Yeast Starter in a plastic bottle?

[bugleboy93]

I am going to make a yeast starter for my next batch, a Hef. I've not used a starter before. I was looking for a good glass bottle to use and found to my dismay that no one makes glass bottles anymore! Everything is plastic! I thought one of those Clamato bottles would be good because of the narrow opening. Anyway, I have a grapefruit juice bottle that I have cleaned so there is no more citrusy smell and it is made with the hard clear plastic that is common now. It 2 liters with a narrow top so an airlock/stopper fits fine. Any concerns with using this for a yeast starter? BTW, I am cheap and that is why I don't just buy a Pyrex jar.

 

[Beerrific]

Yes. Do it. This is what I do.

 

[Muss]

Yes plastic is fine.
Correct me if I'm wrong but plastic lets oxygen permeate through, which in the case of growing yeast is a good thing.

Only when aging beer is plastic a bad idea as you don't want any oxygen getting in.

 

[Beerrific]

I don't think it lets through that much, over a couple days, but, whatever, can't hurt.

 

[FlyGuy]

I am going to make a yeast starter for my next batch, a Hef. I've not used a starter before. I was looking for a good glass bottle to use and found to my dismay that no one makes glass bottles anymore! Everything is plastic!

If you really wanted a glass container, go to an organic foods store. Manufacturers of organic products also appeal to environmentally conscious people, and you will find most things (e.g., juices) in glass. You will find all sizes, including 1/2 gal and 1 gal which are really handy for starters. Some jugs even have an opening that is about the same size as a carboy so you can stick your bung and airlock right in.

 

[Bugeaterbrewing]

I have used a wide variety of containers for starters. 2 liter soda bottles, glass 1/2 gallon an 1 gallon juice jugs, 1 gallon plastic mayonaise containers and many other odd containers. The plastics will work just fine. Treat them like you would a plastic fermenter, i.e. don't let them get scratched up. I generally didn't use a plastic jug more than 2-3 times before pitching it and using a new one. Never had a problem, but it was cheap insurance since I had spares anyway from normal household consumption. Just make sure they are good and clean with no residual smells or stains from the previous product.


Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

 

[FlyingHorse]

To add to bugeater's list: a 32-oz peanut butter jar, a 1Q mason jar, a clear plastic orange juice bottle, and a growler.

If you can (1) clean and sanitize it (2) get liquid in and out and (3) cover it, you can pretty much use it for a yeast starter.

 

[JimC]

Glass is nice because its so easy to sterilize. You don't want to end up culturing up some random crud in your starter.

 

[Hopleaf]

I use a growler from a local microbrew.. when I bought I think I was more excited about having the bottle for yeast starters then I was about the beer in it.

 

[the_bird]

I use a growler from a local microbrew.. when I bought I think I was more excited about having the bottle for yeast starters then I was about the beer in it.

I've used a growler, but they're so dark, you can't really see how big a yeast layer has developed. So, I use a clear gallon wine jug (don't ask, it was the wife's purchase ). Figure the clear glass is not a problem since the starter wort/beer has no hops in it, there's nothing to skunk (I decant, anyway). Big volume's no biggie since I want lots of O2 in the wort.

 

[bugleboy93]

Well thank you very much, all. I have many new ideas now! I appreciate you all taking the time to respond. If I have any issues I'll report back.

 

[FlyingHorse]

I've used a growler, but they're so dark, you can't really see how big a yeast layer has developed.

My local micro (East End Brewing) has clear growlers. Not great for beer...but good for yeast starters

 

[CBBaron]

I've found that the 3qt plastic juice (grape, orange, cranberry, etc) containers from Costco fit a universal stopper from a 5gal carboy perfectly. It is also a good size to do a 2L starter in.

Craig

 

[grampska]

I've seen water jugs that hold 2 quarts that look like mini better bottles. I was thinking of grabbing one of those for a starter next time I see one.

 

[bugleboy93]

My starter is going now. I used 1 pint of water, 1/2 cup DME with a little hops, 1/4 tsp. yeast nutrient and a vial of White Labs London Ale yeast. Looks good so far. According to Palmer's book this should be good enough for a 5 gal brew with a 1.040 OG. In his section on making a starter he has some photos and next to his starter he says, "This one has been restarted three times." Later he says you can "restart" the process again to grow more yeast. And he also says he sometimes feeds his starter fresh wort.

My questions are: How do you restart? Do you do the exact same thing, including pitching more yeast? Do you add this to your already begun starter. Do you only boil more DME and add that to your starter?

Another thing is that he says its a good idea to pitch the yeast into the starter which is at about the same temp. as your primary fermentation temp so the yest will not be shocked, but elsewhere says that he refrigerates his starters and throws them into his main brew wort without heating it up. Won't this just shock the yeast?

Perhaps I just do not understand enough about yeast despite reading the yeast chapter 10 times and reading all I can on this board about it.

 

[Muss]

You can store your starter in the coldest part of the fridge for up to a few months and restart it again simply by pouring in more wort. You don't need to add more yeast as you have already grown billions of cells.

If you don't intend to cold store your starter and just want to pitch it in the beer when it's done but it's already finished fermenting, you don't need to restart it because like above, you already have billions of cells.

It's best to have the starter and the wort at the same temperature when pitching.

Hope that helps.

 

[bugleboy93]

It does help, Muss. Thank you. The starter looks good now; lots of yeasties on the bottom.