Noob question about yeast starters

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MistFM

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I am in the process of researching how to get the most efficiency out of my yeast. I have already read the yeast washing illustrated thread and now I am trying to research how to create a yeast starter. I have already read the yeast starter wiki page, but I still have one question.

So when I use DME to create my starter I can
1) Put it in the fridge to separate, pour off the liquid and add more DME to grow more yeast.
2) Put it in the fridge to separate, pour off the top layer of liquid and pitch whatever is left into my wort
3) Put it in the fridge to separate and keep it until I need it
4) Pitch the yeast w/ the DME into my wort

Is that correct? If so, when I pour off the DME wort, will there be any liquid left to mix the remaining yeast at the bottom of my jar? Also, if I have to keep some of the DME in my yeast as a solvent, won't that effect the taste of my beer? Thanks in advance for the help guys, this is an entirely unique aspect to the hobby and I want to slowly learn it the right way. :mug:
 
You can do any of the 3 options, when you decant you leave a small bit of wort to swirl up a slurry of the yeast and pitch that. The amount of wort in a starter is negligible in terms of affecting the beer:)
 
So when I use DME to create my starter I can
1) Put it in the fridge to separate, pour off the liquid and add more DME to grow more yeast.
2) Put it in the fridge to separate, pour off the top layer of liquid and pitch whatever is left into my wort
3) Put it in the fridge to separate and keep it until I need it
4) Pitch the yeast w/ the DME into my wort

1. Yes. Just make sure everything is clean / sanitized. The more often you open/close the foil lid the higher your chances of getting contaminated. (your better off making a really large starter if you want to pitch some to your wort and save the rest.)

2. Yes. Yeast that have a really low Flocculation I leave maybe 1-2mm of starter to swish around the flask with. Yeast with really high Flocculation I leave maybe 3-5mm. Doesn't have to be exact. You will get the feel for it after a few starters. Swish > pour > swish > pour...

3. Yes. Some brewers will wash the yeast from a fresh 5gallon brew and divide the washed yeast into 4-6 quart jars and store them. They then open a jar to make a new starter for each batch afterwards.

4. Yes and Maybe. I generally decant a large portion of the spent wort/beer before I pitch my starter into my wort. But when I first started brewing I just pitched the whole thing in. Never had a problem. In theory the amount of starter to wort is marginal so it shouldn't effect the taste. But its totally up to the brewer.
 
...Also, if I have to keep some of the DME in my yeast as a solvent, won't that effect the taste of my beer?

Shouldn't affect the taste - after all, the DME turned into fermented wort! which is what you're going after. Perhaps not in the correct style or recipe, but as others have said, negligible. And think of all the good you did, pitching a few hundred billion cells MORE than a single package...
 
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