is it bad to use Dextrose in a yeast starter?

My WLP820 yeast asks for a yeast starter....but I only have Dextrose on hand. No DME or LME.


Will that be ok?

If you have some yeast nutrient, otherwise it won't work. Pure sugar won't let the yeast grow, so it just ferments.

I would not use Dextrose in a starter. If you start the yeast out on Dextrose, they may not develop a taste for maltose.

Someone with more scientific knowledge should explain this better.

Someone with more experience with starters can follow up and confirm this for me (or dispute it), but from what I understand it's not a good idea because you get the yeast geared toward eating the wrong type of sugar that way. Using DME, they're used to maltose when they get tossed into the wort.

ChshreCat said:

Someone with more experience with starters can follow up and confirm this for me (or dispute it), but from what I understand it's not a good idea because you get the yeast geared toward eating the wrong type of sugar that way. Using DME, they're used to maltose when they get tossed into the wort.

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That's right. Within 1-2 generations the yeast will lose the ability to create the enzyme needed to ferment maltose.

See, I knew someone would chime in with a better explanation.

Beerrific said:

That's right. Within 1-2 generations the yeast will lose the ability to create the enzyme needed to ferment maltose.

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They won't so much lose it as pack it away in the closet. Brewer's yeast actually have a variety of metabolic options based on the carbon source they are using. So you will get yeast growth and multiplication. And if you add yeast nutrient you will also get normal logarithmic growth with normal sized yeast. But when you switch their carbon source and they finish eating up all the easy glucose they will have to switch metabolic pathways to utilize the maltose (and trisaccharides for those yeasts capable). This may result in a sudden slowdown and possibly stuck fermentation (eg in say, a cold fermentation with a flocculent yeast)

Go get some Goya Malta and use it in a starter.

anyone know the SG of Goya Malta?

found this here Malta - Non Alcoholic Malt Beverage from the Caribbean and Latin America - Ask The Beer Guy «
they say it should be near 1.040 perfect for a starter, but dont know if thats right. Will see if i can find some GoyaMalta and test it out.

so basically.....used DME or LME...... or don't use a starter at all.

The SG of Goya Malta has been discussed here before but I couldn't find it in the search.

Just take a gravity reading.

wow that Goya Malta is one foamy drink, very strong malted smell to it. SG ~1.060 @ 63.5*F.

just incase anyone was wondering be sides me. Note this was from one sample from a single bottle, from a single 6 pack. Sample size very small.

Yeah, I was going to say that IIRC someone else measured it at 1.058, but I couldn't find the facts to back it up. So take 2 parts goya and 1 part water to get your 1.040 starter.