Pilsner yeast starter at ferment temp

[jonpecan]

I made a starter about 5 days ago for my pilsner. 2 liter, Wyeast 2001 Urquell.

I've kept the starter in my temp controlled fridge at about 50 F.

I occasionally shake the starter for oxygen.

Question 1: Am I doing this correctly, or correctly enough? How long can I let this go for? I know people will do gallon starters sometimes for lagers, so, apart from that.

Question 2: It looks like very clean beer, with yeast settled at the bottom. It looks delicious, and the same hue as the beer I'll be making. Okay to pitch the entire wort with the yeast at pitching time? Save the DME! Or do you think it might add off flavor or other issues to an otherwise clean pilsner.

Thanks!

 

[jbsg02]

I've heard it's not necessary to do lager starters at low temps since you primarily want yeast growth and they will grow faster a little warmer. I would think 5 days is a little long for a starter to go. I know with ales it's best to pitch within 48 hours or so.

 

[trentm]

I made a starter about 5 days ago for my pilsner. 2 liter, Wyeast 2001 Urquell.

I've kept the starter in my temp controlled fridge at about 50 F.

I occasionally shake the starter for oxygen.

Question 1: Am I doing this correctly, or correctly enough? How long can I let this go for? I know people will do gallon starters sometimes for lagers, so, apart from that.

Question 2: It looks like very clean beer, with yeast settled at the bottom. It looks delicious, and the same hue as the beer I'll be making. Okay to pitch the entire wort with the yeast at pitching time? Save the DME! Or do you think it might add off flavor or other issues to an otherwise clean pilsner.

Thanks!

Caveat: I am a yeast purest and believe the most important thing in brewing is healthy yeast. You will get replies to this that say your yeast are good enough but: "Good enough is the enemy of perfection."

Healthy yeast = fresh yeast (among other things). Try to time your starters to finish at pitching time. If you do have to store a starter, do it at as near freezing (without freezing) as possible and for the shortest time possible, never more than 1 week. If stored warm (in your case) or long, step up the starter the 18-36 (depending on yeast strain, temperature, and pitching method) hours before you pitch. Different yeast strains grow at different rates, higher temperatures encourage faster growth, and you can either pitch the whole starter or cold crash, decant, pitch, I do the former. If you pitch the whole starter: After growth is complete, provide an 8-12 hour rest at pitching temp (this will help with yeast vitality). If you decant, give the same rest then cold crash until all the yeast have settled, decant and slowly bring to pitching temp.

To step up the starter: First determine how long it will take the yeast to complete growth + 8 - 12 hours + crash and warm time if applicable. Then just decant the spent wort and add fresh sterile (as possible) wort. A stir plate is the best thing you can do for starters but if impossible, shake as hard and often as you can (be careful of eruptions when shaking after fermentation begins). Good luck.