Please excuse the noob question, but what exactly is the "stepping up" I keep seeing references to? Mr. Malty is advising a 3L starter for my next brew (1.069 OG Honey Porter). I don't have anything handy to store such a large starter - could a 1L starter be "stepped up" to 3L in multiple containers (2-3 half gallon growlers)?
Also, is a 1L starter still a significant improvement over just pitching the smack pack if Mr Malty is advising 3L? The smack pack is very fresh if that makes any difference.
Mr. Malty calls for overkill. You don't "absolutely" need a 3L starter, but you could easily split between containers:
1/2 gallon is almost 2 liters. You could make a 1L starter with the standard method, then split that between two of the 1/2 gallon containers when stepping up (doubling the amount of DME with more water) and that will be fine.
Ok, so I just started washing yeast. I have been making 10 gal. batches with a friend and dumping the yeast cakes together, adding water just like in the tutorial, decanting off (after about 30 minutes) into a large mason jar, waiting another 30 minutes and then decanting into two Snapple containers (16 oz.) I am ending up with about an inch of yeast at the bottom of the bottles. Do I just pitch all of that into a starter? Is there somewhere that tells you how much washed yeast to start your starter with ? Thanks.
great question about washing yeast.. I wonder the same thing.. (I'm going to give it a shot at the beginning of next week)
I'd like to find small test tubes to put them in that are cheap and don't take up too much space, I'll make a starter with them before I pitch.. still working on the stir plate..
how small can the containers of washed yeast be ? any good ideas for cheap containers ? how long can you keep them ?
I have a couple of questions about starters and this seems like a nice cozy thread.
1) Why do you want to step up the starter? What is the benefit of starting at 500ml and stepping up to 2000ml? If I started with 2000ml would it take longer to get to the same point?
2) I have been pulling of a third running of my AG batches and using for extra wort. I boil it down until it is to 1.035-1.040 and place in sanitized bags than freeze. Do I need to boil it again before the starter or just defrost and pitch.
It is good to cool wort as rapidly as possible before pitching yeast, does it also matter for starters? Or can you let your starter cool for a longer period of time? Apologies if this has already been answered already, but I'm making my first starter as I type, and the question didn't occur to me until now.
You would run the same risk of infection with your starter as a normal 5 gal batch to just let it cool as it wants. Cooling rapidly and pitching gives the yeast you want in there the best chance to become the dominant species in the wort.
I have a question... in my insomnia last night I decided to try to see if a pack of Wyeast 2206 was dead or not since I brewed a Dunkel Friday and the fermentation seems weak. I mixed the starter, but forgot to boil the DME and water . I looked at it today and it is bubbling, but will this still be good to pitch? I havent tried a starter before, so I would appreciate any feedback. I used 2 cups of water and 1 cup of DME (plain white). I guess my biggest concern should be infection, right?
yep, but at this point don't worry about it. Hopefully you have enough yeast in there to combat any bacteria and, even more hopeful, there was nothing too nasty in there to begin with.
Good luck! And I would drink this one fast...the longer it sits the more likely the infection will turn up.
once I make up one of these 1L starters (24 hr prior to pitching) do I just sit it on the counter in the kitchen? do you need to keep the temp at a certain point for the 24hrs?
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? Thanks.
. I looked at it today and it is bubbling, but will this still be good to pitch? I havent tried a starter before, so I would appreciate any feedback. I used 2 cups of water and 1 cup of DME (plain white). I guess my biggest concern should be infection, right?
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