What to do with a yeast starter when you can't brew when planned?

[BigDaddyBrewing]

I have created a 1qt yeast starter using White Labs Essex and 2 cups DME. I've been stiring it twice a day for airation. Was gonna brew this weekend but now I have to push it back to next weekend. I've never had to worry about this before, so what is my best course of action with the starter? Do I just put it in the fridge? Do I wash it and store in sealed containers? HELP!!!!

 

[thisone]

I just stick mine in the fridge

 

[BigDaddyBrewing]

Air lock and all?

 

[latium]

Seconded for the fridge. Class it up a little and call it "cold crashing." Then you can decant most of the starter beer off of the yeast, and just pitch the yeast! (Use a little boiled and cooled water to swirl up the yeast into suspension before pitching, or just use a little of your fresh wort to do that instead.)

Edit: You posted while I was typing this. Next time, don't use an airlock on a starter, just use some semi-loose sanitary foil. You want the yeast to get oxygen for reproduction (whereas, with beer you want to drink, you want to oxygenate up front but then keep the O2 away from the beer so it doesn't taste like wet cardboard). When I stick mine in the fridge, I tighten up the foil around the neck of the container.

I'd say switch out the airlock and starter with foil, or if there isn't enough airlock liquid to get sucked back in, it doesn't matter much (if there's enough vertical space in your fridge).

 

[BigDaddyBrewing]

That sounds like a plan

 

[jeffjm]

Unfortunately I find myself in the same situation...except that my starter is four liters with two packs of wyeast 2206 for a 1.071 maibock.

Any idea how much viability I'll lose over the course of 3-4 days if I store it cold? This would be an easy beer to under-pitch.

 

[Yooper]

Unfortunately I find myself in the same situation...except that my starter is four liters with two packs of wyeast 2206 for a 1.071 maibock.

Any idea how much viability I'll lose over the course of 3-4 days if I store it cold? This would be an easy beer to under-pitch.

3-4 days? I would say very little.

I made a starter on January 1 for a brewday on January 4. But on the evening of January 3, I got a call that my dad had died. The starter went in the fridge, covered tightly with foil and a rubber band and it's still in there.

When I get home from Texas in late March, I will decant and make a starter and get it going again.

It was for a maibock, so it's a lager yeast.

 

[SagamoreAle]

Your fridge is full of germs. That's the last place I'd put it.

If this happened to me I'd just throw it out and do another starter a week later.

 

[barmyarmy]

Put in fridge, decant a day or so before brewing, add 1 liter of 1.040 wort and pitch when ready. I have had yeast in my fridge for 1 year (in a sealed mason jar) and it worked perfect.

 

[davekippen]

Your fridge is full of germs. That's the last place I'd put it.

If this happened to me I'd just throw it out and do another starter a week later.

I totally disagree with this. I have put my starter in the fridge many times with no issues.

 

[Yooper]

Your fridge is full of germs. That's the last place I'd put it.

If this happened to me I'd just throw it out and do another starter a week later.

good thing you've never been invited for dinner at my house! I doubt my 34 degree fridge has enough germs in it to kill you, but it's good we're not taking any chances!

I even store MILK in my fridge and give it to children. I'm probably going to be arrested for child abuse.

 

[jeffjm]

Thanks, Yooper. I'm sorry to hear about your dad. Makes the delayed brew day seem kind of trivial.

The more I think about it, the more I understand your answer. Nobody worries too much about viability of yeast harvested from a primary even if it's been through fermenting for a week or two, and this doesn't seem much different.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks, Yooper. I'm sorry to hear about your dad. Makes the delayed brew day seem kind of trivial.

The more I think about it, the more I understand your answer. Nobody worries too much about viability of yeast harvested from a primary even if it's been through fermenting for a week or two, and this doesn't seem much different.

Thanks for the kind words about my dad. I miss him so very much, you can't believe it. He was my beer drinking buddy, and my dearest friend. He teased the heck out of me about my brewing, and being a BJCP judge but he loved it. It was a total shock when he died suddenly- he had been doing just fine and we spoke (and skyped) on Christmas.

Viability of yeast can be an issue- but a starter will "wake up" the yeast again and alleviate any questions of viability. A few days or so, I assume minimal loss of viability but after a bit longer I'd make a starter.