Don5153

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Hello, I just made my first yeast starter. I read and watched a lot of videos on You-Tube & I think I did everything right. Now I'm just sitting here wondering if all the work was worth it. Did I do something wrong, did I sanitize everything, did I put enough yeast in?????? I don't want to brew 10 gallons and wait 3-4 weeks, just to find out I screwed something up. Or for $16.00 I can get 2 smack-packs for my 10 gallons.

I went step by step with the: Yeast Washing Illustrated & Yeast Starter pages here on Home Brew Talk.


So do you think making a yeast starter is worth all the extra time and effort?

MattMann

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RDWHAHB- Everything will be alright. Just give it time. It's worth it to make sure that you have the proper cell count before pitching. It will help out, and not let your yeasties get stressed.

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tdavisii

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Ive been brewing now for a little over two years and one brew ago i made my first starter. It took off like no other brew ive done and will do a starter from here on out when ever possible. I couldnt beleive the significant difference.

Yooper

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Don't worry so much. It's good to drink away this care- go have a beer and forget about the starter. I promise it'll be fine!

(I've probably made 75 starters- ALL of them were fine!)

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Duckfoot

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I went thru the same thing when I made my first starter... The whole "Oh crap, did I waste my time? Did I use the right DME? Was it enough to yeast to work?!?!?!"

That sonofab!tch took off like a bat outta hell... I had only seen pictures of break and krausen like that before... I never imagined something I did could look that purdy...

I am sure it will turn out just fine...

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Brew-boy

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I will not brew unless a yeast starter is made that is how important it is to me. I can say I love to see the beer fermenting 4-5 hours later after pitching a good Healthy amount of yeast.

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MgMt_Home_Brew

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Not to thread jack or anything but does it matter what dry extract you use for your starters? Thanks guys

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Yooper

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No. I use the lightest I can find, though- in case I'm making a light colored beer. I usually use light or extra-light. It really doesn't matter, though- it's a pretty small volume.

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dogbar

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I get that fermentation starts more quickly (with attendant benefits), but do you all find that there is a significant improvement in taste?

blake74

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I don't have any experience with taste and using starters , but the RIS I have in my primary started fermenting after 2 and a half hours when I used a starter. This was my first time trying it too, and I'm sold.

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