Yeast starter question

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boondocksaint

boondocksaint

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I plan on making a yeast starter for my next batch (Irish Red Ale -5Gal) but have a question or two...

1. Since the Wyeast smack pack has a nutrient pack inside should I still use the yeast nutrient that came with my yeast starter kit (from Midwest)?

2. NB recommends 1.5L water & 1 cup DME / Midwest recommends 1L water & 1 cup DME, so which is right?

I understand there are different measurements for different intended gravities but I guess I'm just looking for an all around 'best practice' here.

Thanks!
 
Yes use the nutrient. Probably fermaid. For a general starter 1.5 liters to 1 cup DME will work. For a gravity specific starter check yeastcalc.com.
 
i do 1 gram of DME for every 10 mL of starter. not sure how that corresponds to liters per cup of DME.
 
I don't think it would hurt adding it. I always like to add my nutrients to the wort instead of the starter.

You want to keep your starter around 1.030 to 1.040.

I go by a 10 to 1 general rule. 10 milliliters to 1 gram. So for a 2 liter starter you would add water to 200 grams of DME until you reach the 2 liter mark. For 1 liter you would use 100 grams of DME.

Use mrmalty's yeast calculator to figure out the best size starter and use the 10 to 1 rule.
 
h22lude said:
I go by a 10 to 1 general rule. 10 milliliters to 1 gram. So for a 2 liter starter you would add water to 200 grams of DME until you reach the 2 liter mark. For 1 liter you would use 100 grams of DME.

Use mrmalty's yeast calculator to figure out the best size starter and use the 10 to 1 rule.
Click to expand...

I should've mentioned I don't yet have a kitchen scale and need to use measurements in volume vice weight.:hs::smack:
 
Oh, and a follow up question if I may...

When using a stir plate (I love new toys) do you leave the starter on the stir plate for a particular defined period (ie; just until the fermenation gets going or until you're ready to pitch or ??)
 
When using a stir plate (I love new toys) do you leave the starter on the stir plate for a particular defined period (ie; just until the fermenation gets going or until you're ready to pitch or ??)
Click to expand...

You leave the starter on the stir plate until the fermentation completes, this keeps the yeast suspended. After fermentation completes you're just beating up your yeast.
 
boondocksaint said:
Oh, and a follow up question if I may...

When using a stir plate (I love new toys) do you leave the starter on the stir plate for a particular defined period (ie; just until the fermenation gets going or until you're ready to pitch or ??)
Click to expand...

You need to do a minimum of 12 - 18 hrs. So you could do it the morning before your brew day, then when ready to pitch it, take it off and dump it in.

UNLESS, you want to put it in the fridge, and decant it.
 
I just used my stir plate for the first time. I stirred for about 36 hours, then refrigerated for two days. In brew day I pulled from the fridge and decanted all but about a 1/2 inch. Then swirled occasionally for an hour or so while I prepared my wort. I feel that adding all of the flask dillutes your brew. If you are using a 2l starter, that is a half gallon of piss beer you dumped in. Anyhow, I had the shortest lag time ever, just about 8 hours. Blew off my blow off tube. Don't use the 1/2 inch tubing over the airlock method, mine clogged. Fermentation was crazy rapid. Today is just a few hours short of 48 hours and what krausen I have left is falling to the bottom already.

Anyhow enough rambling, just wanted to share my crazy, stir plate starter experience. GOOD FUN!
 
mike024 said:
I just used my stir plate for the first time. I stirred for about 36 hours, then refrigerated for two days. In brew day I pulled from the fridge and decanted all but about a 1/2 inch. Then swirled occasionally for an hour or so while I prepared my wort. I feel that adding all of the flask dillutes your brew. If you are using a 2l starter, that is a half gallon of piss beer you dumped in. Anyhow, I had the shortest lag time ever, just about 8 hours. Blew off my blow off tube. Don't use the 1/2 inch tubing over the airlock method, mine clogged. Fermentation was crazy rapid. Today is just a few hours short of 48 hours and what krausen I have left is falling to the bottom already.

Anyhow enough rambling, just wanted to share my crazy, stir plate starter experience. GOOD FUN!
Click to expand...

Cool. Thanks for the insight. Is it recommended to bring the starter (after decanting) up to room temp before pitching to rejuvenate the yeast?
 
boondocksaint said:
Cool. Thanks for the insight. Is it recommended to bring the starter (after decanting) up to room temp before pitching to rejuvenate the yeast?
Click to expand...

What I did my first time was to leave it for around 30 hours on the stir plate, leave it for at least 24 hours in the fridge and then I decanted and allowed the starter to come up to room temp over a few hours. Then swirl away and pitch it. I got great activity really fast (too bad I chose the wrong yeast so my FG was too high).
 
boondocksaint said:
Cool. Thanks for the insight. Is it recommended to bring the starter (after decanting) up to room temp before pitching to rejuvenate the yeast?
Click to expand...

From what I have researched from wyeast is that once they reach room temperature they start looking for food again and stress when they cannot find it. It is best to pitch on the cooler side. I would say mine hit about 5° lower than from temp. Basically it is okay to reach from temp but not sit at from temp.
 
I just did my first yeast starter this past weekend. I used 1/2 cup of DME to 2 cups of water, mixed in yeast (English Ale Yeast), let it go for 24 hours and pitched it. The air lock had visible fermentation in 5 hours and a steady bubble at 12 hours. The krausen ring dropped after 30 hours and I can see the beers color clearing up in the fermenter.
 
Well, I 'brewed' my starter Tuesday night and all went well. This pic was taken the next morning when I got up for work (8hrs later).

So, when I put the starter in the fridge this morning, I just left the foam stopper in the flask rather than replacing it with an airlock.
The foam stopper is enough 'protection' for it, right?

I figured I'd verify with you guys so I can still go to my LHBS prior to my brew day (Sat) if I screwed this starter up.

YS 8Hrs Later.JPG
 

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