Canned starter wort aka Fast Pitch from Northern Brewer

[BrewinSoldier]

Hey guys! I have a few questions on making a starter wort. Over the past year or so I have been using the Fast Pitch starter wort in a can from Northern brewer. I am running low and down to my last few cans(not to mention they were canned on 1/15/2016) so it's probably about time they are laid to rest anyways. Northern Brewer has been having some problems for quite a while now with the person/company who makes these for them. When I called to order some more they told me they didn't know if or when they'd be getting anymore in. These things are super convenient and I don't mind paying the extra vs making my own every time.

I recently purchased a single 16oz canner so that I could can my beer vs bottling from the keg. I started thinking about it and decided why not just make my own canned wort?

So the ingredients on the NB stuff says that it contains these:

-Water
-Organic Malt Extract
-Organic Sugar
-Yeast Nutrient

Then it says below that "Pasteurized".

So here are my questions...

If I was to make this(doesn't have to be organic unless you guys think there is a specific reason they do it that way), I plan on making 2 gallons of finished wort at a time in my Grainfather.

Do you think they are just using light DME and adding some dextrose to bump the gravity to 1.080 for the 16oz can?

Do you think they are even boiling this stuff since it says they are pasteurizing it?

My guess is they are mixing DME, dextrose, and yeast nutrients together. Then they either boil it for 15 mins or so, cool it and can it. Or....they just mix it all up and add it to the can, then once it's canned soak it in a 160° water bath for a while and that's where the "Pasteurized" part on the can comes from.

What do you guys think?

 

[SirSpectre]

I thought about this as well. I was disappointed when NB said their cans were exploding in the warehouse. Also my fear.

I wouldn't use actual cans tbh. Use mason jars. Boil and sanitize the jars and lids. Fill them up with boiling wort, or close to, above 190 F. Put tops on. Cool. Just like making jam. The lid will seal as it cools as well.

 

[BrewinSoldier]

I thought about this as well. I was disappointed when NB said their cans were exploding in the warehouse. Also my fear.

I wouldn't use actual cans tbh. Use mason jars. Boil and sanitize the jars and lids. Fill them up with boiling wort, or close to, above 190 F. Put tops on. Cool. Just like making jam. The lid will seal as it cools as well.

That's really weird. They didn't tell me that. They just said they were having a supply problem with the manufacturer. I've had these cans I have now for about a year and have never had any explode.

I did find a link on how to make starters using canning jars to store them, although I don't think you'd be able to store them as long since the light will hut them, vs a can where no oxygen or light can go through it. IDK though.

NB said they recommend using theirs within a year of the date stamped on the can.

 

[singybrue]

I wouldn't use actual cans tbh. Use mason jars. Boil and sanitize the jars and lids. Fill them up with boiling wort, or close to, above 190 F. Put tops on. Cool. Just like making jam. The lid will seal as it cools as well.

It's not that simple. The jars have to be pressure canned in order to boil for 15mins at 250f. Otherwise you run the risk of Botulism.

Here's the method I use:https://www.maltosefalcons.com/tech/starter-made-easy-pressure-cooking-your-starter-wort-ahead-time

 

[SirSpectre]

That's really weird. They didn't tell me that. They just said they were having a supply problem with the manufacturer. I've had these cans I have now for about a year and have never had any explode.

I did find a link on how to make starters using canning jars to store them, although I don't think you'd be able to store them as long since the light will hut them, vs a can where no oxygen or light can go through it. IDK though.

NB said they recommend using theirs within a year of the date stamped on the can.

I have a NB retail store a few blocks from me. I was talking to the manager, and I guess about half of the latest manufacturing run wasn't pasteurized correctly, so they fermented in the can, causing pressure. Enough of a risk to pull them all.

 

[SirSpectre]

It's not that simple. The jars have to be pressure canned in order to boil for 15mins at 250f. Otherwise you run the risk of Botulism.

Here's the method I use:https://www.maltosefalcons.com/tech/starter-made-easy-pressure-cooking-your-starter-wort-ahead-time

Even better. I knew this pressure cooker I have had some kind of use to it!

 

[BrewinSoldier]

I have a NB retail store a few blocks from me. I was talking to the manager, and I guess about half of the latest manufacturing run wasn't pasteurized correctly, so they fermented in the can, causing pressure. Enough of a risk to pull them all.

Well dang..I wonder how I would need to pasteurize them if I boiled it before canning?

That now makes me wonder if they boil, then pasteurize in the can OR if they just mix it all up without boiling and then just pasteurize it in the can at 160 instead?

 

[tracyk]

My guess is they are just mixing it up and using the pressure cooker to pasteurize it. I would have my doubts that they are boiling it first, then canning the wort. You could just pasteurize it first, then have your pressure canner set up. Pour wort into jars with lids on them. Depending on whether you are using pint, then add boiling water to the pressure cooker bringing the water up 1 inch on your jars and setting the pressure cooker for 10 lbs of pressure for 20 minutes, 2 inches of boiling water and 25 minutes for quarts. I basically use the pressure canning technique for low acid vegetables that I do for wort.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

Others have nailed it. Fastpitch is just pre-canned wort.

Another option is to make up starter wort as you go. Get a 2L Erlenmeyer flask (or better, a 5L, but those are expensive). Add 2L of water and 200g DME and some yeast nutrient. Boil for 10-15min, let cool, pitch yeast.

A few drops of fermcap will help since the flask will boil over very easily (ever notice how it's shaped like a volcano?).

I usually boil up a starter while making dinner on Thursday (cap with sanitized foil) pitch yeast Friday morning, and then pitch starter on Sunday evening.

I actually got a pressure cooker from my grandmother about 4 months ago, but I haven't bothered to use it yet.

YMMV.

 

[enkamania]

I use the canning method, but make a three gallon batch, then put them in mason jars.

 

[catdaddy66]

If you are brewing all grain then this is what I do...

Calculate strike and sparge volumes and add a half gal of water to either number. When I sparge to full volume I move the kettle to the burner and continue to drain the mashtun of the last bit of (weaker) wort. I store these in quart mason jars in my beer fridge.

When I am ready to make a starter I bring out a couple of jars and boil for 15-20 minutes, cool and transfer to my starter vessel (1 gal cider bottle) and,once my yeast have warmed up to room temp, pour the yeast into the starter wort. Give it a helluva swirl and voila!! Starter from my own wort... No muss no fuss.