Sugar Alternatives for a Yeast Starter

I intended to make a yeast starter for tomorrow's brew day, but forgot to pick up DME. A few questions.

1.) Can I use corn sugar for the yeast starter? If so, what would the recipe amount be for a 1.040 starter? I have a 2000mL flask.

2.) My home brew shop opens at 10am, if I have starter complete by 11am, will I have given the yeast a nice head start if I'm pitching by 4pm? Is it worth making a 4 hour starter or should I just double pitch instead.

Thanks,
JT

How big is the beer you are making?

There has been a lot of discussion that a starter with simple sugar makes "lazy" yeast that do a poor job of processing maltose. a 4 hour starter is better than no starter IMHO.

WickedLB said:

How big is the beer you are making?

There has been a lot of discussion that a starter with simple sugar makes "lazy" yeast that do a poor job of processing maltose. a 4 hour starter is better than no starter IMHO.

Click to expand...

The recipe is an Allagash Tripel AG. Target gravity is 1.078 with a finish around 1.017. I heard the same comment regarding the lazy yeast on a recent show. Suggested pitching the corn sugar in a Belgium Tripel a few days after primary fermentation instead of in the boil. I guess the theory is to make them break down the maltose sugars first and then the simple sugars.

Just wondering if it's a safe replacement vs. making a shorter duration starter?

Oy, that is a tough call! What is better, lazy yeast who don't make enough maltose chewing enzymes or a starter that never gets out of the lag phase into and into the growth phase.

If I couldn;t wait until tomorrow night to pitch, I'd go to the LHBS and just buy a 1 more vial. and make the 4 hour starter to get the process rolling. That's just what I would do.

I've had this situation before. I just sanitized extra carefully and racked into my primary vessel and let it sit overnight until my starter was ready. Then I pitched. Everything turned out great. You could even do a no chill.

maxam said:

I've had this situation before. I just sanitized extra carefully and racked into my primary vessel and let it sit overnight until my starter was ready. Then I pitched. Everything turned out great. You could even do a no chill.

Click to expand...

Thanks Maxam. That's another approach, it sounds like you're not in favor of the corn sugar method either. Note to self: keep some DME on back up!