How to make a yeast starter - Pictorial

LarsonLE said:

Hey guys so I just made my second yeast starter, and the final result is always questionable. Why do I end up with 400 mL of starter? I've heard that this can sometimes produce negative effects. Should I boil up some water and add it to the starter in order to increase the volume?

Also, how in the hell do you guys get gravity readings of your yeast starters? Wouldn't the sample be somewhere around a quarter of the yeast starter, which risks contamination?

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Refractometers are great for getting your gravity readings easily without drawing a large sample. You can also calculate it using pen and paper or some brew software. As far as your volume question... If you are boiling two cups- 16 oz- of water, you are going to end up with a little less than that due to evaporation. 400 mL is 13.5 oz. Don't worry about adding more water- you are making yeast, not soup for four. What you can do is make your starter and then cold crash it in the fridge after 24 hours. Then, pour off the liquid and make another starter, pitching your the yeast from your first starter into the new wort. You will double your yeast count this way. The bigger the beer, the more times you should step up your starter.

tedclev said:

Refractometers are great for getting your gravity readings easily without drawing a large sample. You can also calculate it using pen and paper or some brew software. As far as your volume question... If you are boiling two cups- 16 oz- of water, you are going to end up with a little less than that due to evaporation. 400 mL is 13.5 oz. Don't worry about adding more water- you are making yeast, not soup for four. What you can do is make your starter and then cold crash it in the fridge after 24 hours. Then, pour off the liquid and make another starter, pitching your the yeast from your first starter into the new wort. You will double your yeast count this way. The bigger the beer, the more times you should step up your starter.

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Tedclav, I see your in Boone, NC, thats where I'm at bro! Thanks for the helpful tips!

Wow- I was wondering when I'd see someone else from Boonetown on here. We'll have to get together and brew sometime!

So I made my yeast starter lastnight around 10:00 PM EST, and it is pretty active right now. I would like to brew some beer later today around 7:00 PM. If I put my yeast starter in the fridge for a few hours before I start brewing, will that give the yeast enough time to sink to the bottom so that I can decant this starter? Or is it advisable to leave it in the fridge for a day or two? If so I might just add the whole yeast starter :\.

Need some advice.

I got a starter going yesterday and plan on brewing tonight. I was gonna pitch the whole thing (2L) but it smells really sour. So i figured i'd decant. I put the starter in the fridge this morning and its clearing up but very slowly. I really dont think it will clear up enough by tonight so can i pour off the sour beer. I dont want to pour off the yeast, the cake on the bottom doesn't look like a lot.

Will putting it in the freezer speed up the clearing? Or will it shock the yeast?

demens said:

Need some advice.

I got a starter going yesterday and plan on brewing tonight. I was gonna pitch the whole thing (2L) but it smells really sour. So i figured i'd decant. I put the starter in the fridge this morning and its clearing up but very slowly. I really dont think it will clear up enough by tonight so can i pour off the sour beer. I dont want to pour off the yeast, the cake on the bottom doesn't look like a lot.

Will putting it in the freezer speed up the clearing? Or will it shock the yeast?

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I'm in the same dilemma.

LarsonLE said:

I'm in the same dilemma.

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Ha, dont even know how i missed your post. I read the whole thread the other day, guess just didn't pay attention to the new posts since.

I put some washed yeast in the fridge last night, so its about 12 hours ahead of the starter and its about half cleared. I'm sure its gonna be fine by tomorrow but i wanna brew today, like in 2 hours .

I'm no expert and this is my 1st starter but from reading about this stuff for the past few days, i think in your case if your starter doesn't smell sour and its relatively small (400ml right?) i would just dump the whole thing in.

Yes, top off with sanitary water.

tedclev...yes, the problem is that many people use too hot of water, are not taking the temperature of their water or are otherwise misconstruing the directions. Many companies say to put the yeast in 90 degree water, which will likely kill the yeast.

It's simply not necessary and can be a problem, so I always advise against it.

schneemann said:

How far in advance can you make a starter? I've seen people say 24 hours and I've seen people say 7 days.

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Look at the date on the vial, once you make a starter you just added a few months to that, though if you wait too long I would do another starter.

I have a few vials of WL yeast I use a lot, that have been making beer for over a year (I decant the starter, then mix and re-fill the vial before pitching)

I'm getting lost in this thread....

I have a 2L flask, so how much DME goes into how much water to make it 2L? Seems like a lot!?

about 2 cups should do it.

VTBrewer said:

about 2 cups should do it.

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Dry weight or measuring cup scoop?

I do almost everything by dry weight, but not a starter. 4:1 liquid to dme by volume is what I do.

2 liters is about 8 cups. so i'd use 2 measuring cups of dme

MyNameIsPaul said:

I'm getting lost in this thread....

I have a 2L flask, so how much DME goes into how much water to make it 2L? Seems like a lot!?

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Use a 10 to 1 ratio. Add 1 gram of DME for every 10 ml of final volume. (If you're making a 2 liter starter, add water to 200 grams of DME until you have 2 liters total.)

You typically want the gravity 1.030-1.040.

That is if you are trying to grow yeast.

If you just want to wake the yeast up, pitch 1 vial or smack pack into a 500ml starter wort

I haven't read through this whole thread, but LME will work as well right?

How much for a 2 liter starter?

dunnright00 said:

I haven't read through this whole thread, but LME will work as well right?

How much for a 2 liter starter?

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250 grams

Most of the forums I've read talk about using liquid yeast as the base for a yeast starter. BeerSmith II told me I needed two packets of dry Safale US-05for my last beer (that's expensive). Could I sucessfully make a starter with one packet of dry yeast vice liquid yeast? Just trying to keep cost down. 2 packs of dry would cost more than one one tube of WLP001, and I went to dry to save money.

You don't typically use dry yeast to make a starter, that's why it says you need two packets of it. You can make a starter with your one tube of liquid yeast that will create the proper amount that you need to pitch.

Beerthoven said:

If you are using dry yeast, do not make a starter, just rehydrate.

If you are using liquid yeast, then make a starter.

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When it comes to yeast propagation I'm an FNG

I typically use Safale US-05 dry yeast. What is the benifit of using a liquid yeast with less yeast cells available and needs to go through a starter process? My OG is usually around 1.050-1.060 and FG around 1.012-1.014.

HP2XIPA said:

When it comes to yeast propagation I'm an FNG

I typically use Safale US-05 dry yeast. What is the benifit of using a liquid yeast with less yeast cells available and needs to go through a starter process? My OG is usually around 1.050-1.060 and FG around 1.012-1.014.

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I'm a total novice at beer making, but I wanted to chime in here. I just tasted the first beers I made with WLP001, and there is a huge improvement over the ones I made with US-05. I'm sure there were other variables besides the yeast, but in general I've noticed an improvement using liquid yeast. Yes, the starter is an extra step that requires a bit of advance planning.

The other benefit is that liquid yeast is cheaper over the long run. There are several methods for storing and reusing it, and it is common to have one $7 vial last you a year. You can't do that with dry yeast--something to do with the manufacturing process makes it less likely that you will get the same performance each time.

They both have their advantages. Dry yeast is relatively cheap and stable, and good for those last-minute brewing sessions. Some people on here swear by it. You'll eventually have to just try it both ways and see which works best for you.

I have a question about making a yeast starter. I made one last week and poured the hot liquid I just boiled in a growler and it cracked the glass. Can someone explain to me how you go about making your starter? Do you boil it and cool it down in the pot you just boiled it in? Or do you transfer after it just got done boiling into the vessel it will ferment in and then cool it down? Whats the best way to cool something this small down?

I thought you would want to cool it down in the vessel it will ferment in that way when you transfer it while it's still hot it will kill any bacteria that is still in the vessel.

I would go back and review the original post of this thread. It clearly shows (with pictures) what to do.

Thanks for the 1st grade pics in the OP on how to do this... Awesome!!!

So how do you clean yeast if you want to reuse it

I have a question. I created a yeast starter a few minutes ago and it is on the stir plate now.

I will be brewing on Saturday sometime so it will be in about 30 - 35 hours. I know that is a bit longer than the 18 - 24 hrs that people say, but this is the only time I will have to do it today.

Should I leave it on the stir plate until pitching time? or is there something else I need to do with it after it has finished fermenting?

agodfrey11 said:

I have a question. I created a yeast starter a few minutes ago and it is on the stir plate now.

I will be brewing on Saturday sometime so it will be in about 30 - 35 hours. I know that is a bit longer than the 18 - 24 hrs that people say, but this is the only time I will have to do it today.

Should I leave it on the stir plate until pitching time? or is there something else I need to do with it after it has finished fermenting?

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I would let the starter wort completly ferment out regardless of suggested times 18-24 is a guidline not an absolute truth. After completion if time allows I would cold crash the starter in the refrigerator until brewday this allows the yeast to drop out of suspension so you can decant the starter wort ( I do not like to pitch the whole contents). Just remember if you cold crash to allow the starter to warm to room temp before pitching you don't want to shock your yeast. hope this helps.

pola0502ds said:

So how do you clean yeast if you want to reuse it

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That's a whole 'nother thread.

Do a search for "Yeast Washing Illustrated"

Aschecte said:

I would let the starter wort completly ferment out regardless of suggested times 18-24 is a guidline not an absolute truth. After completion if time allows I would cold crash the starter in the refrigerator until brewday this allows the yeast to drop out of suspension so you can decant the starter wort ( I do not like to pitch the whole contents). Just remember if you cold crash to allow the starter to warm to room temp before pitching you don't want to shock your yeast. hope this helps.

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Thanks. I think Ill let it keep going on stir plate tonight, and wake up pretty early to put it in the fridge.

Ill then let it warm up, then pitch.

Thanks for the advice.

I got a question for you....

I've heard several times that Krausen is not a measure of yeast activity, that different strains will produce large amounts of foam, while others will produce hardly any.

Also, one of the purposes of making a starter is to make sure that the yeast is good, and you're not pitching a batch that will not grow.

So my question is, how do you know that the yeast is good? I have a starter, it's been almost 24 hrs, and there's very little to no foam on top. I'm sure it's ok, the production date tells me it was packaged less than a month ago, but I was just curious what the telling signs are.

dunnright00 said:

I got a question for you....

I've heard several times that Krausen is not a measure of yeast activity, that different strains will produce large amounts of foam, while others will produce hardly any.

Also, one of the purposes of making a starter is to make sure that the yeast is good, and you're not pitching a batch that will not grow.

So my question is, how do you know that the yeast is good? I have a starter, it's been almost 24 hrs, and there's very little to no foam on top. I'm sure it's ok, the production date tells me it was packaged less than a month ago, but I was just curious what the telling signs are.

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That's a great question.... IMHO I guess there has to be some activity even when I used Ec-1118 I had some activity and this yeast is known for low krausen but it did have the ferm bubbles going on. #2 you should end up with more yeast ( visibly) and #3 check your gravity if you started with 1.040ish and it didn't move your yeast is bad you should have a lower fg.

On #3, that's what I assumed, but now I ask, how do you take a gravity reading without a refractometer? I've only got a 1.5-2 liter starter. My hydrometer flask will take up a bunch of that volume, and then twice? Not to mention how do I syphon the liquid?

I use a turkey baster, tip the jug to the side & am ridiculously careful with sanitation. I return the sample when I'm done.

dunnright00 said:

On #3, that's what I assumed, but now I ask, how do you take a gravity reading without a refractometer? I've only got a 1.5-2 liter starter. My hydrometer flask will take up a bunch of that volume, and then twice? Not to mention how do I syphon the liquid?

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I always account for this when making my starter it's bigger than needed and I adjust dme - h2o ratio accordingly.Then before I pitch my yeast pour a decent amt of wort into my hydro flask and take a reading.when I pitch my yeast into the starter I make sure to have the proper liquid amt in the flask ( per mr.malty). I also cold crash then decant at completion into my hydro flask and take my final gravity.

So this is what i did to make a yeast starter, let me know if there is any problem with this. I brewed 2 batches yesterday so i wanted to make (2) 4 quart starters. So I made 8 quarts and fermented them in a carboy. On brewday I crash cooled them, a few hours later everything settled, removed most of the liquid and then i pitched the slurry.

Any problems doing it this way?

dunnright00 said:

I got a question for you....

I've heard several times that Krausen is not a measure of yeast activity, that different strains will produce large amounts of foam, while others will produce hardly any.

Also, one of the purposes of making a starter is to make sure that the yeast is good, and you're not pitching a batch that will not grow.

So my question is, how do you know that the yeast is good? I have a starter, it's been almost 24 hrs, and there's very little to no foam on top. I'm sure it's ok, the production date tells me it was packaged less than a month ago, but I was just curious what the telling signs are.

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Aschecte said:

That's a great question.... IMHO I guess there has to be some activity even when I used Ec-1118 I had some activity and this yeast is known for low krausen but it did have the ferm bubbles going on. #2 you should end up with more yeast ( visibly) and #3 check your gravity if you started with 1.040ish and it didn't move your yeast is bad you should have a lower fg.

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This is interesting... I read thru most of this thread prior to making a starter on Friday for a Sunday brew day. White Labs WLP300 Hefe yeast. Used the method pictured in the OP with the DME to H20. Placed it in a sanitized growler with foil on top also sanitized. It was in there for close to 48 hours. Now what I read that this particular strain of yeast is very active with Krausen. I got nothing prior to pitching. Didnt think much about it based on the DME to H2O levels - I was thinking I am trying to double to yeast. Well brewed Sunday morning cooled the wort as normal pitched the whole started roughly 32oz. and I have yet to see any action from the frementer. The last batch I had a smack pack and had action in less then 12 hours. Not sure I should worry yet. The kit came from AHS while its summer and was hot I am starting to think that I may have bad yeast. I also know that it can take up to 72 hours. Just reading this made me worry a bit.l

ACESFULL said:

This is interesting... I read thru most of this thread prior to making a starter on Friday for a Sunday brew day. White Labs WLP300 Hefe yeast. Used the method pictured in the OP with the DME to H20. Placed it in a sanitized growler with foil on top also sanitized. It was in there for close to 48 hours. Now what I read that this particular strain of yeast is very active with Krausen. I got nothing prior to pitching. Didnt think much about it based on the DME to H2O levels - I was thinking I am trying to double to yeast. Well brewed Sunday morning cooled the wort as normal pitched the whole started roughly 32oz. and I have yet to see any action from the frementer. The last batch I had a smack pack and had action in less then 12 hours. Not sure I should worry yet. The kit came from AHS while its summer and was hot I am starting to think that I may have bad yeast. I also know that it can take up to 72 hours. Just reading this made me worry a bit.l

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couple of things I need to put my .02 in on. I'm sure the op's method will work but I do a couple things differently that may help. #1 for every 4 liters use 1 cup of dme or for a 2 liter starter use 1/2 cup or for 1 liter starter use a 1/4 cup basically a 4:1 ratio water to dme mix. This will give you a SG of 1.044 which is great to grow your yeast without putting too much stress on them. #2 IMO don't use an airlock reason being yeast in this stage need oxygen to grow putting an airlock on prevents this ( yes I know airating prior to locking does this also, but not nessasarily enough) I use a sanitized foam stopper but a piece of sanitized foil will work just as well to et oxygen in but keep bacteria out. hope this might help.

Aschecte said:

couple of things I need to put my .02 in on. I'm sure the op's method will work but I do a couple things differently that may help. #1 for every 4 liters use 1 cup of dme or for a 2 liter starter use 1/2 cup or for 1 liter starter use a 1/4 cup basically a 4:1 ratio water to dme mix. This will give you a SG of 1.044 which is great to grow your yeast without putting too much stress on them. #2 IMO don't use an airlock reason being yeast in this stage need oxygen to grow putting an airlock on prevents this ( yes I know airating prior to locking does this also, but not nessasarily enough) I use a sanitized foam stopper but a piece of sanitized foil will work just as well to et oxygen in but keep bacteria out. hope this might help.

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I will look into this method for my next batch. I was worried about this but yesterday afternoon the airlock took off. Pulled the lid off the fermenter and I had a nice krausen forming. All is well.

I used a WhiteLabs yeast and made a starter, which turned out pretty good.
When pitched, the action started pretty fast, and it was bubbling like I have never seen before. So the starter method explained at the begining of this post was just great! Thanks a lot for sharing!

Now this brings a question. The WhiteLabs yeast I buy are almost 1/3 to 1/2 of the cost of a medium grain bill batch.
I would like to reuse some of the tubes I have from previous yeasts, and "replicate" one I just bought so I can reuse it, and cut down on my cost.

Please let me know if the following make sense:
1. Create a normal starter, eventually doubling it or even more.
2. Cold crash it to separate the yeast from the wort, and pour out a good part of the wort
3. Stir the starter and pour it in x number of WhiteLabs Yeast tubes, filling them to about 2/3, recap tight, and store in Kegerator/fridge

(Of course, all things need to be sanitized:cross
How long could I keep this in the fridge? It would be kept around 4degs C. - in my kegerator.

Thanks,
Zolt

DeathBrewer said:

i thought this picture might help out some newbies. found it on another forum.

fyi: instead of an airlock you can just use some aluminum foil. swirl the liquid every once in a while to keep those yeast busy.

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Awesome!

I came home today to find two fruit flys in my starter which was covered by foil. My question is... Is there any way to save this yeast or should I just cut my losses. Thanks for any help you can give me.