I want to start washing and then using a starter for my yeast. I recently made a stir plate, because i was board. I have been looking around and see a bunch of different sizes as far as Erlenmeyer flasks. what size is recommended for 5 gal batches?
First Time Yeast Starter
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how do you do 3L? the biggest flask i've found is 2L?
ddockery
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I just made my first starter. I have no stir plate, but am giving it a good swirl every time I walk by. It's definitely taking off after a little under a day. When I swirl it, I get a lot of foam, like a beer with way too much carbonation. Is this typical?
ArcaneXor
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Yes - the yeast produces lots of carbon dioxide, saturating or even super-saturating the starter beer. When shaking, a portion of that CO2 is released, which you see as foaming.
ddockery
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That makes sense, thanks for the response. I figured I was fine, but I always doubt these things the first time through.
I have only used dry yeast so far (S-05). I am planning to make a Hefe from extract (3 lb DME, 3.3 LME, hallertau hops) and realize that the yeast selection is very important for the hefe flavor. Given the price of liquid yeast, I would prefer to buy one smack pack of Wyeast and make a starter as from what I understand, just the pack alone would be underpitching a 5 gal batch.
No stir plate, so how often does the solution need to be swirled or stirred? Can I make it some evening after work or do I need to be around it for a half a day (awake) and paying constant attention to it?
No stir plate, so how often does the solution need to be swirled or stirred? Can I make it some evening after work or do I need to be around it for a half a day (awake) and paying constant attention to it?
ArcaneXor
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Hefeweizens are sort of the exception to the rule. For a standard 12-plato Hefeweizen, you'd be ok with using a single pack or vial of liquid yeast, as long as it's still fresh.
The more often you can shake up a starter, the better. But a stirplate is a very nice thing to have. The one I use is an inexpensive one from http://stirstarters.com/ and works quite well.
mtbiker278
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For those looking at bigger than 2L starters I found that the 1gal jugs work quite well. Just know that you can't heat them on the stove directly. I usually boil the starter wort in a big pot and get it into the gallon jug with a sanitized funnel. They should also be fine with a stir plate even though there's a slight curvature to the bottom.
ddockery
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ArcaneXor said:
When using a stir plate, if you won't see the kraussen, or CO2 escaping, how do you know the yeast is viable and working?
ArcaneXor
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You can see both.
ddockery
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ArcaneXor said:
Now I question where I read that you wouldn't. If it were to sit for a day, could you tell after that there was activity?
Just curios, why such a big starter for ales? I find a 1 liter gets going in 12-48 hours without problem (no stir plate). I recall reading on another thread about lag time between pitching and airlock activity should be within a certain time frame.
ArcaneXor
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The purpose of a starter is to increase the number of yeast cells. A 1-liter starter doesn't allow for much propagation if the vial/smack pack is new. See http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html and play with the numbers.
wolverinebrewer
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You can see CO2? They say Dale Earnhardt could see air in the draft so I guess it's possible.
I go by smell. Once it gets going, it's very strong. If you are away for awhile and then come back and give it a swirl, you will still get a good whiff even if most of the work was done while you were away. That is how I tell if its working.
Usually though, I'm anal and I will take the starter with me if I go out. Even at night, I will wake up and go give it a swirl every couple of hours.
ArcaneXor
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You can see it when there are thousands of tiny little bubbles are rising to the surface of the starter beer.
For anyone wanting to get jugs for making 1 gallon (4 Liter) starters, I picked up a gallon of apple cider at Whole Foods for $7 last week that came in a nice glass jug. It is currently holding about 3.5 liters of a WLP833 starter for a Helles this weekend.
wolverinebrewer
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OK. I thought maybe you could actually see it coming up through the vessel and into the air.....like you had some special power....
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