Yeast starter not that hard

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cbotrice

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I took the advice from all the sage brewers here and did a starter for my I did last nite. It worked great, used a 1/2 gallon growler with the 3/4 cup dme and 1 1/2 cup water boiled for 10 minutes cooled and thrown in the growler. Then I added the yeast and covered with tinfoil. Worked great, batch was bubbling away when I checked on it some 5 1/2 hours later. MPW
 
A starter is a always a good idea. When you want to take the next step, try a large flask and a stir plate. The borosilicate flasks can be boiled on the stove and cooled right away in cold water. The closed cell foam stoppers will keep out wild yeast and bacteria. I've found I can make a starter with no sanitizer whatsoever, leaving the stopper in place during the boil. This makes making a starter a snap. A great time saver too.

Prosit!
 
Yeah, it's no big deal. If they'd get the FAQ's here fixed, we'd already have a nice instructional guide for everyone to follow. :D
 
I made a starter for my Belgian Wit on Thursday of last week. Due to schedule problems, I couldn't brew until Tuesday. By that time, the yeast starter had stopped bubbling and seemed to be settling/going dormant. Boy was I wrong. Even with the delay, I saw serious MAJOR LEAGUE blowoff within 6 hours!!! The blowoff has a nice Wit yeast smell, laced with orange peel and corriander.

I'm brewing my Hefeweizen tonight, Thursday, and the starter will be one week old. I have a feeling that it will be just about as active.

Starters rock!
 
tnlandsailor said:
A starter is a always a good idea. When you want to take the next step, try a large flask and a stir plate. The borosilicate flasks can be boiled on the stove and cooled right away in cold water. The closed cell foam stoppers will keep out wild yeast and bacteria. I've found I can make a starter with no sanitizer whatsoever, leaving the stopper in place during the boil. This makes making a starter a snap. A great time saver too.

Prosit!

The flask is the way to go. I am not fimiliar with a foam stopper, I just used a drilled stopper and plugged the hole with a piece of cotton and covered with a pieceof foil. Before I had a gas range, I would use a bunson burner. Either way, unless I placed a steel screen over the burner to distribute the heat, the glass would get hot spots and cause uncontrollable boil overs.
 
By that time, the yeast starter had stopped bubbling and seemed to be settling/going dormant. Boy was I wrong.

No, you were right. They were dormant. They multiplied, ate up the starter wort and settled, which is what you want. Same principle as pitching onto a yeast slurry, just smaller.
 
so an erlenmeyer flask can be put right on the stove or should I do it in a small pot first for the boil? And what type of liquid do I put in the airlock?
 
Have'nt Really Done A Yeast Starter Before . I Use Wyeast And Have Always Had Good Luck. How Long Will Yeast Starter Last And Also How Long Before Brew Do You Start It.
 
I began my starter (WL European Ale Yeast) on Thursday and saw minimal action. Tiny Krausen in the flask. Pitched 10PM Saturday night at midnite into my wheat beer. By 10AM this AM, I had 1 bubble/3 sec. By 4 PM, I have 5 bubbles/2 secs. NICE! Starters rock.
 
Yes indeed. Oxygenate that wort. The more the better. I do it the dangerous way. I pick up the carboy and shake the hell out of it for a minute or so. Then I set it down and collapse in exhaustion. ;) That sucker is heavy.
 
andre the giant said:
I do it the dangerous way. I pick up the carboy and shake the hell out of it for a minute or so.

I do the same thing... I fear the day that I might drop it. :eek:
 
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