ok I still don't understand why u need to "start" your liquid yeast...

ok i've been curious about reusing my trub yeast in order to save some cash, and further my beer brewing techniques.

I have read through some articles on yeast starters. But I still cannot understand why it is any different than just simply adding to your regular wort !

someone please fill me in here.

If you are just racking onto a yeast cake that was leftover, you don't need a starter, just poor it on. When you need to use a starter is if you are using a new vial or smack pack. This is because you need to pitch the correct number of yeast cells to get a strong. healthy fermentation. Dry yeasts come prepackaged with plenty of cells that are alive and ready to work.

If you throw a pack of liquid yeast into your wort, it takes it a long time to reproduce sufficiently to reach the point of vigorous fermentation.
If you make a starter, you are greatly increasing the yeast cell count before pitching, so the yeast can get started faster.

This matters because the longer it takes the yeast to get started, the more time bacteria and other 'bugs' have to get established as well. In brewing you can never completely eliminate bacteria, you just have to make sure that your yeast out-competes it. Also, by pitching too little yeast at the start, the fermentation may never be the same as if you'd pitched the proper amount in the first place - this often leads to slow or stuck fermentations.

Sure.
You have 2 options.
#1 Yeast Washing (Gets you back to basically Pure Yeast Strain)
#2 Pitching right onto the trub (yeast cake) in the same fermentor.

Option 1 has a stickey...HERE:https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/
Option 2 gives you a bezerk amount of yeast and some people say that they miss out of flavors that are produced during the resperation phaze of fermentation. To pitch onto the yeast cake...just pour your cooled wort into a fermenter that you've recently bottled the beer out of, and left all the "Sludge" in the bottom. That "Sludge" will give a great ferment for you.

You start liquid yeast to get a higher cell count and a higher cell count means less lag time and the less lag time you have the less chance you have for an infection to get a foot hold.

See MB Raines, Ph.D. - Guide to Yeast Culturing for Homebrewers - Maltose Falcons Home Brewing Society (Los Angeles Homebrewing) for reasons why you should make a starter for liquid yeast.
The other reason is to prove that the yeast is still viable. I have many times put off a brew because the yeast has not "started" in time. I wouldn't like to spend several hours brewing just to find that I don't have a viable yeast to pitch with.

-a.

A lot of people 'wash' that spent trub/yeast cake and divide it into 4-6 jars, so they can make 4-6 more batches without buying more yeast.

If that doesn't interest you...yeah, just pour the new (cooled) wort directly onto the old cake...and wait for a MASSIVE fermentation.

It's all about 'optimal pitching rates' for yeast. 1 vial or smack pack is NOT OPTIMAL PITCHING QUANTITY. it might be fine...or you might get a slow fermentation with off flavors.

Making starters gets you to optimal levels to pitch...especially if you're making a lager or real high gravity beer.

malkore said:

A lot of people 'wash' that spent trub/yeast cake and divide it into 4-6 jars, so they can make 4-6 more batches without buying more yeast.

If that doesn't interest you...yeah, just pour the new (cooled) wort directly onto the old cake...and wait for a MASSIVE fermentation.

It's all about 'optimal pitching rates' for yeast. 1 vial or smack pack is NOT OPTIMAL PITCHING QUANTITY. it might be fine...or you might get a slow fermentation with off flavors.

Making starters gets you to optimal levels to pitch...especially if you're making a lager or real high gravity beer.

Click to expand...

awesome. I'm gonna try this with my next homemade cider batch.

I'm gonna use 5 gallons of cider, along with a couple lbs of DME. this way I can save $ on yeast