Seabee John

Recipes 

I asked this question in another thread. http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/bare-bones-stirplate-41553/ I would like to know what volume of yeast starter you pitch and why? Is there a point of diminishing returns or is more yeast the better? I have the ability to do 2000 ml starters and wondered if that's too much for a 5 gal batch.

__________________
North Saint Paul Brewshack
Kegged/Drinking:Nihilistic Integrity - Black IPA, #1 BIAB pale ale, Bells Two Hearted - yes a keg of the real stuff
Kegged/Conditioning:Wally N Seans Braggot, Emerald Eyes - Irish Red, Atomic Tsunami - brown
Primary:empty

SuperiorBrew

Recipes 

I always just use MrMalty's Yeast Pitching Rate Calculator™

He has the how, why and the math here if your so inclined

__________________
Rich

Brew-boy

Recipes 

+1 Mrmalty.com

__________________
Next:Smoked Pilsner.
Primary:Belgian Red, American Stout w/Roeselare
On Tap:Pale Ale, English Bitter
Aging: Imperial Oatmeal Stout on Vanilla beans.

I rather owe you a dollar than cheat you out of it.."Dad"

http://lapeerareabrewers.com/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LapeerAreaBrewers/

FlyGuy

Recipes 

Yeah, another vote for Jamil's pitching rate calculator.

One note, though -- his recommended volumes are the 'optimal' pitching rates. I have found that you still get excellent fermentation just as long as you are generall close to his target rates. Having said this, it really is true that if you really under-pitch (or possibly over-pitch) you are putting yourself at risk of developing off-flavours in your beer, even if you get an apparently strong, vigorous fermentation.

Since I started paying close attention to my yeast pitching rates, my beer has definitely improved -- especially my higher gravity (and in some cases, very low gravity) beers.

__________________
Cheap 10 gal cooler MLT • $3 Autosiphon • Aluminum Pot FAQ • Easy Steam Injection Mash System • Make a Frozen Yeast Bank
Improving Stovetop Boiling • Improving AG Efficiency

TexLaw

Recipes 

That's probably not too much. However, I recommend against pitching the entire 2L. Let your yeast settle, decant as much of the liquid as you can to still leave a workable slurry, and then pitch that slurry. Otherwise, you're just messing up your beer with the extra starter liquor.


TL

__________________
Beer is good for anything from hot dogs to heartache.

Drinking Frog Brewery, est. 1993

Chad

Recipes 

What TexLaw said. I use a 1/2gallon glass milk bottle for starters. I pitch my yeast into the starter wort a couple of days before I want to brew, let it ferment out, refrigerate it and pour off the oxygenated starter wort. That gives me a strong starter slurry without diluting my beer or introducing weird flavors from the starter.

Chad

__________________
Chad Ward
An Edge in the Kitchen
William Morrow Cookbooks
www.chadwrites.com

scottfro

Recipes 

so is it detrimental to the yeast to let it ferment out and then pour a portion of the liquid off and add fresh wort the day before fermentation to get it really active again before pitching?

__________________
Primary:

Secondary:

Bottled:
#30 Chocolate Porter
#27 Smoked Ale
#26 Hard Apple Cider (Champagne Yeast)
#25 Big Als' Blackberry Brew 2008
#15 Hard Apple Cyser

Kegged:
#31 Field Hand Hefeweizen

http://www.deterrabrewing.com/forum <-- Vancouver Homebrewing Network

scottfro

Recipes 

and i should qualify that statement above, i am growing yeast up from slants not wyeast smack packs.

__________________
Primary:

Secondary:

Bottled:
#30 Chocolate Porter
#27 Smoked Ale
#26 Hard Apple Cider (Champagne Yeast)
#25 Big Als' Blackberry Brew 2008
#15 Hard Apple Cyser

Kegged:
#31 Field Hand Hefeweizen

http://www.deterrabrewing.com/forum <-- Vancouver Homebrewing Network