How to proceed with old lager yeast

[muddy1015]

Read through all the threads I could find about underpitching lager yeast and couldn't quite find the answer I was looking for.

I have an old (end of June) WLP838 vial for an Oktoberfest, I made a gallon starter for it but the strip of healthy yeast appears pretty thin and I know lagers need to be very well pitched (this will be my first attempt at one).

I'm brewing it this afternoon so my question is how to proceed with the yeast, have been thinking through a few options:

-buy a dry packet or two of S23 and add it in at pitch with the 838 since it appears that S23 ferments cleanly so won't take over the 838 flavor wise, etc.

-crash & decant my starter and then make another starter with it, just hold the wort in a sealed fermenter for a day or two and then pitch

-buy another vial of up to date 838 and pitch that in 'unstarted' with the rest of the starter (or combine it with the 2nd option to enhance the 2nd starter?)

Opinions on the best option? Seems like it might be the 3rd but mostly wanted to know if pitching dry yeast today would give similar results or not

 

[estricklin]

I think the S-23 is your best option at this point. Lager yeast don't last long, unfortunately I've learned this the hard way a few times actually. If you underpitch you end up with a fruity or phenolic beer.

I've tried some other dry lager yeasts, but I REALLY love S-23. I use a liquid option still from time to time, but for the most part it's S-23 for all my lagers anymore. I do save it a lot of times, so I can repitch it. I've also had really good success with it at 65-68F.

If you want to buy some liquid yeast, I would advise getting 2 packs/vials, and for that price you get could get like 3 packs of the dry!

As for trying to make another starter with what you have, your talking about leaving unfermented wort around for a couple days, and trying to build up healthy yeast from yeast that, well aren't that healthy to begin with.

Either way good luck on your brew and let us know how it goes!

 

[ram5ey]

I would get a newer vial, decant off the starter and pitch the new vial and some of your wort from the brew into that. Then maybe you can pitch when it's really active.

 

[Smellyglove]

I'd rather go with 34/70 than s23.

 

[beersk]

I'd rather go with 34/70 than s23.

My thoughts exactly. 34/70 is fantastic yeast.

 

[grathan]

I just used a wyeast octoberfest packet from may 2013 in a 1.8L starter and it came out really good even though I didn't aerate and fermented really cold.

 

[muddy1015]

Ok thanks for input! Think I'll try 2 packs of s34/70, will post og/fg results in a few weeks for any interested!