Failed To Calculate Cells in Yeast Starter

[Adk_Mailman]

I just did my 2nd batch using a starter. Northern Brewer Dead Ringer Ipa which had an og of 1.071. My first was the Caribou Slobber - Og 1.056. I did not have a stir plate when I did the Slobber. Just manually sloshed it around. I have since purchased a stir plate to use with my 2nd starter - Dead Ringer. I was using a 1000 ML Flask that came with the kit purchased from Northern Brewer. The directions call for 650 ML of water and 1/2 cup of Dme.

According to the directions that is adequate for 5 gallon batches up to 1.080. I now understand that I should have made more cells by using a bigger volume or 2 steps. Based on the calculators I am now aware of, I should have had 242 billion cells based on the OG/batch size and date of the yeast. My estimated cell count came in at 157 Billion. Lesson learned and going forward I will properly calculate and grow what I need. However fermentation seems very strong. I finished pitching the yeast at 7 P.M. last night. By midnight the air lock was bubbling lightly and a thin layer of krausen had formed at the top. It is now 15 hours later and it is very vigorous. Foam has nearly reached the top of my 6.5 gallon Carboy and I am somewhat concerned I will need a blow off tube which I have made using a 3 piece airlock and tube. I will continue monitoring to see if I should put it on or not. So my main point is that although I didn't grow enough cells there certainly was no lag and fermentation seems strong. So will this batch suffer too much from the low cell count? Also it seems most of the pitch rate calculators default to 5.25 gallons. Is this because most extract brewers top up to 5.25 gallons? Oh and the yeast strain was the 1056. Thanks

 

[fj605]

I don't have any scientific answer but my anacdotal experience says you'll be fine. Put your blow off tube on and enjoy the wait.

 

[Adk_Mailman]

I don't have any scientific answer but my anacdotal experience says you'll be fine. Put your blow off tube on and enjoy the wait.

If only I followed that advice. Left for the day and came home to the airlock on the floor and krausen oozing out the top. Ok now is my batch going to suffer?haha

 

[fj605]

It's probably fine. The CO2 that is being produced is pushing everything out of the carboy so nothing should be going into the beer.

Again, anecdotal experience, not science.

 

[SanPancho]

If only I followed that advice. Left for the day and came home to the airlock on the floor and krausen oozing out the top. Ok now is my batch going to suffer?haha

fermcap.

two or three drops and no more foam overs. it also prevents foam overs when you are boiling in your kettle or even just making starter wort too, especially helpful when you use an ehrlenmyer flask.

i saw manufacturer data that it actually helps with hop retention as well, but i cant remember why- it might have been because you dont lose hop material that gets stuck floating on the krauzen and is no longer in your beer, or maybe it was breaking surface tension and aiding solubility. cant recall. either way, its a great product.

 

[Adk_Mailman]

Ok thanks. I will make sure I either use a blow off or the fermcap in the future. I did a general search and it seems I am not the first to make this mistake. Another lesson learned. All part of the process I suppose.

 

[frazier]

If you have ever had to mop your ceiling - you may be a homebrewer.

The main pupose for making a starter is to avoid lag time, and get a good vigorous fermentation going quickly. Clearly, the starter you made was big enough. Stop worrying!

Those pitch-rate calculators like Mr. Malty may have good intentions, but end up causing a lot of anxiety for no good reason. I have a 3-quart jug I use for 2 quart starters, and a gallon jug I use for 3 quart starters. I use 3 oz. of DME per quart. That's as complicated as I want it to be.

Now, for the recipes, I can obsess for weeks about half-ounces of grains, or how many minutes of how many grams of hops. But that's just me.

Cheers!

 

[Adk_Mailman]

If you have ever had to mop your ceiling - you may be a homebrewer.

The main pupose for making a starter is to avoid lag time, and get a good vigorous fermentation going quickly. Clearly, the starter you made was big enough. Stop worrying!

Those pitch-rate calculators like Mr. Malty may have good intentions, but end up causing a lot of anxiety for no good reason. I have a 3-quart jug I use for 2 quart starters, and a gallon jug I use for 3 quart starters. I use 3 oz. of DME per quart. That's as complicated as I want it to be.

Now, for the recipes, I can obsess for weeks about half-ounces of grains, or how many minutes of how many grams of hops. But that's just me.

Cheers!

Ok cool, thanks. I really didn't think fermentation was lacking. Can't imagine how it would have been had I bumped up the cell count.

 

[tootal]

There are still breweries that ferment in open fermenters during the first faze then transferred to a closed fermenter during the carbonation faze.
Relax, have a home brew!

 

[thaefathan]

This is a really good video about yeast; [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vELwUsBmWQ[/ame]

if you want to nerd out a bit. Also the book: Yeast, by Chris White is excellent.

"under pitching" (i.e. <0.75mill/mL/*Plato) will give you more yeast character, but with a really clean strain like 1056, as long as the temp didn't get too high, you probably wont notice any esters.

 

[Adk_Mailman]

This is a really good video about yeast; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vELwUsBmWQ

if you want to nerd out a bit. Also the book: Yeast, by Chris White is excellent.

"under pitching" (i.e. <0.75mill/mL/*Plato) will give you more yeast character, but with a really clean strain like 1056, as long as the temp didn't get too high, you probably wont notice any esters.

Thanks a lot. Definitely will give this a watch.