When to pitch a starter?

[nateburn]

Ok, so I've read most of Chris White and Jamil Zainasheff's Yeast book and trolled the threads looking for a consensus but I still can't decided the best time to pitch a starter. From what I understand there are 2 options, 12-24 hours after the starter is made (high kraeusen) or after it reaches terminal gravity.

So when does everyone pitch their starter? And why?

 

[JoshuaWhite5522]

IMO it depends on if you are pitching the whole starter or not. If you are pitching the whole thing do it at high kraeusen. If you are going to decant the starter off the yeast and just pitch the cake, I let it ferment out. I will also cold crash, and then pitch. Hope that helps. Others may have differnt methods.

 

[diS]

Its not big deal.. IMO
As far as you got right pitching rate you"ll be fine whenever you pitch it.

Personally, I"m cold crashing too... especially if starter is too large /+5%

 

[beergolf]

I do mine that are 1.5 L or less 18 hours before and pitch at high Krausen. I do use a stir plate.

If I do a big one I will mke it ahead of time and crash it and only pitch the yeast.

 

[duboman]

I generally make a starter on Wednesday, step up each day until Friday, cold crash and when the wort is ready on Sunday it gets pitched and fermentation generally starts within 6 hours

 

[hopmonster2189]

Is the point of crashing just to have all the yeast in one mass? Why not keep them active so the second they are pitched they are ready to keep attacking the wort? Just asking because I don't know. Or do you just not want that malty volume of water added to your wort?

 

[WickedLB]

Its not big deal.. IMO
As far as you got right pitching rate you"ll be fine whenever you pitch it.

+1 Use Mr. Malty and pitch after 12 hours.

I use a stir plate, I don't cold crash, and tend to pitch 12 -24 hours after I pitch into the starter (depending how much I f-up my brew day).

 

[billdog]

I pitched my first one 48 hours after innoculation. 2 hours after pitching I had active fermentation evidence in my carboy. IMO you should pitch at high floculation. It is when all yeast are active and there is plenty of food for them to continue to multiply. But then again what do I know I'm only a microbiologist, lol.

 

[WickedLB]

But then again what do I know I'm only a microbiologist, lol.

I expect a full population vs time graph from you on your next post (including labels for the lag, log and stationary phases)

 

[ScottSingleton]

I don't pitch my really big starters at high krausen.... I don't want that much starter wort in my beer.

 

[osagedr]

IMO it depends on if you are pitching the whole starter or not. If you are pitching the whole thing do it at high kraeusen. If you are going to decant the starter off the yeast and just pitch the cake, I let it ferment out. I will also cold crash, and then pitch. Hope that helps. Others may have differnt methods.

This is what I do as well. Small 1 or 1.5 litre starters get pitched at high krausen.

Some big starters for lagers, etc. get fermented out, decanted and pitched.

 

[osagedr]

Is the point of crashing just to have all the yeast in one mass? Why not keep them active so the second they are pitched they are ready to keep attacking the wort? Just asking because I don't know. Or do you just not want that malty volume of water added to your wort?

I don't pitch my really big starters at high krausen.... I don't want that much starter wort in my beer.

There's your answer hopmonster. I'm okay with pitching a litre or two into 20; not so much four or five litres for a giant lager starter.

 

[JoshuaWhite5522]

Is the point of crashing just to have all the yeast in one mass? Why not keep them active so the second they are pitched they are ready to keep attacking the wort? Just asking because I don't know. Or do you just not want that malty volume of water added to your wort?

Well the starter wort is generally not what you are striving for in your beer flavor wise. If you have a big starter, it's best to decant the wort and save the beer from the flavor of the starter. If my starter is about 1 quart then I don't generally mind pitching, unless it's a lightly flavored beer where you would notice the impact of the starter.

 

[nateburn]

I pitched my 1.4 L starter after 24 hours on a stir plate. Waiting for signs of life now. I was surprised at how warm the stir plate kept the starter wort.

 

[jhorgan1]

I've got a question, whats the best way to decant the starter? If the yeast is suspended in the starter then if I poured off a lot of the wort then wouldn't I be pouring out a lot of the yeast?

 

[JoshuaWhite5522]

I've got a question, whats the best way to decant the starter? If the yeast is suspended in the starter then if I poured off a lot of the wort then wouldn't I be pouring out a lot of the yeast?

most people cold crash to cause the yeast to floculate and settle into the cake. To decant just gently pour the wort off the cake disturbing it as little as possible.

 

[jhorgan1]

most people cold crash to cause the yeast to floculate and settle into the cake. To decant just gently pour the wort off the cake disturbing it as little as possible.

But then do you leave maybe quarter of an inch of the liquid in the flask so you can swirl it around and make sure you are getting all of the yeast?

 

[the75]

But then do you leave maybe quarter of an inch of the liquid in the flask so you can swirl it around and make sure you are getting all of the yeast?

You are my new best friend. You are asking all the same questions I have. Keep asking away so I can learn!

 

[JoshuaWhite5522]

I just add a little of wort from my kettle once it's cooled and swirl that around the flask, then pitch that into the fermenter

 

[bottlenose]

I usually wait for the yeast to drop out on its own rather than cold-crashing. The downside is that it means I have to plan in advance.