first yeast starter, pics and video!

well im going to do my first AG tomorrow, so i got my ingredients in the mail today including my yeast starter kit. i figured i would document the process a little in order to get a little coaching and to help newbs like me in the process!:rockin: so i filled the beaker with approx 900 ml of water, a pinch of the yeast nutrient, and a cup of dme and set it on the stove and got it to boil, here is a short clip of the 15 min boil-
http://s78.photobucket.com/albums/j120/eagleface/?action=view&current=1106081945.flv

here is the ice bath after the boil
after the ice bath for about 10 min i put it in the freezer
and this is how i got through it

the gravity reading came out to 1.045 ( i was shooting for 1.03-1.04) and then pitched the yeast, and we'll see tomorrow!! ps that is a wheeping radish litre filled with homebrew cooling down, and a pound of challenger hop pellets next to it

did you boil in the glass jug?

A few things...I found that weighing my DME instead of using measuring cups is more accurate because it can be loose or packed and give you a false amount in a measuring cups. May have caused the higher gravity, though certainly not a problem. I can't really see anything else wrong with the process. Another thing is that Fermcap-S works great in flasks for starters if you see a boilover getting close....looks pretty tight in the video. I always put a drop or two in during boil for my 2L starters.

Finally, Wheeping Radish...whatever happened to them? I was disappointed to see them closed when I went to OBX this summer. I loved their Maibock.

fat x nub said:

did you boil in the glass jug?

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Looks like he boiled in the flask, which you can do, I love those things!

_________________________________________
Primary- Circle City Haus Ale
Secondary- Orange Cascade APA (dry hop)
Keg1- Centennial Blonde (On tap)
Keg2- Oktoberfest (On tap)
Keg3- Christmas Spice
Keg4- Fire In The Hole
Keg5- AIR
Keg6- AIR
Keg7- AIR
Keg8- AIR

The Pol said:

Looks like he boiled in the flask, which you can do, I love those things!

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I especially like the fact you can make a wort volcano, and melt your face off with a flask. No thanks for me.

i i boiled it in the flask, and boiled over 3 times. saved it and got it over the sink in time, but i also sat and grimaced as the hot foam ran over my hand haha. the only reason i boiled over is bc i hat the heat on too high(impatient)it settled into that boil with the burner on low. half way through it occured to me to do it in the pot and then transfer to the flask...oh well.

wheeping radish is still open, they closed their old restaurant and now have a smaller ( and much crappier) one at their brewery on the way to the OBX. i stopped there and stocked up before i got to my vaca house. their old restaurant with the litre mugs and awesome environment rocked :rockin:

I especially like the fact you can make a wort volcano, and melt your face off with a flask

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did someone say melt faces?


but seriously i didnt know i could boil in my flask

it was actually what the directions said when i bought the starter kit. im not sure if they are glass or pyrex, im pretty sure the latter can withstand a lot of heat...could be wrong

but seriously i didnt know i could boil in my flask

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Yes, you can. Borosilicate glass can take direct heating.

defenestrate said:

i i boiled it in the flask, and boiled over 3 times. saved it and got it over the sink in time, but i also sat and grimaced as the hot foam ran over my hand haha. the only reason i boiled over is bc i hat the heat on too high(impatient)it settled into that boil with the burner on low. half way through it occured to me to do it in the pot and then transfer to the flask...oh well.

wheeping radish is still open, they closed their old restaurant and now have a smaller ( and much crappier) one at their brewery on the way to the OBX. i stopped there and stocked up before i got to my vaca house. their old restaurant with the litre mugs and awesome environment rocked :rockin:

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Definitely look into getting Fermcap-S. Never had a boilover in my flask while using it. It's worth the $7 a bottle that will last for a while.

Wheeping Radish beers used to be sold on the island, but I couldn't find any last time. I heard they used to contract bottle in Maryland. I'm guessing they stopped it and just serve at the restaurant.

I use a propane camping stove to boil on. I heard horror stories about flasks breaking on heating coil stovetops.

I've done it both ways (both in the flask & in a pot, then transfer). It kinda depends on my mood. I like that boiling in the flask takes care of the sterilization and I don't have to separately sterilize the flask, but it requires a good bit of babysitting to avoid the boilover (haven't tried the Fermcaps... I think I will now).

I think it's a lot easier to cool down when it's already in the flask - you can just swirl away while submerged in your ice bath, instead of worrying about slopping it over the sides of a cooking pot.

shertz said:

Wheeping Radish beers used to be sold on the island, but I couldn't find any last time. I heard they used to contract bottle in Maryland. I'm guessing they stopped it and just serve at the restaurant.

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Weeping Radish Farm Brewery yeah its not on the island anymore-unless its in a brewthru. you can order it online though on their site. i will def try the fermcap next.

WheeledGoat said:

it requires a good bit of babysitting to avoid the boilover (haven't tried the Fermcaps... I think I will now).

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once i turned the heat down, it was a very calm boil. i put it on high on the burner to get boiling because i was impatient, and once it went it really went :cross: but as soon as i put it on low and kept it off the burner for a min it setted into the boil in the video for 15 min.

its been going for about 24 hrs-i decided to hold off until tomorrow for brewing (more time the better i guess). its got a good think sediment on it and i've been giving it a whirl every time i walk by. i'm excited to see the hopefully quick fermentation, lets hope the first AG goes just as easy!

is it going to be a problem if the starter sits until monday? tonight will be going on 48 hrs. but i might not be able to brew today (rain) and my work schedule tomorrow is a bit screwy. i dont think i'll be able to get to brew in the garage today. will the yeast just go a little dormant maybe?

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Ya just got to love starters and a big healthy pitch.

I have made a volcano out of my flask too. If they get heated too quickly then it will happen sooner or later. It is easier to bring the wort boil in a stainless pan (avoiding boil over when the hot break happens) and after it settles down to transfer to the flask while still boiling and then continue to boil 15 minutes in the flask with a very low flame and foil over the top of the flask. I use the same pan each time so I know how much volume I have (so it will fit into the flask).

so how long of a window do i have before the starter becomes ineffective? tonight will be 48 hrs but it looks like i wont be able to brew until monday now i imagine that the yeast will just slow down a little bit...maybe rendering the starter kind of pointless?

the yeast seem to have formed a thicker "gunk" on the bottom (for lack of a better term) and no longer break up when i swirl, nor does it foam up. would it be better to just throw it in the fridge now, and when im going to pitch into the wort just get rid of the wort in the flask and pitch the sediment? sorry for all the questions, i just want to end up with no yeast at all on brewday!