Yeast Starter Not Necessary?

My first batch has been a great success if not a somewhat slow procees taking months and not weeks. Thinking on how I can improve things, I thought that the next natural progression would be to use a yeast starter and not pitch the dried yeast as is. However, I have just read the following on wiki:

"Making a starter with dry yeast can be detrimental to their performance because they can use their nutrient reserves before pitching."

So as I am using kits (tinned wort with included sachet of dried yeast) can you suggest anything else I can do to improve the primary fermentation? I have just bought a pad type heater to go underneath, however this will bearly compensate for the bitterly cold temperature here. But I understand the currents it produces may also be beneficial.

thanks

 

What kind of dry yeast are you using? You are right, a starter is not necessary for dry yeast. I would re-hydrate if you are not already doing so.

Also, what temperature is your carboy? Too cold could slow down the yeast. They sell carboy wraps that help regulate temperatures in cold situations. You should feel lucky. Most of us are trying to figure out ways to cool down our fermentation vessels!

 

You don't need to make a yeast starter with dry yeast and as you stated, it can be bad for them. You can rehydrate yeast and a search would show you how (I would say how, but I have not done it ). Keeping the fermentation temperatures in the correct range will also help the fermentation process along. If it is fermenting cooler, you can give the fermenter a gentle swirl to re-suspend the yeast. Good luck!

 

OK - thank you both for your replies. I will have to look up how to re-hydrate dried yeast. FYI, the yeast is sachet with the "YOUNG'S" tinned wort rather than being a special yeast brand sold seperately.

Yes, the temperature here is quite low and it will be my first attempt with the pad heater. Also, my only way to airate the wort is to stir it vigerously which I do at the start and for a couple of days after pitching.


thanks

 

1. Fresh yeast will do you wonders. Toss the stuff that comes in the kit and get a pack of something fresh off the shelves.

2. Only aerate at the very beginning. Shaking can actually be a very effective aeration method for homebrewers, but for the most part, you don't want to introduce ANY oxygen at any point after fermentation has started.

 

The yeast that comes with the canned kits may be old and not viable. If I were you I would either buy some seperate dry yeast, with an expiration date, or dish out a bit more coin and buy some liquid yeast and extra DME and make a starter. I'm a noobie, but this is what i would do based on what i have gathered from this site. Good luck!

 

I generally hydrate my safale US-05 in 4 oz of 80 F water (I boil first and then cool to 80 in an ice bath). I sprinkle it on top and let it sit for 15 minutes, then I gently stir it in and let it sit anothe 15 minutes or until the wort has cooled properly. Last I swirl it around in the but a little before pitching it.

I have seen other packages of dry yeast that want 100 F so check your yeast package and see what is recommended.

 

The most likely cause of your slow fermentation is your "bitterly cold" temperature. The yeast will do best somewhere roughly around 18C to 22C.

 

I did a starter yeast thing with the packet in the Munton's Imperial Stout Kit, using a Grolsch style bottle, previously boiled H2O and some Corn Sugar. Let the cap rest on there but accidently got knocked off for a half hour or so. It was bubbling like mad for the first hour but then no more. I can't see inside the bottle but is there a way to check and make sure your yeast mixture is AOK?

 

:cross: ...............

 

I thought this was an American thing like a "Water Butt"? No? Oh Well.

I think thereis general concensus that you don't make a starter with dried sachet yeast ... but your results sound strangely interesting none the less.

This contradicts the BBC home brewing help pages where I read as follows:

BBC - h2g2 - Homebrewing

***********
In the first days of fermentation, the beer-to-be should be stirred every now and then to ensure all the yeast deposits at the bottom are mixed back into the mixture, until the process slows down after a few days.

***********

I guess you can read too much.


Thanks for all the messages, every tip is being taken on board.

 

dumped in the yeast/sugar/water mix which was kinda yellow with some sludge on the bottom. Gave it a good mix put the top with the little thing with water in it and she's bubbling. YEAAA! Room is at 65 and the mix is hovering at about 68. How much bubbling is the norm? Right now its about every second.