Hey guys,
I'm about to brew my 2nd batch of beer. I decided to go (BIG) w/ a Dragons Milk clone (OG = 1.080 FG = 1.018).
New Holland Brew Co. Dragons Milk
I went to my LHBS & they built the recipe for me. The guy that runs the shop said I should make a starter & pitch a 2nd vial of yeast (using liquid WL) when I pitch the starter (just pour it in). I'd like to avoid pitching that 2nd vial of yeast so I can use it for something later, but I understand that I need a hit a target cell count.
This is my first starter, and a stepped up starter at that. Let me know if what I've done thus far is helping or hurting:
*Sunday Night - Boil 1/2 cup DME & 2 cups of water + pinch of Wyeast nutrient. Pitched into 1L flask. Intermittent shaking through the night. Covered w/ tinfoil
*Monday Morn - Mean krausen has formed. More intermittent shaking throughout the day.
*Monday Night - Refrigerate. Start building stir plate
*Wednesday Night - Stir plate is complete. Decant old wort, pitch 1 cup DME & 4 cups of water + Wyeast nutrient. Placed starter on stir plate. Krausen formed immediately. After 4 hours, back into the fridge.
*Thursday night - I decided to let the yeast out to play again. Allowed flask to warm up to room temp, placed back on stir plate. Krausen overflowed most of the night (covered w/ tinfoil).
It's still on the stirplate & frothy. I'm hoping to brew tomorrow mid-morning. Should I just leave the yeast on the stir plate? Is is ok to pitch even when they're starting to settle?
I'm about to brew my 2nd batch of beer. I decided to go (BIG) w/ a Dragons Milk clone (OG = 1.080 FG = 1.018).
New Holland Brew Co. Dragons Milk
I went to my LHBS & they built the recipe for me. The guy that runs the shop said I should make a starter & pitch a 2nd vial of yeast (using liquid WL) when I pitch the starter (just pour it in). I'd like to avoid pitching that 2nd vial of yeast so I can use it for something later, but I understand that I need a hit a target cell count.
This is my first starter, and a stepped up starter at that. Let me know if what I've done thus far is helping or hurting:
*Sunday Night - Boil 1/2 cup DME & 2 cups of water + pinch of Wyeast nutrient. Pitched into 1L flask. Intermittent shaking through the night. Covered w/ tinfoil
*Monday Morn - Mean krausen has formed. More intermittent shaking throughout the day.
*Monday Night - Refrigerate. Start building stir plate
*Wednesday Night - Stir plate is complete. Decant old wort, pitch 1 cup DME & 4 cups of water + Wyeast nutrient. Placed starter on stir plate. Krausen formed immediately. After 4 hours, back into the fridge.
*Thursday night - I decided to let the yeast out to play again. Allowed flask to warm up to room temp, placed back on stir plate. Krausen overflowed most of the night (covered w/ tinfoil).
It's still on the stirplate & frothy. I'm hoping to brew tomorrow mid-morning. Should I just leave the yeast on the stir plate? Is is ok to pitch even when they're starting to settle?