Starter for a Hefeweissen?

I saved and washed some 3068 from a Dunkelweiss a few weeks back. I'm about to brew a Hefe with some of the saved yeast.

Do I need a starter for a hefe? Or, can I just warm up the jar and pitch it?

This is not a high gravity beer, it is not a lager, and the yeast is not old, so I am up in the air over making up a starter.

Up to now, I have just used smack packs or dry yeast.

Our advice is as simple as: Whenever possible make a starter.

A starter does 2 very important things for you: 1) Ensures the yeast is good, and 2) reduces lag time. :rockin:

I would just pitch measured slurry. It will work fine with two week old yeast.

it depends. how much slurry do you have. if its enough then you can pitch it. if not make a starter. simple as that.

Conroe said:

I would just pitch measured slurry. It will work fine with two week old yeast.

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Yeah this.

+1 Just pitch the slurry. It's washed and only 2 weeks old, go for it.

Cpt_Kirks said:

Or, can I just warm up the jar and pitch it?

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hb99 gives a solid viewpoint.

Although I agree, starters are great, I am lazy. I harvest slurry and straight pitch it... especially on beers that are estery like wheats. some people suggest underpitching wheats, some starters. i have had great results pitching slurry (even 6 month old slurry: mr malty.com has an aging calculator)

also this tid bit on cold pitching yeast is interesting. I have not tried it yet, but i sure will! i saw it the other day when revvy cited an article there on overnight mashing in another thread.

Since this is my first time using washed yeast, I went ahead and made a little starter. I pitched it into the wort last night.

WOW!!!

Even with Fermcap, the foam was coming out of the airlock this morning. I had to put on a blowoff tube.