5L starter?

[Chefencore]

I recently bought the Golden Dragon (Belgian dark strong ale) extract kit from NB, and since I have only 2 carboys and was out of beer, I decided to get some faster brews going. Now that I’m ready to brew it, I checked to see what size starter I would need - my calculator say 4800 ml!!! The yeast mfr dat is 3/27/11 and the 5 gal batch has an OG of 1.092.

A friend suggested I brew a smaller belgian ale first using this yeast (Wyeast 3739 Flanders Golden Ale) then pitch onto the cake. I’ve never done that before and am wary - I want this brew to be great. I would rather spend $30 for ingredients for the belgian ale than $50 for a 5l flask. I have a 2l flask, though. Could I make a 2l starter and hope for the best?

 

[ArcaneXor]

Just use a pair of gallon jugs - cheap and perfectly good for making starters. Or if you considering spending $50 anyway, get a stirplate instead of a larger flask.

 

[jtejedor]

I think you would be OK with a 2 liter starter. Not ideal but it should get the job done especially since the yeast pack is decently fresh.

 

[PseudoChef]

I would make a smaller beer first. You're not going to drink the wort from the starters, but you'll generate sufficient yeast and have 5 gallons of beer if you make a small beer first. Sure, you'll have to move this one back a little bit, but at 1.092, it's not like you're going to be drinking it anytime soon anyway.

I think you would be OK with a 2 liter starter. Not ideal but it should get the job done especially since the yeast pack is decently fresh.

Pitching a healthy amount of viable yeast is one of the best things you can do for good beer. I wouldn't advocate underpitching on any style of beer, let alone a high gravity style.

 

[Chefencore]

I do have a stirplate, and considered just buying another pack of yeast. Also thought about the gallon jugs. And even though I don't wanna spend the $$ wouldn't it be cool to have a 5L flask!! Might just get some jugs.

 

[Chefencore]

I would make a smaller beer first. You're not going to drink the wort from the starters, but you'll generate sufficient yeast and have 5 gallons of beer if you make a small beer first..

By smaller beer you mean lower gravity? You don’t drink the wort from the starters? (kidding:cross

I don't mind waiting, but I want it to be spectacular. The thought of putting it on top of dirty trub and in a dirty carboy (edit - SWMBO in my face talking about buying a house and i didn’t finish my thought!) gives me the heebies. I guess i could rinse the yeast and repitch immediately but wouldn’t want to negate the whole process by losing any viable yeast.

 

[PseudoChef]

Yeah - a gravity around 1.040-1.050 with minimal hopping is ideal - something like a Belgian Pale Ale would be perfect.

You don't have to pitch in the same carboy (I certainly wouldn't). After the beer ferments out and you rack it to wherever it's going to go, sanitize a container (like a flask) that will hold the yeast and the lip of the carboy (if it's a glass carboy, flaming the lip would be best). Then just pour the yeast into the flask and clean the carboy afterward.

 

[King of Cascade]

Yeah - a gravity around 1.040-1.050 with minimal hopping is ideal - something like a Belgian Pale Ale would be perfect.

You don't have to pitch in the same carboy (I certainly wouldn't). After the beer ferments out and you rack it to wherever it's going to go, sanitize a container (like a flask) that will hold the yeast and the lip of the carboy (if it's a glass carboy, flaming the lip would be best). Then just pour the yeast into the flask and clean the carboy afterward.

I know this thread is a little old but ^^^^THIS^^^^

If you have two empty carboys just rack the beer off the yeast and pour it into the next clean carboy...If you dont have another carboy just ask yfbil

eta: dont wash your yeast just pitch it right into the next one.

 

[Chefencore]

Stalker. And mfbil doesn't brew. So now what? Haha!

 

[Chefencore]

Stalker. And mfbil doesn't brew. So now what? Haha!

@'King' - I'm kidding, you're my favorite. I don't think the other even drinks beer.
I've got 6 gallons(don't know how, I hit OG) of saison going now and in another few weeks it'l go in the new(used) kegs I will have bought, and Golden Dragon into the carboy.
If you wanna let me borrow something, I do need to get some of this IPA into bottles before it's gone (next few days I'm guessing).
And the bitter is ready.
And this is way topic
And I quoted myself.

 

[King of Cascade]

@'King' - I'm kidding, you're my favorite. I don't think the other even drinks beer.
I've got 6 gallons(don't know how, I hit OG) of saison going now and in another few weeks it'l go in the new(used) kegs I will have bought, and Golden Dragon into the carboy.
If you wanna let me borrow something, I do need to get some of this IPA into bottles before it's gone (next few days I'm guessing).
And the bitter is ready.
And this is way topic
And I quoted myself.

You need the beer gun? Will be home all night. I got a hoppy wheat beer and a cream ale I made with kolsch yeast.

 

[Officianardo]

I do have a stirplate, and considered just buying another pack of yeast. Also thought about the gallon jugs. And even though I don't wanna spend the $$ wouldn't it be cool to have a 5L flask!! Might just get some jugs.

You might consider phoning your local University Glass Lab ? I did this a couple of years ago and they had numerous Erlenmyer flasks which were surplus to their requirements and going cheap.
I picked up several from 100 mls right up to 6 Litre. The resident glass blower kindly modified the 6 L flask for me as well.
You just never know.

 

[King of Cascade]

You might consider phoning your local University Glass Lab ? I did this a couple of years ago and they had numerous Erlenmyer flasks which were surplus to their requirements and going cheap.
I picked up several from 100 mls right up to 6 Litre. The resident glass blower kindly modified the 6 L flask for me as well.
You just never know.

So...you have a 6L bong?????

 

[Officianardo]

yes ! its a bit of a luxury having headspace when I'm doing a 5 litre starter.

 

[VaBrewer]

I did this one the last time NB had it, over a year and a half ago. We drank it this last Christmas. It was awesome. I pitched an 1800ml starter of Flanders Golden for the 5 gallon batch. I let it primary for 2 to 3 weeks and secondary for a year+. I added T-58 ~ 4 days prior to kegging. You won't need a 5L starter, it will be fine. enjoy!

 

[Chefencore]

I did this one the last time NB had it, over a year and a half ago. We drank it this last Christmas. It was awesome. I pitched an 1800ml starter of Flanders Golden for the 5 gallon batch. I let it primary for 2 to 3 weeks and secondary for a year+. I added T-58 ~ 4 days prior to kegging. You won't need a 5L starter, it will be fine. enjoy!

The reason for the 5L starter was that the yeast was 2 months old. It was down to 44% viability.
Why did you repitch if you were kegging?

 

[a10t2]

Obviously it's a little late now, but in the future you might just want to do a two-stage starter. 750 mL, then 1.5 L is going to get you to about the same cell count as a 5 L single-stage.

http://seanterrill.com/2010/03/08/two-stage-starter-calculations/

 

[VaBrewer]

The reason for the 5L starter was that the yeast was 2 months old. It was down to 44% viability.
Why did you repitch if you were kegging?

I didn't force carb, I just followed the recommendation about cold conditioning and adding the T-58. I think it gave it another layer of character. I let the keg sit for 2 weeks at 68 before putting it in the keezer. One of the best yet.

About the yeast being 2 months old, I've used wyeast packs that were 6 months old with no problem. I just make a starter to get it going. The smack packs are awesome.

 

[Chefencore]

A10t2 - that would've probably worked, but now I have 5 gallons I didn't plan, so I'm happy still.
I racked the saison and brewed the special dark last night. There was very little trub/yeast in the carboys so I was worried that there wouldn't be enough! I could still see a lot in suspension maybe shoulda cold crashed. Gangbusters this morning though. Still a bit worried that it might poop out early. About to add the candi dark.
OG was 1080, still working on my boiling techniques.
Thanks for all the advice, especially you KoC!