Starter Question

So I have searched the forum, and how found how to make a starter, but not a lot of clear info on what to do between making and using it. I made a starter for my brew this past saturday, but not sure how effective I was.

I made the starter out of a wyeast smack pack on thursday in a 1000ml flask with 600ml of water, 1/2 cup DME, and half a table spoon of yeast nutrient. After boil and chill to 70*, I pitched the yeast and air locked it in the same place as my carboys sit. Then right before pitching time, I drained off most of the liquid, and left just enough to swirl it around and suspend the yeast, and in she went.

Today I just bought a stir plate, but am wondering how long I put the starter on the stir plate and when (right after making it, right before pitching, the whole time?)?

How do I properly create and nurture a starter to make sure it is in tip-top shape for pitching?

I make my starters 2 days before brewing,usually 1600 ml with 1 cup DME.After 24 hours on the stirplate I refrigerate it till brew day.Brew day take it out in the morning let it get to
room temp,decant all but about an inch of wort,swirl,pitch and in about 5 or 6 hours
fermentation starts.This method has never failed me yet.-good luck-

Oh by the way I work out of Aurora IL - greetings

Agreed with stikks.

Put it on the stir plate immediately after pitching. I usually leave it on for 24-36 hours...it usually finishes fermenting in ~18-24hrs.

As for timing, you really have 2 options...

• Do the starter ahead of time (a few days), let it ferment out (1-2 days), chill (2-3 days), decant off the spent liquid and pitch the slurry
• Do the starter 12-18 hours before brewing and pitch the whole thing when it's most active

If it's a smaller starter (<1 qt) I usually pitch the whole thing. If it's larger (~2 qts) I'll chill and decant.

I do 2L starters which use 200 grams of DME. After boiling and cooling I oxygenate the starter, pitch the yeast and place it on my stirplate at room temp.

You want to get in there so don't use an airlock, use a loose fitting sanitized piece of foil, or a large cheunk of gauze....something that can let oxygen in.

I stir for about 24 hours, then place the starter in the fridge over night. On brew day, I remove from the fridge, decant off about 90% of the liquid and let the yeast come up to room temp. Once the wort is ready to pitch, I swirl the flask until all the yeast is back in suspension and pitch. So, I start my starter 2 days before brew day.

If you have an extra stir bar, you can "grab" the bar in the yeast slurry through the flask and slide it up to the opening to remove....otherwise your stir bar may end up in your fermentor.

Ideally you want to pitch at or after high krausen (peak of activity). Its hard to tell on a stirplate because everything is always moving. I have pitched anywhere from 16 hrs to 24 hrs on the stirplate. Like Stikks said, its a good idea to crash it in the fridge and decant off the fermented wort as it is probably really oxidized. I've read that the temp of your starter should be as close to the temp of the wort as possible.

+1 on the tin foil cover

Do I have to worry about infection with a starter? I would think the gauze or foil would still allow bacteria into the starter.

formula2fast said:

Do I have to worry about infection with a starter? I would think the gauze or foil would still allow bacteria into the starter.

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Don't worry about it. If you are really anal though use a container with an airlock. The foil with a rubberband is standard.

I don't even think you need a rubberband. Losely fitted sanitized foil should work.

Mase said:

I don't even think you need a rubberband. Losely fitted sanitized foil should work.

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Yep, I do loosely fitted foil all the time. I almost never decant and have never had any problems. I make the starter the morning before I am going to brew and let it go on the stirplate all night.

If I'm pitching two vials then I usually start with 800ml (and vial) the morning before and add another 800ml and vial before bed. The next day before pitching they are ready to rock.

I am looking at buying either a 1L or 2L flask -- suggestions on which one is recommended?

KurtisCummings said:

I am looking at buying either a 1L or 2L flask -- suggestions on which one is recommended?

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I'd go for the 2L. I have both and never use my 1L anymore. The 2L just gives you more room for a bigger starter.

How important is a stir plate? I just bought a starter kit, but haven't had the chance to use it.

stikks said:

I make my starters 2 days before brewing,usually 1600 ml with 1 cup DME.After 24 hours on the stirplate I refrigerate it till brew day.Brew day take it out in the morning let it get to
room temp,decant all but about an inch of wort,swirl,pitch and in about 5 or 6 hours
fermentation starts.This method has never failed me yet.-good luck-

Oh by the way I work out of Aurora IL - greetings

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Glad to see a fellow brewer so close! That sounds like a good plan. I will give this a try. I am brewing again this weekend, so Thursday night I will give your recipe a shot.

formula2fast said:

Glad to see a fellow brewer so close! That sounds like a good plan. I will give this a try. I am brewing again this weekend, so Thursday night I will give your recipe a shot.

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I`m brewing saturday myself,A Nut Brown Ale.I will make my starter thursday.
Good luck with that starter method,for me it is foolproof.

Slainte

As far as the foil goes, nothing is going to crawl up the side of the flask and lift the foil and jump inside. Don't worry about it.
I heard on Brew Strong that it is better not to use an air lock on a starter, less oxygen I think? Anyway, I go foil and no rubber band. I've had no problems. Just be clean about it obviously.
ILLINOIS!!!

helibrewer said:

If you have an extra stir bar, you can "grab" the bar in the yeast slurry through the flask and slide it up to the opening to remove....otherwise your stir bar may end up in your fermentor.

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You sir, are a genius. I would never have thought of that