I want to start washing and then using a starter for my yeast. I recently made a stir plate, because i was board. I have been looking around and see a bunch of different sizes as far as Erlenmeyer flasks. what size is recommended for 5 gal batches?
I just made my first starter. I have no stir plate, but am giving it a good swirl every time I walk by. It's definitely taking off after a little under a day. When I swirl it, I get a lot of foam, like a beer with way too much carbonation. Is this typical?
I have only used dry yeast so far (S-05). I am planning to make a Hefe from extract (3 lb DME, 3.3 LME, hallertau hops) and realize that the yeast selection is very important for the hefe flavor. Given the price of liquid yeast, I would prefer to buy one smack pack of Wyeast and make a starter as from what I understand, just the pack alone would be underpitching a 5 gal batch.
No stir plate, so how often does the solution need to be swirled or stirred? Can I make it some evening after work or do I need to be around it for a half a day (awake) and paying constant attention to it?
ArcaneXor said:Hefeweizens are sort of the exception to the rule. For a standard 12-plato Hefeweizen, you'd be ok with using a single pack or vial of liquid yeast, as long as it's still fresh.
The more often you can shake up a starter, the better. But a stirplate is a very nice thing to have. The one I use is an inexpensive one from http://stirstarters.com/ and works quite well.
When using a stir plate, if you won't see the kraussen, or CO2 escaping, how do you know the yeast is viable and working?
ArcaneXor said:You can see both.
For ales, 2 liters and up. For lagers, 3 liters and up.
Just curios, why such a big starter for ales? I find a 1 liter gets going in 12-48 hours without problem (no stir plate). I recall reading on another thread about lag time between pitching and airlock activity should be within a certain time frame.
You can see both.
You can see CO2?
You can see it when there are thousands of tiny little bubbles are rising to the surface of the starter beer.
OK. I thought maybe you could actually see it coming up through the vessel and into the air.....like you had some special power....
Enter your email address to join: