500 ml yeast starter?

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firefly765

firefly765

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This is my first try using washed yeast from a previous 3068 batch. I bought a 500 ml starter kit from morebeer.com. just made a starter w/ .5C DME & 500ml H2O & yeast nutrient: OG 1.040.

I've been reading a larger starter is recommended. Will I be OK using this 500ml for now? I used the 500 ml kit with the original activator pack & it worked awesome! Violent bubble 10 hours after pitching.


Thanks for any advice.
 
IMO, a small starter is better than no starter at all. Do you use a stirplate? Did you check out the calculator at Mrmalty.com?
 
Reelale said:
IMO, a small starter is better than no starter at all. Do you use a stirplate? Did you check out the calculator at Mrmalty.com?
Click to expand...

no & no.

I just went to the calculator & i guess i need 90 ml of slurry. That's about what i had, but i didn't see where the size of the starter is in the calculator. I guess the yeast is good, because after 2 hours it's bubbling out of the flask. Should i just place foil loosly on top & let it bubble over?

I guess a larger flask is in order.
 
firefly765 said:
no & no.

I just went to the calculator & i guess i need 90 ml of slurry. That's about what i had, but i didn't see where the size of the starter is in the calculator. I guess the yeast is good, because after 2 hours it's bubbling out of the flask. Should i just place foil loosly on top & let it bubble over?

I guess a larger flask is in order.
Click to expand...

The various methods of starter preparation are in the drop down menu. I think simple starter is the default. Changing these, or changing any of the other user inputs, like OG, viability, etc. changes the amount needed. Yeah, just loosely cover, and give it a good shake whenever you think about it. Larger flask is good.
 
I don't think having it foam over in a small bottle is a good idea.
With such small starter you are probably not propgating yeast, but just waking it up. Then having it foam over you are loosing a substatial amount of yeast. You may be pitching less yeast than you started with from the original smack pack.
It is still a good idea to use a starter to wake up your yeast, just make sure you pitch it before it foams over.
 
luthierzan said:
I don't think having it foam over in a small bottle is a good idea.
With such small starter you are probably not propgating yeast, but just waking it up. Then having it foam over you are loosing a substatial amount of yeast. You may be pitching less yeast than you started with from the original smack pack.
It is still a good idea to use a starter to wake up your yeast, just make sure you pitch it before it foams over.
Click to expand...

Too late, it's foaming over & I'm not brewing until tomorrow. I'm not using a smack pack, I'm using washed yeast from a previous batch.

Should I pour it into a larger container?
 
I would put it in a larger container. Just make sure you are clean about it. Clean the outside of your flask before transfering so none of the outside stuff goes in to your new container.
 
w/ .5C DME & 500ml H2O & yeast nutrient: OG 1.040.
Click to expand...
That volume is a bit much in a 500 ml Erlenmeyer flask. I'd not go more than 300 to 350 mL for any kind of frothing, foaming thing.

With such small starter you are probably not propgating yeast, but just waking it up.
Click to expand...
Assuming equal starter wort, then stepping up does step up yeast numbers. Going from a 50 ml smack pack to 100 ml will increase population, though certainly still under-pitching.
 

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