Starter or No?

[ApolloSimcoe]

So my plan for this weekend is to brew a Grisette. These are typically low ABV beers in the 3-4% range. I was planning on making a starter tonight and realized that with such a low OG of 1.028-32 that i may not have too. I plugged my numbers into Mr Malty and with a 5 gallon batch it states that 1.2 vials or packs are needed.

Would any of you just forego the starter and just pitch directly from the smack pack?

 

[jack13]

If you entered all the info in Mr. Malty, incl. the date of manufacture, and it's coming up with 1.2 packs, then I'm sure 1 pack would be perfectly fine. The consensus among homebrewers seems to be that Mr. Malty (and other calculators) tend to be quite pessimistic. So I bet you have more cells in that smack pack than it's indicating.

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

Good point on the production date. I'll verify that after i purchase the yeast (3711)

 

[jack13]

Good point on the production date. I'll verify that after i purchase the yeast (3711)

Oh, in that case I'll add:

I believe that aspect of the calculators is what contributes most to their pessimism. For example, if the yeast was produced just 2 months ago (which, in my experience, is definitely toward the 'fresh' end), Mr. Malty says it's down to 54% viability. I've got no way to verify this myself, but word is that's a substantially low estimate.

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

Interesting. Out of curiosity I pushed the production date back to 4/1 and it recommended using 2.8 packs without starter.

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

The other thing I considered is making a .5L starter. Even worth the effort? I'm thinking this will propagate the amount of yeast needed.

 

[jack13]

The other thing I considered is making a .5L starter. Even worth the effort? I'm thinking this will propagate the amount of yeast needed.

I'd wait to see what the production date is. Maybe you'll get lucky and it'll be really fresh.

But more important than all that comes down to, to use your word, the 'effort' involved. If making the starter is something you consider a chore, and you do it only because you think you need to, I'd set the bar much higher in deciding to use one than if doing starters isn't really a chore to you and/or gives you confidence and such and thus makes the brewing experience more enjoyable. Personally I'm in that latter group and do them all the time. But a friend of mine never does starters with his liquid yeasts--just doesn't like to bother with them--and he makes consistently great beer.

 

[brownni5]

It's 3711 - it'll ferment and be spicy. Some advocate for under pitching Saison yeasts - others say to overpitch. I haven't decided for myself yet.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

No starter.

 

[yowzers]

Yes, no starter needed imo

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

Thanks for all the responses. I think I've decided to not make the starter.

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

As mentioned, I decided not to do the starter and this kicked off fairly quickly. I pitched around noon Saturday and appeared to be well underway by Sunday morning.

 

[kh54s10]

For any liquid yeast:
I on the other hand suggest that you do at least a vitality starter, especially if the yeast is bought online. You never know how the yeast was handled before you got it. In the winter, did it freeze? In the summer, did it sit in a hot truck for a couple of days? If you do a small starter you will see if you have a dead pack of yeast before you pitch it into your wort.

You may be able to rely on the Smack Pack swelling, or it might not and still be good. The other labs yeasts don't have the nutrient pack to create co2 and swelling doesn't happen so you have no way of telling the state of the yeast.

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

I picked it up at my LHBS and I believe, I'll have to double check that, but I the production date was 6/10, it was definitely this month though. And i know that that doesn't tell the story of its shipping but i felt I was good to go. I had considered the vitality/small starter but opted against, something to keep in mind for the future.

 

[Dgallo]

I always make a small starter, even if I’m purposely under pitching for ester production, I want the yeast actively eating when they’re pitch. Hasn’t failed me yet