Stepping up a Yeast Starter [Video]

**BillyBroas** · 10-28-2010, 04:37 PM

I've always had trouble finding a clear guide on stepping up starters. What volumes? What pitching rates? I knew you could do it on Mr. Malty, but it takes some toying with the calculator.

Fortunately, Jamil and Chris White's new book Yeast has a great table for figuring out the correct steps. Jamil gave me permission to publish it on my blog. I recreated a portion (the most relevant portion) of it in Excel and even added some pretty formatting.

Here it is: How to Step up a Yeast Starter

The video explains the table and gives an example "step-up."

A couple of the other yeast threads I've posted have helped HBTers so I put those links in my signature.

BTW I highly recommend you get a copy of Yeast. Cheers

dylan6668 · 11-08-2010, 12:03 AM

great video, thanks!

LagerLover24 · 11-08-2010, 05:10 PM

Your video was the most informative piece of information I have found on stepping up starters. You did a great job, thank you!

**BillyBroas** · 11-09-2010, 09:57 PM

Thanks guys. It was an area where I felt there was a gap in information. Big props to Jamil for creating the table and letting me publish it.

nostalgia · 11-10-2010, 02:50 PM

Thanks for the video and chart! I may have to pick up that book.

It is a little confusing, but I think I've got it under control. Here's what I did for my latest starter.

Mr. Malty tells me I want 450 million cells. I started with 1 smack-pack in 2L of wort (4oz of DME to 1L of water). After it was on the stir plate for a couple days, I stuck it in the fridge overnight.

Next day I decanted most of the wort off, then added that yeast to 4L of fresh wort and stuck it back on the stirplate. If I'm reading the chart correctly, that should net me 400 million cells, which is close enough for Gubment work in my book.

-Joe

**lschiavo** · 11-10-2010, 04:03 PM

Nice table. What starter type is this based on. Mr. Malty gives 5 options. I use a stirplate and this does not seem to match up.

kryolla · 11-10-2010, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nostalgia

Thanks for the video and chart! I may have to pick up that book.

It is a little confusing, but I think I've got it under control. Here's what I did for my latest starter.

Mr. Malty tells me I want 450 million cells. I started with 1 smack-pack in 2L of wort (4oz of DME to 1L of water). After it was on the stir plate for a couple days, I stuck it in the fridge overnight.

Next day I decanted most of the wort off, then added that yeast to 4L of fresh wort and stuck it back on the stirplate. If I'm reading the chart correctly, that should net me 400 million cells, which is close enough for Gubment work in my book.

-Joe

that chart is based from a non stir plate so you actually have 2-3 time more

dave5155 · 12-12-2010, 11:14 PM

That makes so much more sense. Thank you so much.

DrawTap88 · 12-13-2010, 01:25 PM

Thanks for the video explaining that. Very helpful.

I also recommend the book. Very informative and really easy to grasp the concepts in it.

barrooze · 02-04-2011, 04:07 AM

Thank you! I've been looking for a tutorial for yeast step-ups and your video did the trick! Now I know how to get my 450 billion cells for my first lager...