Zoltanar

Recipes 

Hi there.
I don't know what the others think, but to my point of view, to save you a bit of time, since you are going to boil the water with the DME anyway, there is no point in using pre-boiled water.
This will save you a bit of troubles

jetmac

Recipes 

I think someone makes plugs from some sort of sponge material. I would use that before I used an airlock. An airlock is just that, it locks the air out. You need the exchange of air for healthier yeast

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Wayne Gretzky-"100% of the shots you don't take, don't go in

Revvy>>You shouldn't worry about ANYTHING, you didn't hurt the yeast, they know what they need to do, they want to eat all that sugar they are swimming around in. They want to pee alcohol and fart co2, it's their nature.

Bobby_M>>I flood the keg with CO2 for one minute with the lid off, rack the beer in to the bottom gently, seal it, flood it, vent it. If there's still O2 in there after that, F it.

Sulli

Recipes 

Foam Stoppers. Certified fruit fly proof.

mmcshmi11

Recipes 

Can anybody explain what the different layers are in the yeast starter after putting it in the fridge? From what I can tell, there are 4:
1) Dark bottom layer = dead yeast?
2) White layer = pure yeast
3) Milky brown liquid = wort with some yeast in suspension?
4) Top spent wort brown layer

I would assume the yeast would eventually all fall out of suspension with enough cold crashing. However, I'm concerned that the bottom dark layer is dead and will contribute off flavors since it is not pure fresh yeast. If anybody can clear this up, that would be great.

frazier

Recipes 

That bottom brown layer is more than likely trub material - I get that all the time, even with DME. It's nothing to worry about.

Yes, with continued chilling the beer will become increasingly clear as the yeast settles out. When it's time to pitch, pour out most of the clear stuff, give the flask a good shake or swirl, and toss it in. No worries!

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"Anything worth doing, is worth doing slowly." ~~ Mae West

RIC0

Recipes 

What type of yeast needs to be used for a starter???

I have access to many kinds but im not sure which i need to use??

Can one type be used for all type of beers?

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*** Possum Trot Brewery ***

Beer Primary - Chittyday Stout - Belgian IPA Baby
Beer Secondary - Bubbies Belgian Tripel
Bottled - Imperial Coconut Stout - Rotten Red Ale - Bubbies Belgian Tripel - Spiced Scottish Ale - Ovaltine Stout - English Mild - Silly Scotty Ale - A Dirty Dubbell


Mead Primary - Nuttin
Bottled - Strawberry Trainwreck - Orange Spice - Blueberry Trainwreck

2013 Gallons Brewed 75

Ogri

Recipes 

Any, of many varieties of, liquid yeast can be used for starters. Dry Yeast isn't suited to use in starters as it's supposedly already at peak condition when you open the pack so sprinkling it on as is or rehydrating is the way to go.

It's a matter of your preference. Just like an ale yeast can be used with lager ingredients to make a perfectly good beer, just that it won't appeal to some lager aficionados and transversely you could use a lager yeast, and lager brewing practices with ale type ingredients and make a lager-ised IPA, ESB, etc.etc.

If, for example, you really like US-05, S-04, Nottingham or any other yeast in particular there's no reason why you couldn't use it in any brew you liked, unless you were entering competition and brewing to a certain style.

metanoia

Recipes 

This. That's the beauty of beer- as long as the yeast has fermentable sugars to eat, you'll end up with beer.

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Gertrude Street Brewing
Primary: SMaSHing Bitters [ESB], Hefeweizen
Bottled: Gingerbread Brown Ale, Two Hearted Ale clone
On Deck:

Thinking about racking to a secondary? Read this first.

shaunvfx

Recipes 

I know people were asking about foil vs foam stopper etc...

I ended up buying a mason jar from the container store, the type they sell have one piece lids versus the two piece kerr style.

I am making my first starter as we speak and I was going to use foil, however I discovered i can thread the lid on about two full rotations and the lid has plenty of give you allow co2 out and potentially o2 in without getting into that discussion.

Thought i would give everyone a heads up, a fly would have a hard time squeezing in there, although I suppose it isn't impossible. I have it sitting in a small tray incase it over flows.

I made a gravity of 1.020, that should allow the yeast to reproduce then i can store it for later right?

tre9er

Recipes 

Yeah, I shoot for 1.030-1.040 though, personally.

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