Pre-making starters with mini-mahser

So...I have this idea. I have a 2 gallon cooler that I can convert into a small masher. I am sick of paying $6.05/# for DME to make yeast starters. I would like to make about 1 to 1 1/2 gallons of, say 1.045 to 1.050 wort out of 2-row and some 20L and can it in 1 quart mason jars to use as starters. Do any of you have any experience in doing this? I don't have a pressure cooker, but have a large canning pot, and all of the jars.

In the last BYO issue the cover article (20%+ AG recipe) the author talked about canning his wort and slowly adding it to the primary. I lent out my issue, and I can't remember if the author talked about his canning technique or not.

Thanks!

Sure you can do it. I collect almost a gallon of wort at the end of each mash for this very purpose. I keep it in a milk jug, unboiled until I am ready to use it. I don't usually keep it more than 2 weeks . By the way, save the Crystal malt for a brew. Yeast don't need it for starters.

I made about a gallon of wort with my mini mash tun. It worked great.

I take any extra runnings after a mash, put them into ziplock bags and freeze them for starters/ yeast prop stuff. easier than dme, too.

Thats a good idea. I am going to do the same thing. I also have a 2 gal mini masher and was going to buy a case of 1qt mason jars today anyways to start saving yeast in. I am going to do the same thing. DME is too expensive to use in beer nevermind as a starter. As soon as the spring gets here I am making the switch to AG because of this.

I grind 250 grams / 1/2 lb. pale malt and place it in a 1+ liter /quart stainless steel thermos bottle. Pour in 0.6 litres / 0.6 quart hot water @ 165 - 170 deg. F and stir thoroughly. Mash should end up at 150 deg. F. After one hour strain mash through a basket coffee filter and sterilize by boiling in a microwave for 5 or 6 minutes. Pour cool wort into a sanitized 2 litre pop bottle and shake to aerate thoroughly. Prime with yeast starter pack or hydrated dry yeast and set in a warm place overnight with a fermentation lock. When you brew a batch, swirl to suspend the yeast and prime your batch of brew. Place a sterile cap on the starter bottle immediately and prepare another starter wort as above. Add cooled wort to the starter bottle and aerate by shaking. There is always enough yeast remaining in the starter bottle to start fermentation in the next starter even if you pour the whole starter into your batch of brew. I repeat the procedure 4 or 5 times and I am ready for my next batch. I never pitch on an old yeast cake for my next batch because of the risk of contamination is much greater.