1 day, 1 flask/plate, 2 starters?

NoNothing · May 5, 2010

Tomorrow I'm getting grains and yeast in for 2 batches. An Irish Red and a Sweet Stout. Both using different yeasts.

My problem as I see it is I can only have one strain in the starter at a time and I'd like to get both in the starter. I don't mind pitching straight from the bag if things get too complicated and just using a starter for one batch. I'd ideally like to starter both though. Any suggestions?

Stir plate starter one and another just leave out on the table?

Stir one for 8 hours, pour that in a new vessel and stir the other?

JewBrew · May 5, 2010

put the yeast for the higher beer in the starter.
You could make your own starter using a larger beer bottle or even a 2 liter soda bottle and jerry rig an airlock for it.

Schnitzengiggle · May 5, 2010

Most starters are at high kreausen between 18-14 hours after the yeast is pitched into them. So if you are brewing tomorrow as well, then you are SOL when it comes to having 2 complete starters. If you are brewing Friday or Saturday then I think you have enough time.

Most starters reach high kreausen between 18-24 hours after the yeast is pitched. If you have enough time, get one starter going ASAP. When that one has fermented out ~24 hours, chill it. Get the second starter on the plate, and pitch it at high kreausen.

JewBrew said:
You could make your own starter using a larger beer bottle or even a 2 liter soda bottle and jerry rig an airlock for it.

DO NOT use an airlock on your starters, a piece of foil is all that is necessary. It allows gas transfer, an airlock does not, this issue has been beaten to death. Airlocks are not healthy for your yeast starters.

NoNothing · May 6, 2010

Thanks for the help guys.

Its been so long since Ive brewed, getting back into the swing of things is rough, even these simple things.

My plan is to pitch one into my stir plate and buy another 1 or 2L flask as a stationary starter.

I'd love to chill one and stir the other but with time as a constraint I cant do that right now. I have 1 day to brew, and 2 batches. So my plan is to brew my Irish Red first, after I mash out Ill get my Sweet Stout mashing. Then once boil/mash are done Ill switch the stout to boil and be on my merry way.

I havent been this excited to brew since my first batch.

tamoore · May 6, 2010

NoNothing said:
Thanks for the help guys.

Its been so long since Ive brewed, getting back into the swing of things is rough, even these simple things.

My plan is to pitch one into my stir plate and buy another 1 or 2L flask as a stationary starter.

I'd love to chill one and stir the other but with time as a constraint I cant do that right now. I have 1 day to brew, and 2 batches. So my plan is to brew my Irish Red first, after I mash out Ill get my Sweet Stout mashing. Then once boil/mash are done Ill switch the stout to boil and be on my merry way.

I havent been this excited to brew since my first batch.

Get two stir bars, and switch the starters on the stir plate every 15 or 20 minutes?

Good luck! Have a great brew day!

remilard · May 6, 2010

tamoore said:
Get two stir bars, and switch the starters on the stir plate every 15 or 20 minutes?

Good luck! Have a great brew day!

This isn't a bad idea, although I might just count up the hours until I am pitching the second beer and put the starter for the first beer on the plate for half that time and the second for the rest since it is easier.

The simplest thing is to just do one on the stirplate and one off and for that second one do it like this (best way to do one without a stir plate or some sort of automated oxygen feed):

1. Do the starter in a 2 liter PET (soda) bottle covered in aluminum foil.
2. Shake the wort a bunch before pitching.
3. Keep the starter near you and intermittently do the following.
3a. Shake the bottle to evolve co2
3b. Squeeze the bottle until there is no airspace (removing c02)
3c. Release the bottle (drawing in air)
3d. Shake the bottle to dissolve air