Home Alone Yeast Starter, Work?

Hey guys, first post. I have been brewing now for about 6 months and with all the good info on here and the search function I have never needed to actually post haha.

So on short notice I am planning on brewing a Tripel (extract) on Sunday afternoon. I normally brew during the week due to weekend travel but with my first full 5 gal boil and banjo burner I wanted some daylight. The issue is the yeast starter.

I will be making my first one for this batch using Wy Belgian Abbey but am traveling to DC this weekend until my Sunday afternoon return.

I can pitch it before I leave at 3-4 this afternoon after work but will have no way to agitate since the stir plate is still under construction.

I was planning on just under a liter (should I use two containers so it a total volume of just under 2 liters?) and will I get the results I need for a healthy fermentation without swirling? They will be sitting out in an ambient temperature around 63. I am planning on adding the Belgian candy during fermentation to help out the yeast (lower starting OG).

Any suggestions are appreciated
Thanks!

vp1 said:

I was planning on just under a liter (should I use two containers so it a total volume of just under 2 liters?)
Thanks!

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Mrmalty.com

you don’t necessarily need to make a starter with that strain in a gal batch, but if you do it won’t hurt it to leave it in the flask without agitation, it is just not ideal

hopsalot said:

Mrmalty.com

you don’t necessarily need to make a starter with that strain in a gal batch, but if you do it won’t hurt it to leave it in the flask without agitation, it is just not ideal

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Hmm, well most people say you always need a starter! I think you might have missed in his post it is a five gallon batch.



I say do the starter the effect of not agitating is you get less yeast growth as just as when fermenting a beer the yeast run out of O2 the switch to making beer instead of babies but you will get increased cell count, confirm viability of your yeast and increase their health. So I would make a starter and if you use a pitch rate tool like Mr Malty they have a setting for non agitated starters.

A word of warning since your not going to be around to check on it, make sure you have plenty of head space, like 50:50 in the contain they are in, if you have to make multiple starters in multiple containers that works but don't think you have to use flask get creative. Use any bottle that you can find large enough that you can sanitize, just use sanitized foil to cover it and go for it. Also if you have the ability to blow pure O2 into the starter do so the more O2 you can give the starter the better. If you don't have O2 then shake it like crazy before and after pitching. Just before you walk out the door shake it again

Lowering the Starting OG is a good call, yeast don't like the increased pressure on their cell walls that high OG brews present so adding the additional boiled and cooled sugar a day or so into the fermentation should be good. Don't add it too late else the yeast will have already flocked, most people would be surprised how fast fermentation actually happens, I would shoot for 24-36hrs after pitching.

Clem

Clementine said:

Hmm, well most people say you always need a starter! I think you might have missed in his post it is a five gallon batch.

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clem, do you use a starter for every brew?

I guess I forgot to hit the "5" key in the last post

hopsalot said:

clem, do you use a starter for every brew?

I guess I forgot to hit the "5" key in the last post

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Yep

accept for the first two brews that I did with liquid yeast without a starter (the both stuck) I have done starters. I also started slanting yeast as the yeast I bought in Hawaii was very average, something to do with transit to the island and it always being hot. Anyway, since doing starter I had the most amazing results, with very short fermentations and clean profiles. Basically you could not pay me to stop doing starters.

Even if the require amount of yeast is less than what is meant to be in a vial or smack pack, I will still do a starter only because a vial is a unknown quantity until tested.

Clem

Thanks for all the help guys! Ran home after work before the trip and did the halfish cup of DME in little overs two cups of water and pitched the yeast into that in a 1ish liter bottle, shook very well, then halved that into an identical bottle. Gave them a few more good shakes, then some swirls and added the foil on top.

The liquid volume is a little below half way in each bottle so hopefully no overflow but they're on the counter in a saucepan just in case. Check on them tomorrow. Thanks again