Starter from Active Fermentation??

Hey All,

Pitched yeast in a batch on Monday (Wyeast 1010 American Wheat) I want to do one, maybe two more wheats this weekend. Wondering if I could take a sample of wort from the batch currently actively fermenting and make starters with it? Any suggestions or insight appreciated.

:rockin: :rockin:

Not really. Today is thursday. Primary fermentation activity should almost be done, meaning you have NOWHERE near enough fermentable sugar left in the wort to make a decent starter.

go buy some DME.

Let me be more specific. I want to take some wort and add to bolied DME/H20 mixture. Will there be enough viable yeast in the wort to make starters? Or should I try to collect some trub from the bottom?

Top Crop some foam (including the scum).

There was an interesting article in my Local Homebrew Guild's newsletter a couple of months ago. He said you hardly needed any if taken at high Krausen. (which it sounds like you might be past. Still...)

Rudeboy

I use trub all the time and it will take off like a rocket. I always wait at least a week before I secondary. Most of the time I wait three weeks and don't secondary at all.

I start my mash first, and then I start bottling a batch (or swap a batch to secondary). When done I usually sanatise a coffee cup and scoup out about a half cup of trub. I put Saran Wrap on the top until it is yeast pitching time so it only sits for a little over an hour, while I boil the next batch.

Like I said, it will take off like a rocket! Be sure to use a blow off tube!

Ahhhh, now I follow you.

Yeah there would be yeast in suspension available to create a starter. But you'd probably want to step up the starter a couple more times. You're starting with a tiny yeast colony.

I'd also do it with a stir plate to maximize yeast growth by keeping O2 in solution, vs. letting it ferment the sugar in an anaerobic phase (where yeast cells are not propagating).

Thank for the 411. Here is what I juust did. Since I pitched a smack pack 1010 american wheat late monday, already past high krausen (thing went crazy for like 2 days @ about 68 degrees). I boiled 4 ounces light dme (didn't want to buy wheat just for this) with 2.5 cups H20. Put about a cup in each of 2 jars with airlocks in lids (everything sani with star san of course). Dumped .25 cups DME mixture. Siphoned a few ounces of wort into each jar (i guess really could be called beer now) and got some scum off of top and mixed in each as well. Within 15 minutes, both jars are bubbled slighty. One airlock still pushed to top, other in middle. Let you know what I find in the moring!!

:rockin: :rockin: