor to 40°F for 1 week to cold condition. Bottling or transfer to cold should take place 14 to 30 days after brewing.
WHITE LABS WILD YEAST AND BACTERIA DIRECTIONS:
General Use for Secondary Fermentations:
- 1L per 2-3 BBLs for Lactobacillus, Pediococcus and Brettanomyces strains
- Souring will need maturation times around 3+ months
- Low sugar requirements will be necessary for these organisms to produce acidity
- Organisms will have a difficult time growing in environments below a pH of 3.5
General Use of Wild Yeast for Primary Fermentation:
- General brewing pitch rates apply for primary fermentation
- Our general recommendation is 1L per 1-1.5BBLs
- Fermentation timeline will be slower – closer to 15-21 days depending on the strain
General Use of Bacteria for Kettle Souring/Quick Souring methods:
- Generally 1L per 2-3BBLs is necessary for quick souring within 48-72 hours
- The higher the pitching rate, the faster the souring
- Anaerobic environment is preferred for the bacteria
- Temperatures ranging from 80-95°F (26-35°C) are optimal for most Lactobacillus strains
- Wort production needs to be very clean
- Low amount of fermentation from yeast may occur during the so