A question about making wort to use for starter

[beechnut]

I’ve been boiling DME for years to make my starter. It occurred to me that I could just make a batch of wort and bottle it for future use with starter and save a lot of time.

Does anyone have experience with this?

I usually make a 2 liter starter for 10 gallon batches. I suppose champagne bottles would be a nice vessel to use. Any ideas?

 

[NitrogenWidget]

two or 3 days before brew day I just grind up a cup of 2-row, steep it in about a gallon of water at 150 degs or so then boil down to a half gallon then let it cool and dump the yeast i have in a canning jar in the fridge from my last batch into a sanitzed container.

then dump that in my wort on brew day.
haven't had a problem.

I buy my 2-row in 50 lbs sacks. it's cheaper and really not all that much work.
I did it when i realized i had no dme and no time to hit the HB store before brew day.

been doing it since.

lately since i pull about 2 caning jars from each batch i just dump one in a batch and it takes off really fast.

 

[Lefou]

1.030-1.040 specific gravity, seal, and refrigerate. Any container that can be sanitized and sealed with a minimum of airspace will work.
My trick is using diluted wort left over from my mash for my liquid yeast. The covered starter sits for about 2 hours prior to pitching. A lot of my beers are styles that tolerate being underpitched to some degree (low ABV ales, Belgians, or hefe).

 

[catdaddy66]

I usually calculate about 2-3 quarts extra wort volume in the mash and save it to use in making my starter for the next brew. When I am ready I boil two qts of worth for 15 min and then cool rapidly. I will step it up in 24 hours usually with another qt boiled for the same time. I then add the yeast in a couple of hours at room temp and swirl away. Never an issue in the 3 years that I have used that method.

 

[Danny2fresh]

Could you use a sterile canning jar to store the wort in the refrigerator for a few weeks? Then when your ready to make a starter just warm to temp and pitch?

 

[triletter]

Ive done what you described and just canned it in quart Mason jars. Put them in a pressure cooker or boil on stove top. Make sure they seal and put them in the pantry. They are at room temperature so just sanitize the flask, stir stick, foil and pitch your yeast. A little work up front for quick and easy effort later.

 

[Bigfly]

I do brew in a basket with recirc. After mashing and having collected all the wort for the batch I slowly pour a gallon of hot water from the tap over the grain in the basket. What i collect is right around 1.03 then I put it in the freezer untill I need to make a starter. I thaw it boil it and cool it to pitching temp put it on the stir plate and let her rip.

 

[Bassman2003]

Theoretically it is best practice to pressure can wort ( 240f for 15 min.) if you want to store it. Wort is considered a 'low in acid' food and susceptible to botulism growth. I have done this for years with a pressure cooker I purchased a while back. To make it even more useful I make double strength wort (1.070) so I can make a 2L starter from one mason jar. I just open the mason jar and add a bottle of water and yeast to create the starter. Quick and easy.

 

[ESBrewer]

Honestly, I can't see any benefits here. Dme is cheap and you just need to boil it briefly to prepare a starter. Making a full mash, boiling and freezing/thawing is more complicated and the the storage step makes it More prone to contaminations unless you boil it second time... If you pressure can it, it can be stored in the fridge for some time but pressure canning also means some extra effort..

 

[SEndorf]

I’ve been boiling DME for years to make my starter. It occurred to me that I could just make a batch of wort and bottle it for future use with starter and save a lot of time.

Honestly, I can't see any benefits here. Dme is cheap and you just need to boil it briefly to prepare a starter. Making a full mash, boiling and freezing/thawing is more complicated and the the storage step makes it More prone to contaminations unless you boil it second time... If you pressure can it, it can be stored in the fridge for some time but pressure canning also means some extra effort..

This... ^
How is a 12 minute DME starter boil saving a lot of time? IMHO.. not worth all that effort.

 

[charger]

If I’m not able to pull some extra wort off a brew day, it isn’t worth the time to make a mini batch. DME is way too easy and doesn’t even really need to be boiled, although it helps from a sanitary standpoint.

I think your problem is you are just boiling WAY too long, years seems excessive. 5 minutes is all that would be needed, if at all.

I’ve been boiling DME for years to make my starter.

 

[Sparkncode]

I use dme for conveniance. Only boil long enough to ensure its sanitised.

I would definitly do a tiny biab in a hop sock or similar if i needed wort for a starter and was out of dme.

As to collecting wort from the previous brew it makes sense but i haven't done it yet due to lazyness, dme is too easy.

I would prefer to collect extra wort before the boil to avoid the starter wort getting unwanted hop influence in it although i guess a bit of hop in it is good as a preservative and i decant my starters so not much gets in the final beer anyway.

I guess taking a run out of the mash tun after the main brew is in the boil and boiling it separatly and maybe using a preassure cooker and mason jars it would keep a long time although it could be overkill. Just depends on how often you brew.

 

[Bassman2003]

I was always frustrated with making DME starters. Boiling it and then cooling it with some ice bath thing took a while. I make the wort for my pressure canning once a year and it yields enough to cover me for at least a year of brewing. I only have to do a mash which pours directly into the mason jars. I do this on a brew day right before my main brew. So it all depends upon where you want to put your time.

For sanitary reasons, I am leaning towards the 200 billion cell package approach. I only use Star-san which is great but no way could be as sanitary as pouring straight from a factory sealed pouch. I have not tried any yet but if the yeast behaved well it would be better than any of this starter stuff.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

I make the wort for my pressure canning once a year and it yields enough to cover me for at least a year of brewing. I only have to do a mash which pours directly into the mason jars. I do this on a brew day right before my main brew.

Same. I usually wait until I am doing a blonde ale or something else innocuous, ramp up the grain bill accordingly, then just use the second runnings straight up and pressure-can those. Total cost for a dozen quarts of starter was like $4, and since I did it on a brew day where I was brewing anyway, the time cost is negligible.

When it comes time to make a starter, I sanitize the flask, pour in the wort and yeast, set it on my DIY stir plate, and come back in two days. I got the pressure canner from my grandparents in its original box, with a receipt from Montgomery Ward's dated before I was born.

 

[homebrewer_99]

When I can 7 qts of wort (pressure cooker) I use Extra Light DME.

The only problem is the break in the bottom. I just make sure I rack it carefully into the flask.

Sometimes I use a gallon jug when making a double starter batch...it's just as easy.

 

[beechnut]

If I’m not able to pull some extra wort off a brew day, it isn’t worth the time to make a mini batch. DME is way too easy and doesn’t even really need to be boiled, although it helps from a sanitary standpoint.

I think your problem is you are just boiling WAY too long, years seems excessive. 5 minutes is all that would be needed, if at all.

Brewing my DME for years! So that's why its been taking so damn long to cool 2 liters of starter!!!

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions!

 

[hottpeper13]

I have a starter fluid recipe that nets me 16 qts , 14 of them go in the caner and the other 2 go on the shelf and are used that week. Buying 50 lb sacs this is the way to go.

 

[beechnut]

I have a starter fluid recipe that nets me 16 qts , 14 of them go in the caner and the other 2 go on the shelf and are used that week. Buying 50 lb sacs this is the way to go.

That is where I was headed with this thread.
Do you mind sharing your recipe with us?
Thanks!