LarryC

Recipes 

OK, I am going to be brewing a clone of Deschutes Twilight Summer Ale this weekend and I want to get my starter better than I've done in the past. Usually I go to MrMalty.com and create a starter based on that sites calculationss and then dump the whole thing into my fermenter once it passes high Kroisen.

The last time I did this, my OG dropped by a few points so now I want to decant the starter. What I think I want to do is create my starter tonight in the normal fashion. However, after some amount of time I should be putting my starter in the fridge so the yeast will fall to the bottom and I can decant off the excess liquid.

My questions are, how long to let the starter work before I put it in the fridge? On brew day, do I just decant off the excess wert and then let the yeast get up to pitching temp and then dump them in the fermenter?

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Hex23

Recipes 

For a crash and decant scenario you want to get to full attenuation first. You could measure FG, but that would be a ton of hassle. I tend to just wait at least 72 hours and make sure the activity has died down. Also, your time to force crash is obviously dependent on the yeast's floc properties. With some yeasts, I've had to wait at least 48 hours more at 40F to get the yeast to floc to the point I felt comfortable decanting. Unfortunately this approach takes more time and planning foresight.

Yep, that's basically it. Just decant carefully like you would pouring a bottle conditioned beer. Do leave a little bit of liquid behind so that you minimize pouring off good yeast and can swirl all the yeast off the vessel.

LarryC

Recipes 

I think I still have time given your conditions. The yeast is WLP002 and is rated as very high floculating. If I cook the starter tonight and wait until Thursday night to cold crash it, it will have 2 or 3 days in the fridge depending on whether I brew Saturday or Sunday

Hex23

Recipes 

Oh yeah, that stuff flocs like mad! Last time I did a starter with Wy1968 (WLP002) on a stirplate, even moderate stirring could not keep it suspended well. It looked like cheese curds. The good news it that tends to attenuate fast too. You should have plenty of time.