Brewlab Slant Starter

[orlando]

Definitely. Would they be any cooler though with the lids off?

Don't know for sure, just assuming the temperature could be higher in a "closed" container.

[gregorach]

Eh? If they're closed, they can only heat up through conduction, which will take an appreciable amount of time. For effective sterilisation, you want the hot, high pressure steam to be able to get to every part of everything you're trying to sterilise.

[Belter]

They weren't closed. I twisted the lid but either by vibration or expansion they sealed themselves shut again. I ditched the vials that did this. Next time I'll undo them much further.

[orlando]

Eh? If they're closed, they can only heat up through conduction, which will take an appreciable amount of time. For effective sterilisation, you want the hot, high pressure steam to be able to get to every part of everything you're trying to sterilise.

Yes, but I'm talking about when they have the agar/wort mixture in them, that's when I have the lids on but not tightened, not when I'm looking to sterilise the vial itself.

[molehill]

I have seen video's where the wort is sterilised in the pressure cooker in conical flasks, which are covered with silver foil. Would doing similar with the slants and dropping the caps in loose work?

[gregorach]

Eh? If they're closed, they can only heat up through conduction, which will take an appreciable amount of time. For effective sterilisation, you want the hot, high pressure steam to be able to get to every part of everything you're trying to sterilise.

Yes, but I'm talking about when they have the agar/wort mixture in them

So am I. Lids on, but only just. They should be as loose as possible without actually falling off.

I have seen video's where the wort is sterilised in the pressure cooker in conical flasks, which are covered with silver foil. Would doing similar with the slants and dropping the caps in loose work?

It would, but then you risk contamination during the process of putting the lids on.

[Belter]

I recognized my wrong as soon as I'd done it.

I have no sign of yeast activity after 2 days. Yeast says 2-3 at 22C. I have at room temp under the boiler circa 17C. Thermometer says 18C every time I check it but it will go lower overnight. Does it usually take more than two days?

[orlando]

I have seen video's where the wort is sterilised in the pressure cooker in conical flasks, which are covered with silver foil. Would doing similar with the slants and dropping the caps in loose work?

Almost what I do but I sterilise the already mixed agar and wort in the vial with the cap only loosely on. What I have done is prepared given quantities of wort, usually LME, in kilner jars so that I'm ready to go whenever I want to step with already sterile wort.

[orlando]

I recognized my wrong as soon as I'd done it.

I have no sign of yeast activity after 2 days. Yeast says 2-3 at 22C. I have at room temp under the boiler circa 17C. Thermometer says 18C every time I check it but it will go lower overnight. Does it usually take more than two days?

Yes it can do, particularly if you transfer very few cells. Panic after 5 days Temp is a little low but they will come.

[jmc]

Not sure if you can see this. Click to enlarge.

I can't see any deformation on your pic, unlike mine (last year) when I started making slants

[orlando]

I remeber that, cracking bit of beer art that.

[Belter]

This is going to be a classic case if me over thinking this. But... Do you slanters grow your yeast on a slant. For some clever reason after the agar had set a uprighted the slant. After a week I have yeast growing at the very end of the slant and some have gone down behind the agar at the bottom

[orlando]

This is going to be a classic case if me over thinking this. But... Do you slanters grow your yeast on a slant. For some clever reason after the agar had set a uprighted the slant. After a week I have yeast growing at the very end of the slant and some have gone down behind the agar at the bottom

Not quite sure from your sentence what exactly happened but I think you have some "slants" that are no longer on a slant and the yeast has disappeared into the agar/wort mixture. I have had this happen, after a fashion, when the agar/wort mixture has melted and the yeast cells have got caught up in the resulting liquid and become lodged at one end of the vial once reset. Once you introduce some wort to flush the cells out you will find you can still dislodge them and get them into your flask. I can remember one occasion when the whole slant slipped out of the vial and plonked itself in the flask containing a mere 100ml of wort . As I was somewhat committed at this point I just carried on, turned out a lovely brew , I don't recommend you do this as a matter of course but it doesn't seem to make a big enough difference.

I now use my (sterilised) inoculation loop to hold the slant in place as I pour the loosened cells into the wort.

[Matt]

I have the same effect in a couple of slants, where I think the slant still had a small amount of residual water sloshing around, so the innoculation pooled at the base and some has grown up the back by about an inch. I can only see the streak shape further up.

Good to know its nothing to worry about

[Belter]

I have a slant that is a slant. But. After innoculation I up ended it and grew the yeast upright. I assume the liquid I transferred washed the yeast down hill and it grew down the bottom.

I don't think I ever plan to brew direct from a slant. I'll be plating all my yeast so this one will be hard to plate from as I can't get the loop down there. But again it's also US05 and now I'm a slanting pro (*laughs*) I'll put this down to experience and bin it. The good news is all my slants seem bacteria free

I'll try and make more plants and some plates up this Sunday.

Then I'll plate out some Marble, Duvel etc and make slants from the plates.