Confused on Yeast starters

[swamplawn]

Im not completely positive what a yeast starter consists off... what it does... how you make one? Can someone help me out here or point me in the right direction? Im brewing all grain and this is something i just cant seem to wrap my head around!

Thanks guys!

 

[JonK331]

If you use the search function, there are plenty of threads on this. Basically a starter is a very small batch of beer with little to no hops. The yeast multiply in the starter giving you a greater cell count to pitch into your batch.

 

[KevinW]

Here is a good link plus it is the site with the Yeast Pitching Calculator that can really help with how much yeast to pitch. (once you get familiar with starters of course)

http://www.mrmalty.com/starter_faq.htm

Good luck!

 

[triangulum33]

The fermentation time and vigor (plus beer quality) is very obvious between batches with and without starters.

 

[mlyday]

Good video on making a starter.
http://billybrew.com/how-to-make-a-yeast-starter

 

[stevo155]

http://www.mrmalty.com/pitching.php

 

[terrapinj]

pictorial:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/how-make-yeast-starter-pictorial-76101/

 

[jturie]

Let me try to illustrate. I just checked my Pale Ale that has been fermenting for 11 days. I oxygenated the wort, and used a starter with a stirplate with washed yeast (first time for the stirplate and the washed yeast). My wort showed signs of visible fermentation within 3 hours of pitching the 1.5L starter. I had steady visible fermentation for 8 days. I just measured a sample and got a gravity of 1.007!!! The last time I made a similar recipe I could not get it below 1.013. It's already crystal clear and the sample tasted fabulous. Learn how to make a starter and do it. It makes a huge difference.

 

[swamplawn]

Thanks! This helps! All of this helped! Ill let you all know how the next batch turns out, definitely gonna use a starter!

 

[swamplawn]

Good video on making a starter.
http://billybrew.com/how-to-make-a-yeast-starter

so the guy poors off most of the liquid leaving just enough to use the cake on the bottom. What if I don't want to wait like he did? I just pour the whole starter into the fermenter with the wort? Wont this create off flavors from using DME etc?

I'm just trying to clarify. The process of making one doesn't seem to hard, just want to make sure that i understand what I'm pitching so i don't ruin a batch.

 

[stevo155]

so the guy poors off most of the liquid leaving just enough to use the cake on the bottom. What if I don't want to wait like he did? I just pour the whole starter into the fermenter with the wort? Wont this create off flavors from using DME etc?

I'm just trying to clarify. The process of making one doesn't seem to hard, just want to make sure that i understand what I'm pitching so i don't ruin a batch.

For me, it depends on the beer I'm making and how big a starter I'm using. If my starter is under 1.5 L, I tend to pour the whole thing in at around 18-24 hours ( high krausen ). Any starter above that then I would ferment out, cold crash and decant, and just use the cake.

Also, if you're doing a lighter beer, like a pilsner, there's not a lot there to cover up any off flavors, so decanting might be best ( lager starters should be bigger than your normal ale starters ).