Yeast Starter Question

[Tom Church]

I have my starter going right now and there is activity...but I am wondering if I should shake it anymore during the process to airate it?

Thanks
tom

 

[sonvolt]

Sometimes I swirl mine, just because I cannot leave well enough along. You shouldn't need to do it. Don't shake vigorously. Just swirl if you want.

 

[TheJadedDog]

I didn't touch mine and it fermented like wild-fire. Some folks use stir plates to boost cell count, but I wouldn't shake it once you've pitched the yeast anymore than I would shake a fermentor.

 

[user 4295]

The difference between fermenting beer and fermenting a starter, is that in a starter we are not interested in the resulting beer, we are just trying to grow as many yeast cells as we possibly can. This is done by trying to get as much oxygen as possible to the yeast cells to help facilitate their reproduction . Therefore, oxidation is not an issue as long as the spent wort is decanted off and just the yeast is pitched in your beer.

I use a stir plate, and by the time I let the starter ferment out, that starter wort would be some pretty nasty, oxidized junk that I would not want in my beer.

If you don't use a stir plate or other method of providing oxygen, then shaking is better than nothing.

John

 

[Tom Church]

Wait...now I have another question...after boiling and such I have about 16 oz or liquid that is bubbling away in my starter jar. Do I just pour this into the wort once it is cooled (temps matched)?

 

[Tom Church]

BTW we are making the Woodstock IPA from Beer Captured.

Thanks
Tom

 

[TheJadedDog]

You can pour the entire starter into your wort as 16 oz shouldn't effect your flavor too much, or you can wait for the starter to ferment out, decant the wort, and just pitch the yeast slurry on the bottom. Personally, I just pitch the whole thing unless it's a really big starter (like those who do gallon starters for high gravity beers).

 

[God Emporer BillyBrew]

You can pour the entire starter into your wort as 16 oz shouldn't effect your flavor too much, or you can wait for the starter to ferment out, decant the wort, and just pitch the yeast slurry on the bottom. Personally, I just pitch the whole thing unless it's a really big starter (like those who do gallon starters for high gravity beers).

Yeah, I get nervous that I might pour out too much of the wrong part. Even if it's been setting in the fridge for a couple of days, I still get nervous.

 

[BrewmanBeing]

just make your starter in the moring and pitch the whole thing in the evening and stop worrying so much.

 

[Desert_Sky]

I always put mine in the fridge for 2 days before I brew, then decant until I have about 1" over the yeast on the bottom. Brew day I let it sit on the counter to come up to temp, swirl yeast into suspension, then pour the whole thing.

Takes off in about 4 hours usually

 

[BrewmanBeing]

I could be wrong, but I believe the bottom layer that forms within the first day of creating a yeast starter is the hot break / trub layer from boiling the DME, and not the yeast. The yeast is in suspension in the unfermented DME, is it not?

 

[Cregar]

I bought a 64oz growler and I was wondering if it would be good to use for starters, if so... how much DME should I use?

Thanks

 

[rdwj]

I bought a 64oz growler and I was wondering if it would be good to use for starters, if so... how much DME should I use?

Thanks

Ya, those are great. I use a 1/2 gallon milk jug. Use about 32 oz of water and a cup of DME. Boil it for about 15 mins.

 

[Cregar]

cool... thanks rdwj

 

[BrewmanBeing]

I could be wrong, but I believe the bottom layer that forms within the first day of creating a yeast starter is the hot break / trub layer from boiling the DME, and not the yeast. The yeast is in suspension in the unfermented DME, is it not?

Could someone comment on whether I am right or wrong about this? Is the bottom layer trub or active yeasts? Does it depend on how long the starter has been going?

 

[trubador]

The difference between fermenting beer and fermenting a starter, is that in a starter we are not interested in the resulting beer, we are just trying to grow as many yeast cells as we possibly can. This is done by trying to get as much oxygen as possible to the yeast cells to help facilitate their reproduction . Therefore, oxidation is not an issue as long as the spent wort is decanted off and just the yeast is pitched in your beer.

I use a stir plate, and by the time I let the starter ferment out, that starter wort would be some pretty nasty, oxidized junk that I would not want in my beer.

If you don't use a stir plate or other method of providing oxygen, then shaking is better than nothing.

John

Once the starter begins fermenting, isn't all the oxygen in the headspace driven out and replaced by CO2? What good is continuing to shake the bottle once fermentation begins if there is no oxygen left?

 

[boo boo]

Once the starter begins fermenting, isn't all the oxygen in the headspace driven out and replaced by CO2? What good is continuing to shake the bottle once fermentation begins if there is no oxygen left?

You keep all the yeast in suspension longer.

And you can also introduce o2 back into the wort by other means.

 

[chillHayze]

I could be wrong, but I believe the bottom layer that forms within the first day of creating a yeast starter is the hot break / trub layer from boiling the DME, and not the yeast. The yeast is in suspension in the unfermented DME, is it not?

You are correct. "the first day" is the key phrase here. If you wait a good 12 hours after activity has stopped, you can decant the liquid and pitch the yeast and small amount of trub in there.