starter stepping

I made starters for my next brew and it took all the available DME I had. These are big starters for a Belgian Strong. I need to step them up and was wondering if they could be stepped with sugar and yeast nutrient. It seems that it would work since I'm just trying to build cell count and the beer will be decanted before adding to the wort so I'm not worried about off flavors .

Yeast Culturing Guide says starter wort should be used since other media may impact fermentation performance. Alternate media are suitable only for propagation of yeasts not starters.

MB Raines, Ph.D. - Guide to Yeast Culturing for Homebrewers - Maltose Falcons Home Brewing Society (Los Angeles Homebrewing)

I do all grain starters using the stovetop BIAB method, or if you have a small picnic cooler that works nicely as well.

Why not brew a 2.5 gallon Belgian Blonde or something, then use the cake from that?

The Pol said:

Why not brew a 2.5 gallon Belgian Blonde or something, then use the cake from that?

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No time, I will be brewing this in less than 2 weeks. but I do have time to make 2- 1 gallon starters.

Sacc, thanks for that link.

Saccharomyces said:

I do all grain starters using the stovetop BIAB method, or if you have a small picnic cooler that works nicely as well.

Click to expand...

How much base grain to get a 1/2 gallon starter? I'm out of DME, and need to get a starter going.

Thanks

Hugh, I just ran a quick calc through beersmith. 1.5 lbs of standard AM 2 row will make a one gallon starter at a SG of 1.041 with 75% eff. So 3/4 of a lb should get you 1/2 gallon. Grain absorbtion would be an additional .25 gallon for you. I think I calculated that correctly.

3/4 gallon water and 3/4 lb 2 row mashed 150F for 60 min it is then.

Thanks beerthirty. I appreciate the info.

post your SG of the starter if you can. I want to know if my calcs were correct.

will do. t/y

beerthirty said:

post your SG of the starter if you can. I want to know if my calcs were correct.

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O.G. = 1.034
I think the discrepancy could have been on my end, dunno.

I re-boiled the wort for 10 minutes and got it to 1.038. close enough for govmt work.

I'm thinking of mashing a couple of gallons of starter wort and freezing in .5 gallon portions for starters.

Again, thanks beerthirty.

I rounded the grain absorption figures. That was probably were the discrepancy was. IIRC it was actually .22. I didn't think it would make much difference. Sorry about that.

Hugh_Jass said:

O.G. = 1.034
I think the discrepancy could have been on my end, dunno.

I re-boiled the wort for 10 minutes and got it to 1.038. close enough for govmt work.

I'm thinking of mashing a couple of gallons of starter wort and freezing in .5 gallon portions for starters.

Again, thanks beerthirty.

Click to expand...

I often just scale up the grain bill for a recipe (but not the hops!) by a gallon or so and remove the excess wort (before boiling) and freeze it (after diluting it to ~ 1.040) for starters. Since I'm doing everything for whatever batch it is I'm brewing anyway, it's no extra work.

beerthirty said:

I made starters for my next brew and it took all the available DME I had. These are big starters for a Belgian Strong. I need to step them up and was wondering if they could be stepped with sugar and yeast nutrient. It seems that it would work since I'm just trying to build cell count and the beer will be decanted before adding to the wort so I'm not worried about off flavors .

Click to expand...

I don't see why this wouldn't work just fine. You are just trying to grow yeast, not make good beer. Even if you read that yeast culturing guide it say this will work fine other than the potential of osmotic shock. If you make a simple sugar solution of 1.040 or so and add the nutrient that yeast will grow. If you chill, decant, and then pitch into maltose solution the yeast will wake up and then use maltose instead. Yeast are smart little buggers, they are not going to starve when there is plenty of maltose and the environment is alcohol heavy.