Starter Shelf Life

[grover69]

Hi Folks,

First I would just like to say, been reading the forum for quite a while and have learned lots, so thanks to everybody in advance.

Now on to my problem, I was getting ready to brew in a couple days, so I created a starter yesterday. Now I feel that Brew day will have to be pushed back( days, possibly 2 weeks).

How long is the starter good for? Is it possible for me to leave it for weeks, and then skim off the yeast slurry and create another starter.

I know this question has been asked before, but I found the answer a bit unclear, so basically what I would like to know is how long is a created starter good for before it should be pitched down the drain, and what are the techniques if any to prolong the life of the starter?

Thanks

 

[Yooper]

I'd let it ferment out completely, then cover it with sanitized foil and stick it in the fridge. The yeast will settle to the bottom, and the spent wort will stay on top. You can pour off the spent wort before using the yeast, if you want.

If you're brewing in a week or two, you can just pour off that spent wort and pitch it into your beer. I'd decant, and then allow the yeast to sit at room temperature while I brewed, so that the yeast will be at room temperature when I pitched it into the wort. I like to have my yeast and my wort roughly the same temperature, as to not shock the yeast.

If it's longer than a couple of weeks, I'd decant the spent wort and add some fresh starter wort to it a day or two before brewing. That will "wake up" the yeast and ensure viability.