So, so dry

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smccarter

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I've started making yeast starters recently. I racked 4 to secondary today. They were all 4 around 1.010 and all 4 were extremely dry.

Not really interested in a discussion on technique... "what was your this.... what was that reading"... "how did do you this".. or "when did you do that...". Just a general... light discussion on yeast starters.

I believe my beers may be better without the starters. I'm really too lazy and cheap to waste beer with samples every day for a week to get to my target OG.

Yes... I know you can't help me if I don't answer your questions about certain things, but that's not what I'm after. I'm looking for information about experiences with yeast starters. It seems like a really good idea, but if my beer is going to be this dry, I may as well try a few without to see how they taste. I always had great luck without them. Just smack the pack and let it set for 4-5 hours and pitch after the batch is ready.

I didn't measure anything. I boiled about 1.5 cups of water with 2-3 heaping spoonfuls of DME, cooled and added the yeast and put it on the stir plate for 48 hours as described in numerous posts here.
 
In the end, the only thing that matters is what hits the glass. If you have something that has worked for you in the past to make the beer you want to make, DO IT and don't let ANYONE tell you otherwise.
 
In the end, the only thing that matters is what hits the glass. If you have something that has worked for you in the past to make the beer you want to make, DO IT and don't let ANYONE tell you otherwise.

I totally agree.

I wouldn't find a 1.010 "too dry", at least with the grainbills I use so I want full attenuation and depend on it.

But if YOU like the results of your technique, and are happy with it, do it and don't change it! That's the only determination of what's "right".

Just consider that 2-3 tablespoons of DME isn't a starter at all- more like cups. So that isn't the cause of the issue, but if you're only using 3 T of DME anyway, might as well skip it since it's practically nothing anyway. Just a thought!
 
I'm going to tell you how to brew over the interwebs without seeing your process or tasting your beer. and if you don't do it the way I told you to, then I'll call you a "cookie cutter" brewer.




if none of you picked up on the sarcasm, I'm gonna punch you in the grundle.
 
So your beers end up dry and you are blaming it on the yeast starter? It could of been a host of other things but if you want to blame "yeast starters" go ahead. I make yeast starters for every beer I brew and never have an issue.
 
Don't bother with such small starters, especially for that long on a stir plate (you're just beating up your yeast, best to take it off the stir plate when it's done fermenting). Directly pitching a new tube or smack pack is just fine and recommended by the manufacturer.

I generally don't make starters for beers < about 1.060 sometimes even 1.070 and end up with a fine beers around the F.G. I'm looking for.

In the end it's a just a hobby. Do what makes you happy and what gives you a product you like to drink.

6. Do I need to make a starter for an Activator?

No. The Activator is designed to deliver professional pitch rates (6 million cells/ ml.) when directly added to 5 gallons of wort. ( <1.060 at 70 degrees). However, if a package is slow to swell, suspected of being mishandled, or if the date is approaching the six month shelf life it is a good idea to build the culture up with a starter. High gravity or low temperature fermentations require higher pitch rates. This can be achieved with inoculating with additional packages or making a starter.
 
So your beers end up dry and you are blaming it on the yeast starter? It could of been a host of other things but if you want to blame "yeast starters" go ahead. I make yeast starters for every beer I brew and never have an issue.

Sounds like Phunhog REALLY likes a yeast starter.

Seriously... thanks everyone.

So I need 3 cups of DME for a yeast starter? That's what I'm getting from the responses. I need a bigger flask.
 
Sounds like Phunhog REALLY likes a yeast starter.

Seriously... thanks everyone.

So I need 3 cups of DME for a yeast starter? That's what I'm getting from the responses. I need a bigger flask.

No, not necessarily. You can use 1/2 cup DME to a pint of water for a yeast starter, and that's a good start for smaller beers (those with a low-ish OG). You want a starter to be around 1.030-1.040 for optimum yeast reproduction.

But a couple of tablespoons of DME in some water is so small an amount as to be insignificant. That's like putting an 1/8 teaspoon of salt in 10 gallons of spaghetti sauce and expecting a result. Aside from "no difference" (likely) in a taste test, there isn't going to be any reason to even notice. If you taste salt, the issue is NOT with the added 1/8 teaspoon of salt.

The same is true with a "starter" with a couple of tablespoons of DME- it's not enough to notice- so if your beer is overattenuating with that amount of a "starter"- look somewhere else.
 
Sounds like you need to restructure you beer profile to give you beer more body. Many simple things can help this by ingredience or adjusting mash temp. Brewing is not black and white. And you cant pinpoint this on only being a yeast starter problem.But you do have a problem using heaping tsp. of dme for a starter though. Which would cause problems already from the getgo.
Using the appropriate amount for a yeast starter and making starters have improved my beers when I started using them more,it was especially neccassary when harvesting/ranching yeast. That and you dont know how viable your yeast is mostly. Getting your beer a good start is a good idea if you can make a little time/effort for it but if you dont see a difference then just keep at what you like to do but chances are its something else possibly too that you may not have identified yet.
 
...so if your beer is overattenuating with that amount of a "starter"- look somewhere else.

Exactly my thoughts. But, we aren't allowed to ask about process at all so I really can't help.
 
The OP was intended to be a light discussion about yeast starters. Didn't really want to get into a heavy discussion.

I'll continue making yeast starters. Could easily be something other than the yeast starter(s). I am not a brewmaster... The equipment that I have is home brewing equipment. The measuring tools that I have are... well... home brewing grade measuring tools. And, of course, my taste buds are probably not as developed as they could be when it comes to tasting beer. I've yet to tasted grass or peaches in any of my beer. Bananas maybe... lol. I really do sometimes get a kick out of listening to comments about how a beer tastes.

Thanks for your comments and suggestions. It'll be okay though. The beer will eventually go to a better place. No matter how dry it is.
 
you may experience other off flavors and issues without using a yeast starter so I wouldn't not use one just to avoid a lower FG

which yeast strain(s) were you using? that can have a huge impact on the FG and mouthfeel of the beer as well as the recipe

hops can also add to the perception of dryness as well as certain adjuncts etc

if you want to share a recipe and yeast details we can prob help figure out what can be done next time to avoid it drying out further than you like
 
The OP was intended to be a light discussion about yeast starters. Didn't really want to get into a heavy discussion.

I'll continue making yeast starters. Could easily be something other than the yeast starter(s). I am not a brewmaster... The equipment that I have is home brewing equipment. The measuring tools that I have are... well... home brewing grade measuring tools. And, of course, my taste buds are probably not as developed as they could be when it comes to tasting beer. I've yet to tasted grass or peaches in any of my beer. Bananas maybe... lol. I really do sometimes get a kick out of listening to comments about how a beer tastes.

Thanks for your comments and suggestions. It'll be okay though. The beer will eventually go to a better place. No matter how dry it is.

I am sorry maybe we didn't know exactly what you mean by a "light discussion". Yeast starters are super easy to make and will have a positive effect on your beer when done correctly. Is that "light enough":D
 
I am sorry maybe we didn't know exactly what you mean by a "light discussion". Yeast starters are super easy to make and will have a positive effect on your beer when done correctly. Is that "light enough":D

Too light.... darker man.... get darker.

I know how seriously folks take things like yeast and yeast starters. My job is a stressful one. I really don't want to take crap on a message board because I didn't boil for 62 minutes, or add my hops exactly at 20 minutes, or whatever. I do enjoy a conversation, but arrogance just pisses me off.

I've read some really good things in this thread. I'll use them. As a matter of fact, I've got a yeast starter going right now. The wort I'm using is about 1.045 and it's just about a liter. We'll see how that goes.
 
I've started making yeast starters recently...
...I believe my beers may be better without the starters...
...I didn't measure anything. I boiled about 1.5 cups of water with 2-3 heaping spoonfuls of DME, cooled and added the yeast and put it on the stir plate for 48 hours as described in numerous posts here.

Well ****, there lies your answer. First you're teasing your yeast, then you wonder why she won't give you good beer.
 
What a difference.... It's been on the stir plate for just over 2 hours and already a krausen. Pretty cool.

We'll see how this one goes.

Read earlier "hops can also add to the perseption of dryness....". Funny thing that was mentioned. I actually strive to brew a balanced beer. I don't really enjoy extremely sweet beer, and I'm not in the "bitter is better" club. I like a balanced beer. I feel like I'm dialing things in and that may be the actual reason for the perceived dryness. Makes sense.

I've read on a few posts that some folks take a pull off of their current batch and save it for a yeast starter. I live in Florida where city water comes out of the tap at about 80 degrees. What I've been doing lately is bring the wort down to between 80 and 85 degrees... put it in the carboy and pitch my yeast the next day. That's the plan with this batch. I pulled a liter of wort off of the kettle and cooled it. I added the yeast at about 3:30 or so... it's 6:20 now and already has a krausen. I'll pitch the yeast either tomorrow or Sunday.
 

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