Brewed my second batch last night

trainfever · 11-09-2007, 02:48 PM

Well my first batch disappeared quicker than it took to ferment.

Anyway, I brewed my second batch last night and wanted to keep some of the wort to make a yeast starter but forgot and added the yeast to the wort. Can I still take a sample of the wort to use for a starter or is it too late?

**Yooper** · 11-09-2007, 03:09 PM

Good job on the first batch!

I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're asking.

You want to make a starter now, for your next batch, or you want to save some wort for the next starter in the future? I just don't quite get the question. (I'm cute, though, just not very bright).

trainfever · 11-09-2007, 06:05 PM

Ahhh, you're OK. Any woman who likes to hunt and fish and play Ice hockey cant be too bad in my book. I played Ice hockey for 20 years.

Anyway, yes I wanted to make a starter for my next batch. Actually, I have a packet of yeast that is outdated and I was going to use that as a test to learn how to make a yeast starter.

**cd2448** · 11-09-2007, 06:14 PM

If you mean you want to harvest the yeast - you do that at the end of fermentation, not using the wort.

If you mean a yeast starter to get liquid yeast going before you pitch it, I think that generally people just use sugar and water to do that. (or perhaps a bit of DME + water).

Oh my god, I answered a question (maybe).

**Yooper** · 11-09-2007, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trainfever

Ahhh, you're OK. Any woman who likes to hunt and fish and play Ice hockey cant be too bad in my book. I played Ice hockey for 20 years.

Anyway, yes I wanted to make a starter for my next batch. Actually, I have a packet of yeast that is outdated and I was going to use that as a test to learn how to make a yeast starter.

Ahh, shucks, sir, I'm blushing here!

Anyway, It's too late now to pull out some wort and make a starter, I'd guess. So, I'd suggest buying some DME (it comes in 1 pound or 3 pound packages) and boil up 1 pint of water. Dissolve 1/2 cup DME in it and cool. I'd put it in a sanitized growler or something like that, and pitch the yeast into it. Cover it with santized aluminum foil, and let it go. You can do it again later on, like the next day or two, and add it to your growler. That's called "stepping up" your starter. When you make a high gravity beer, or a lager, you need a big starter and stepping it up gets it growing.

Now, cd is right, too. You can harvest the yeast after fermentation and that's super easy. I suggest a search on "yeast washing" for that. Easier yet, brew another batch of beer on the day you bottle your first beer. Cool your new wort and dump it right on the yeast cake from the fermenter. I do that once in a while, and it works great.

**cd2448** · 11-09-2007, 07:21 PM

@YooperBrew

how long can you leave the yeast cake before you have to have your new batch of wort ready, after you siphon away the previous batch?

**Yooper** · 11-09-2007, 07:39 PM

I don't know for sure- I think Orfy left some beer to cover his and pitched a week later. I've never gone more than a few hours. If it's going to more than a day or so, I'd do the yeast washing and store it in the fridge.

I think some guys have refrigerated their whole yeast cake and pitched on it later, but I don't remember who and what their results were.