I need to do a 1L starter and step it up to 3,5L but I don't think I'll have time to chill and decant between steps. So can I expect normal growth if I just dump 2,5L with 350g DME on top of the finished 1L starter, which would result in 3,5L at 1.037?
Stepping up starter without decanting?
- Thread starter eman_resu
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
Not exactly. I use this site and it shows that the growth is different with each stage: http://www.yeastcalculator.com/
I just input 1 liter in stage one and stage two without changing anything else and it says the growth factor of stage one is .54 and stage two is .26.
Also to get a 1.037 for 2.5 liters you want 250 grams of DME.
I just input 1 liter in stage one and stage two without changing anything else and it says the growth factor of stage one is .54 and stage two is .26.
Also to get a 1.037 for 2.5 liters you want 250 grams of DME.
The question was about stepping up without decanting, and if it will affect yeast growth. I myself understood what I was saying 
But someone would need to try it and do a cell count to really know. Which I doubt anyone has...?
But someone would need to try it and do a cell count to really know. Which I doubt anyone has...?
The question was about stepping up without decanting, and if it will affect yeast growth. I myself understood what I was saying
But someone would need to try it and do a cell count to really know. Which I doubt anyone has...?
Ok, I am thinking that the difference between steps without or with decanting would be of very little difference. You are adding more sugars for the yeast. It really doesn't matter that there is still liquid present from a first step. Though the beer left may dilute the gravity of a new step.
I am sure that cell counts have been done in almost any sequence you could imagine. Finding that info is another story.
I have often done a second step without decanting. But not on that scale. I have done less than .5 liter up to about 2 liters but never more than that.
After the second step I always decant if it is over .5 liters at the end. I don't want all the nasty starter beer going into my final brew.
d3track
Are you sure about that?
Why not just do a 3.5L starter? Are you starting from a really small amount of yeast?
If your yeast is very low flocculent, just add 2.5 liters of starter wort of 1.056 to compensate for the spent liter, and spin it.
Otherwise, start crashing it.
After 24 hours, decant the liquid above into another sanitized vessel for further crashing (could be the beginning for your next batch). Add the 3.5 liter (@1.040) to your slurry and spin it for 24 hours. Again crash for as long as you can, then again save the beer on top by adding to previous saved out starter beer, or just discard. Pitch slurry.
Otherwise, start crashing it.
After 24 hours, decant the liquid above into another sanitized vessel for further crashing (could be the beginning for your next batch). Add the 3.5 liter (@1.040) to your slurry and spin it for 24 hours. Again crash for as long as you can, then again save the beer on top by adding to previous saved out starter beer, or just discard. Pitch slurry.
Last edited:
Yes, to both low cell count and low flocculation. I was also thinking the starter "beer" from the first step shouldn't matter much. It just seems like chilling and decanting is the standard procedure, so I was wondering about that. Thanks guys.
Handsaw
Well-Known Member
Thanks for asking that question. I was wondering about that myself.
