first starter

[spokaniac]

I am about to make my second batch, the AHS dble choc stout. I got the kit a couple weeks ago and just haven't had time to brew it so was thinking I need to do a starter for the liquid yeast. I've read a lot of threads saying to do a 1 liter starter - let it ferment all the way out, cold crash it, decant and pitch.

My question, if I am doing an extract kit could I just make the starter a day or so ahead of time and pitch the whole thing in when I add the make up water to the fermenter? Seems to me that pitching a more diluted starter while it is active and kicking would get things going as well (maybe better) than a more concentrated solution that is just waking up from being cold crashed. And since I am adding water to make up my 5 gallons from the concentrated extract wort anyway, adding a full liter of liquid wouldn't hurt anything?

 

[tjpfeister]

It won't hurt anything, but (generally speaking) it is not the best practice as the starter wort becomes one more variable in the flavor equation. In the interest of "best practice" it would be preferable to cold crash the starter then decant, but I will be the first to admit that I have (on numerous occasions) pitched the entire thing because I simply did not leave enough time for the yeast to fall out of suspension.

 

[spokaniac]

will it contribute much flavor if it is just DME and water?

 

[BryceL]

What you should really do is use a pitching rate calculator like mrmalty.com. This will tell you what size starter you need, based on your OG, to get your ideal cell count. Pitching the correct amount of healthy yeast is a huge factor in a healthy fermentation. I've heard plenty of people pitching the whole starter, but I almost always decant, especially if my starter is more than 1L.

 

[chainsmoke]

I followed this pictorial exactly when I made a starter on Saturday. My brew Sunday had active fermentation very quick. If you read the thread people have lots of variations. Whatever. We're new. If you follow the pictorial like below you'll be able to see that your yeast is active and it will be chugging along when you pitch it.

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

 

[spokaniac]

Mr Malty says I need about 1.4 liters with occasional shaking.
I guess my main question is since it is an extract batch and I am adding water to make up the volume just before I pitch anyway, does it make a difference if part of the make up volume is the liquid from the starter?

 

[BryceL]

I would not include your starter in your final volume. Top off with water to the desired volume per your recipe and then pitch your starter. 1.4L is a small amount so it really wont make much difference, but you will want to top off with the correct amount before pitching to ensure that the correct gravity is met. As a plus you might end up with an extra glass or two of beer

 

[spokaniac]

and there should be plenty of room for that in a 6.5g carboy.

 

[BryceL]

Yeah you should be fine. I typically do a 5.25 gallon batch, plus whatever size starter I need in my 6 gallon carboy. If I have a very active fermentation I sometimes need to switch my airlock to a blowoff tube for a couple days, I would have one ready if you don't already.

 

[Captainfester]

i just rehydrate my dry yeast as prescribed on the packet. basically like 3/4 a cup of water boiled i add a spoonfull of regular sugar and toss the packet in. although this isnt for starters so much as viability of yeast.

i do this a few hours before i am going to start brewing just to make sure she is alive

 

[spokaniac]

I have one. Did my first batch in a 5 gallon carboy and lost a quart or so through the blow off.

 

[BryceL]

Your 6.5 gallon carboy should be much better, sounds like you're set.

 

[spokaniac]

Here is my starter. Look like it should work? Smells like beer, kinda.

 

[spokaniac]

I ended up pitching the whole thing on top of the 5.25 gallons. Seems to be working, <24 hours later and it is going pretty good.

 

[BryceL]

Looks like its going good!

 

[spokaniac]

Yeah, nice steady burps every second or 2 and if you look close you can see the little guys swirling away in there

 

[spokaniac]

What won't hurt. I was just thinking all the visible activity was a good thing, isn't it?

 

[spokaniac]

And a side note, using the 2 liter bottle for the starter the krauen initially formed in a star pattern matching the bottom. I thought it looked pretty cool.