Ceedubya
Well-Known Member
I know there is a lot of info here regarding starters, and I have researched a lot of it, but some of it can be a bit confusing.
I am also getting conflicting advice from both of what I consider viable sources.
After a several year hiatus from brewing, I am trying to brew an Oktoberfest Lagar using an extract recipe with specialty grains to boot.
I am wanting to build a starter, and have had some issues: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/stuck-starter-77775/
I think I know what happened there, and I'm pretty sure that the starter is not pitch worthy.
Anyway, I have more of the liquid yeast, and want to start over. So, I will build a much bigger starter to begin with, pitch the yeast, and let run for a couple of days before brew day.
BUT, I have one person telling me to bring the yeast to room temp, get the starter within a few degrees of the yeast and pitch. Let it run at room temp, 65 to 70 degrees for a couple of days, and then brew and pitch at that temp.
Another source is convinced that the last starter I built was fine since it showed action unitil I put in the lagering fridge. He believes the fast chill shocked the yeast. So his advice is to leave the yeast in the lager fridge, chill the starter to this temp, 50-55 degrees, pitch and build the starter at this temp.
Reasearch here, and other places, has shown me both as a possibility. Its a little confusing.
Is one better than the other for developing healthy yeast? Which would YOU do?
And as a second, when I do brew, at what temp will I want to pitch the starter, and do I want to leave it out for awhile before bringing it down to lagar temps?
Its funny, cause the last batch I did before I quit for awhile was 4 years ago, it was a lagar and turned out great. I don't remember any of these issues, but I also don't think I used a starter. As a matter of fact, when digging through the back room to find all my stuff this week I actually found a 6'r of this stuff still in the bottle leftover, and in a cardboard box under a bunch of storage stuff. It shouldn't have ever been in any temp extremes, so I thought I should give it a try! It was GREAT! a little much carbonation, but man it tasted great, considering it was 4 years old!
Thanks for any, and all advice! I am very glad I found this site :rockin:
I am also getting conflicting advice from both of what I consider viable sources.
After a several year hiatus from brewing, I am trying to brew an Oktoberfest Lagar using an extract recipe with specialty grains to boot.
I am wanting to build a starter, and have had some issues: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/stuck-starter-77775/
I think I know what happened there, and I'm pretty sure that the starter is not pitch worthy.
Anyway, I have more of the liquid yeast, and want to start over. So, I will build a much bigger starter to begin with, pitch the yeast, and let run for a couple of days before brew day.
BUT, I have one person telling me to bring the yeast to room temp, get the starter within a few degrees of the yeast and pitch. Let it run at room temp, 65 to 70 degrees for a couple of days, and then brew and pitch at that temp.
Another source is convinced that the last starter I built was fine since it showed action unitil I put in the lagering fridge. He believes the fast chill shocked the yeast. So his advice is to leave the yeast in the lager fridge, chill the starter to this temp, 50-55 degrees, pitch and build the starter at this temp.
Reasearch here, and other places, has shown me both as a possibility. Its a little confusing.
Is one better than the other for developing healthy yeast? Which would YOU do?
And as a second, when I do brew, at what temp will I want to pitch the starter, and do I want to leave it out for awhile before bringing it down to lagar temps?
Its funny, cause the last batch I did before I quit for awhile was 4 years ago, it was a lagar and turned out great. I don't remember any of these issues, but I also don't think I used a starter. As a matter of fact, when digging through the back room to find all my stuff this week I actually found a 6'r of this stuff still in the bottle leftover, and in a cardboard box under a bunch of storage stuff. It shouldn't have ever been in any temp extremes, so I thought I should give it a try! It was GREAT! a little much carbonation, but man it tasted great, considering it was 4 years old!
Thanks for any, and all advice! I am very glad I found this site :rockin: