3.5L vs. 4L Starter - There She Blows!!!

Ya... so I'll make this real quick as I'm headed out the door to work but wanted to get it posted in case I need to run to the LHBS and pick up another packet to start over.

So I'm working on a 4L starter that I started late last night (yes, it's big, but what the recipe calls for) using 2 1gallon growlers each with 2L of wort (200g DME per 2L). I'm using Wyeast 1056.

Anyway, I clearly misunderstood the term "shake" occasionally and when I shook my first growler this morning the cap blew off, shot wort all over the roof, and generally freaked the hell out of me at 6am. LOL

It looks like I lost about 50ml out of the one growler so now instead of a 4L starter I have a 3.5L starter.

I plan to crash and decant prior to pitching. Do I need to redo the one (now 1.5L) starter or should I be good to go you think?

 

Did you loose 50ml or 500ml? If it was 50ml I would leave it alone since that is .05L. If it was 500ml, I would aerate it and add more sugar. The yeast will recover faster than a new batch would. As long as it didn't get infected.

 

How big is your batch? With that size of starter I suspect 10 gallons.

If it's five gallons I think you will still have plenty of yeast.

If it's ten gallons...with an ale I still think you will be okay. If it were a lager I would be less certain. Was your starter size based on a Mr. Malty recommendation?

 

oh... right... sorry (hadn't yet had coffee. lol) i lost 500ml (half litre).

it's a really big Imperial IPA but only a 5 gallon batch. i'm actually shooting for 6 gallon final volume so it's kind of a 6 gallon batch.

nash... what do you mean add more sugar. like boil up another half litre of DME and pour it in?

 

According to Mr. Malty you would need a 2 litre starter if your IIPA was a 1.080 beer and you have a starter with intermittent shaking. I don't think you need to add any more DME or worry about another yeast pack, etc. Ferment, crash and decant what you have and you will have plenty of yeast.

 

cool. thanks. ya, i don't know why they called for a 4L starter. i got the same results as you on mr. malty.

this isn't an avery maharaja clone... but it's a similar beer of my own design. the maharaja recipe called for the 4L starter so i decided to go with the same on mine since it's similar in composition.

there's a ton of hops in the beer and i know that can affect attenuation which is another reason i went with the 4L. anyway, sounds like i should be okay.

note to self - don't actually SHAKE a starter. LOL. it's more of a gentle agitation every couple hours isn't it? LOL

 

I hate to admit it, but I did the same thing with my first starter. Picked it up, shook it vigorously, and watched it spray all over the kitchen. I lived and I learned!

 

what's weird is that this is my second starter ever. the first was a much smaller one using ringwood yeast. i was able to shake the hell out of that one without any problem. guess not so much with the 1056!!

 

I like to do a SWIRL instead of a shake. It will stir up the bottom and if there is any built up Co2 it won't go shooting out the top. If the swirl is ok, I'll tilt the jug and swirl at an angle to mix everything up really well.

 

I remember the shaking days. Lucked out and got an industrial stir plate, a stir bar and a couple of flasks (2 litre & 6 litre) for nothing from a buddy who works in a lab. The stir plate is old but works great.

 

I made a starter for my Summer Pale ale,just sanitized a fork & stirred it now & then. But,I was just getting some old ale yeast going again for 3.5 hours in a pyrex .5L measuring cup covered with plastic wrap. Tried to blow the lid off the fermenter instead!