Lager Starter Temps ???

[jeffd10]

If I am making a starter for a lager, should I be controlling the temp of that...(instead of room temp)??

or just let it roll

thanks :rockin:

 

[airving]

I just did one myself at room temp, although admittedly it's for my first lager. I plan to decant as much of the liquid off as possible to prevent transfer of any off flavors.

Yeast are happy when it's warm. I say let it roll (but take my level of experience into account).

 

[Nugent]

A starter is about growing yeast. Doing it at more optimal temps (i.e. normal room temp - 70F or so) is fine. Dumping off the jungle juice once it's done is the best thing to do, especially in a beer that you want to be clean tasting.

 

[avidhomebrewer]

Any starter I make (ale/lager) is always at room temp. Like Nugent says, making a starter is about getting the yeast to do their thing before the final act.

 

[whitespot]

+1 to Nugent and avidhomebrewer

Palmer and Jamil say the same.

 

[jeffd10]

Cool, thanks all, I hadn't been decanting my ale starters (just pitching them at hign krausen) and I was overthinking this one

Jeffd

 

[osagedr]

I've done them both ways in the past but basically have moved to just doing everything at room temp.

Two things to remember: (1) you need a lot more yeast for a lager if you are going to ferment it at proper temperatures. My rule of thumb is 1.5 million cells per millilitre per degree Plato. (2) Since you are going to chill and decant the starter, you need to plan a number of days ahead. Enough time to ferment a four or five litre starter (for a 5 gallon batch, depending on gravity of course) then enough time in the fridge for the yeast to completely drop out. For an ale you can make your starter the night before and be okay; for a lager you need three or four days ahead IMO. You can shave some time off it but there's not a lot of point to decanting if you still have a lot of yeast in suspension.

Good luck!