White Labs Yeast

[kingdona]

I have been using either Wyeast or Safale in all of my brewing up until this weekend when I tried, for the first time, White Labs yeast. My experience was not so good from the perspective that I had to vigorously shake the tube in which it was packaged and it was like shaking a Dr. Pepper. When I unscrewed the cap to use it it sprayed everywhere like a soda. Very messy and unplesasnt to deal with.

Also, I was using it to do yeast starter. Are these things designed to be used without creating a starter? There seemed to be a great deal of yeat sludge in one and I was wondering of the intent is to just go straight from the tube and not do a starter.

Thanks!

Don

[klickcue]

Both Wyeast and White Labs yeast packages are meant to ferment 5 gallons of wort at 1.040 SG and contain 1 billion yeast cells.

The container for Wyeast is 125ml and White Lab is 35ml. Both will settle out in the package if left in the same position for some time. Given the fact the White Labs doesn't have much head space in the container, you have to shake the vial to get the yeast back in suspension and then wait a little while to let the CO2 reabsorb and crack the vial top slowly.

I always make a minimum of a 1 liter wort starter just to wake the yeast up and get them ready to ferment a larger volume of wort.

Both Wyeast and White Labs are fine products but the approach to opening the container is a little different.

[kingdona]

Thanks for the info. BTW, I mistakenly posted in the bulk and group buying section. Sorry about that. It was unintentional.