Did my first yeast starter, trying to figure something out

[xjncoguyx]

I just want to make sure im not going to over-pitch, if there is such a thing. Im going to be brewing an IPA saturday, so i decided to make a starter last night. I used 1/2cup of DME i put that in the flask then filled to about 1800ml. Boiled, yada yada, then pitched a 11.5g pack of US-05. I threw it on the homemade stir plate i have and figured i'll let it go until tomorrow night and throw it in the fridge overnight until brewday. Now two things, did i make too big of a starter? And did i start too early?

 

[damdaman]

You'll be fine as far timing. But with my limited understanding of pitching rates, you'll probably be over-pitching (and I've read that yes, over-pitching is harmful just as under-pitching is). But, that will depend on the OG of your beer. Typically you don't need a starter with those dry packets as they contain a lot more yeast than liquid. I'm not sure exactly but probably under 1.090, one packet is fine without a starter.

 

[xjncoguyx]

You'll be fine as far timing. But with my limited understanding of pitching rates, you'll probably be over-pitching (and I've read that yes, over-pitching is harmful just as under-pitching is). But, that will depend on the OG of your beer. Typically you don't need a starter with those dry packets as they contain a lot more yeast than liquid. I'm not sure exactly but probably under 1.090, one packet is fine without a starter.

There's no liquid with dry yeast. I did the calculation and it specified a 1800ml starter for my OG, it just seems like an awful big starter is all.

 

[xjncoguyx]

The more im reading it seems like making a starter with dry yeast was a bad idea. Seems as though i would have about enough dry yeast to pitch from the start. Eh.. it was only 5$ for the package, i'll probably just buy another package and maybe try to chill these bad boys out and save them for another day.

 

[optimatored]

yea you can just dump dry yeast into the cooled wort (thats what I have done with great success).

1800ml may seem like a lot, so if you want... once the starter has fermented out, throw it inthe fridge and once the yeast settle out (and you are ready to brew), decant the liquid and pour the yeast slury into your cooled wort.

Be sure to give the starter time to warm up to the same temp as your wort before picting the slurry. good luck.

 

[jermanimal]

in 11.5 grams you probably already have 200 billion cells. Don't know why you would need a starter with anything under 1.065.

I am not sure where you got your calculation for the 1.8L starter. Most calculations are based on 100 billion cells in a liquid starter.

I am just guessing you are going to have 2x the amount of yeast you need, pitching in the 400 billion range.

That said, you beer is going to turn out fine...you just added a lot more complication then necessary with dry yeast. Save the extra work of the stir plate for the beautiful liquid yeasts out there.

 

[xjncoguyx]

in 11.5 grams you probably already have 200 billion cells. Don't know why you would need a starter with anything under 1.065.

I am not sure where you got your calculation for the 1.8L starter. Most calculations are based on 100 billion cells in a liquid starter.

I am just guessing you are going to have 2x the amount of yeast you need, pitching in the 400 billion range.

That said, you beer is going to turn out fine...you just added a lot more complication then necessary with dry yeast. Save the extra work of the stir plate for the beautiful liquid yeasts out there.

Yeah i think what happened was when i drew up the original recipe, i was going to use wpl001 then i decided to go with US-05 instead and just assumed they were the same amounts of yeast cells. So should i take it off the stir plate when i get home and throw it in the fridge until brew day? Possibly try to pour half of the slurry into my wort and maybe save the rest?

 

[bovineblitz]

isn't 1/2 cup of DME in 1.8 liters really really dilute?

 

[jermanimal]

I think that is a good plan, assuming you have an active fermentation going on right now.

If you cool everything this evening, some very health active cells will drop out and you can decant most of that liquid on saturday before you pitch. I would probably decant 3/4 of the liquid right as you take out of fridge on Saturday and let warm up 4 hours before you pitch, so plan accordingly.

I don't think there is any good way to tell how many cell you will be pitching this way, but you can sort of judge based on the cake your starter created today.

I would take off the stir plate and let set a little 30min and see how much yeast settles out or what the head looks like. If there seems to be very little activity or yeast production you might want to just let go until tomorrow evening, cool and decant on Saturday.

I wouldn't really stress much over it. It is more important you have good O2 in your wort and the wort and yeast slurry are the same temp when you pitch. Guys in our club are making a beer and as they are cooling the wort, they transfer a finished beer to a keg and then put their cooled wort right on on to that yeast cake in the same bucket the just transfered finished beer from.

 

[jermanimal]

isn't 1/2 cup of DME in 1.8 liters really really dilute?

I do 100gm per 1L...1.038 to 1.040.

Probably should have been 3/4 DME for the starter. I bet his starter is 1.030ish.

I do by weight, I don't know what a 1/2 cup of DME weights.

Found this in the forum..."1/2 cup DME (not compressed) is about 2.8 - 2.9 oz
so 3/4 cup is about 4.3 oz."

100gm = 3.4 oz

 

[xjncoguyx]

I think that is a good plan, assuming you have an active fermentation going on right now.

If you cool everything this evening, some very health active cells will drop out and you can decant most of that liquid on saturday before you pitch. I would probably decant 3/4 of the liquid right as you take out of fridge on Saturday and let warm up 4 hours before you pitch, so plan accordingly.

I don't think there is any good way to tell how many cell you will be pitching this way, but you can sort of judge based on the cake your starter created today.

I would take off the stir plate and let set a little 30min and see how much yeast settles out or what the head looks like. If there seems to be very little activity or yeast production you might want to just let go until tomorrow evening, cool and decant on Saturday.

I wouldn't really stress much over it. It is more important you have good O2 in your wort and the wort and yeast slurry are the same temp when you pitch. Guys in our club are making a beer and as they are cooling the wort, they transfer a finished beer to a keg and then put their cooled wort right on on to that yeast cake in the same bucket the just transfered finished beer from.

Yeah, i'll check it when i get home, i may just buy another pack of yeast from the homebrew store, seeing as i have to go there tomorrow to get my grains and all anyway. And just go with a fresh pack, and save the yeast i threw into a starter until the next batch.