Yeast Starters

Revision as of 00:59, 12 February 2007 by Torchiest (talk | contribs) (Basic Outline)
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Starter

With most liquid yeasts, the use of a starter is necessary in order to create a viable amount of pitchable yeast. Even yeasts marketed as directly pitchable can benefit from the creation of a starter. A starter reduces "lag-time", before fermentation commences, and can help prevent a stuck fermentation. A typical starter involves fermenting a vial or package of liquid yeast in an small amount of wort a few days before brewing.
Dry yeasts do not require a starter. Making a starter with dry yeast can be detrimental to their performance because they can use their nutrient reserves before pitching.


Making a Starter

Making a starter is relatively straightforward, far easier than brewing an entire batch of beer.

Basic Outline

Prepare Yeast

  • Allow yeast to come to room temperature. If it is a smack pack, smack it first.

Boil

  • Start by bringing one pint of water to a boil in a two quart saucepan on the stovetop.
  • Reduce the heat, add one half cup of Dry Malt Extract (DME) to the water, and mix it thoroughly.
  • Gently boil the wort for ten minutes.

Cool

  • Remove the saucepan from the stovetop, and cool it to room temperature, ~75ºF (~24ºC).
  • Put the cool wort into an approximately half gallon (~2L) container.
  • Cover and aerate thoroughly.

Pitch

  • Pour the contents of the yeast vial or smack pack into the container.
  • Shake to mix the yeast into th wort.
  • Cover the container with a piece of foil or a loose-fitting cap.

Wait

  • There will be very little sign of activity, but the starter should be ready in one to three days.
  • You may step up the starter by adding additional wort over a period of days.

Pitch Starter

  • After you have brewed your full batch, you may either:
    • Shake the entire mixture again and pitch it into the wort

OR

  • Chill the mixture a day before pitching
  • Decant off the top layer of liquid before pitching just the yeast into the wort

Equipment

  • Stir Plate
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