Starter for lagers

foxtrot · 12-02-2007, 03:01 PM

I'll be brewing my first lager which will be an Octoberfest with an OG at about 1.055, so it looks like I'll need about 400B cells according to Mr.Malty. I have two, 2L flasks and two stirplates. So my options are:

1) pitch a vial into 2L to get 200B. Cool, decant off used wort and divide the slurry into two equal parts (approx 100B each). Pitch each 100B slurry into two, 2L flasks to arrive at 400B cells. -or-

2) Keep the yeast in one 2L flask, cool and decant off used wort and keep feeding it new wort. But how many times???

Step 1 seems like it would be more of a PIA and risk of contamination. Just wondering what you guys are doing for big starters for lagers, as this is my first attempt.

cheezydemon · 12-02-2007, 03:43 PM

I cheated and added dry yeast with my starter just to make sure that there was enough. I would do method 2 two to three times before your brew day.

I do the starter right in my carboy. I use ingredients in keeping with the batch I will brew and do not pour off the starter wort.

boo boo · 12-02-2007, 04:39 PM

Go for number 3.

Divide the vial into 2 starters and ferment out, decant and pitch. Start small and build up to maximum for your 2 litre flasks.

foxtrot · 12-02-2007, 08:40 PM

So I can still produce 200B cells from half a vial (about 50B cells) in a 2L flask?

Kevin Dean · 12-02-2007, 09:02 PM

It's my understanding that smaller steps produce larger number of cells in the end. That is, two 1 liter starters will produce a higher total cell count than a single 2L starter. Now, it's possible that the difference is miniscule when discussing the small quantity for home brewing, but it's what I've heard.

Kaiser · 12-02-2007, 11:47 PM

If you are making yeast to pitch for a 5 gal batch at 1.055 OG you will need about 100ml thick yeast slurry or 100ml yeast sediment. With my 2000ml flask and a stir plate I can easily propagate this amount. Start with 1 L in the flask and let it ferment out while beeing stirred. Let it settle and decant the beer from the yeast and add another liter of starter. Aerate amd let it fully ferment again. You should now have enough yeast to pitch your wort.

Don't let the yeast sit for to long though as it will loose its viability within a few days.

Kai

foxtrot · 12-03-2007, 02:42 PM

Cool. Just one more question- is that 100 ml of sediment going to be enough if I pitch the yeast at lagering temps? (about 50F for yeast and wort).

boo boo · 12-03-2007, 07:51 PM

that should do it. I always pitch my yeast into 50f wort when doing lagers.