How important is it to control the temperature of a yeast starter?

[CodeSection]

I went ahead and dumped it and started over. If this one smells the same, I'll know the last one was good. And this time, I'm doing a single step with 3L instead of a 2 step starting with 2L to make it easier.

And...turns out the burnt DME was on the outside of the flask...no matter how hard I scrubbed the inside of the flask, it wasn't coming off! DOH!

Glad you figured it out...

 

[fudgenstuff]

Hi,
I have been fermenting an Irish Stout extract at 20C for 12 days and it is still bubbling every 15 seconds, should i wait to bottle?
Thanks,
iAn

 

[kh54s10]

Hi,
I have been fermenting an Irish Stout extract at 20C for 12 days and it is still bubbling every 15 seconds, should i wait to bottle?
Thanks,
iAn

Lots of things can make an airlock bubble. Best way to know is to take a gravity reading today and another one on Thursday, if the numbers are the same go ahead and bottle it. If Thursday's number is smaller - wait longer.

 

[TexasGuy]

I did a 3L starter last week, but did not get to use it over the weekend. I'm going to brew this Saturday.

My starter has been sitting in the refrigerator ever since. Should I let it return to room temperature before or after I decant the starter wort?

 

[CodeSection]

I did a 3L starter last week, but did not get to use it over the weekend. I'm going to brew this Saturday.

My starter has been sitting in the refrigerator ever since. Should I let it return to room temperature before or after I decant the starter wort?

Decant when you first remove it from the refrigerator. Then let it sit at room temp while you are brewing.

 

[TexasGuy]

@CodeSection Thanks...so letting the starter wort sit on top off it for a couple of weeks in the fridge is nothing to worry about?

Just did initial burn on my outdoor burner (pick up a Hellfire) and boil leak teat on on a used keggle...hoping to actually get to make my high gravity blood orange wit tomorrow

 

[CodeSection]

@CodeSection Thanks...so letting the starter wort sit on top off it for a couple of weeks in the fridge is nothing to worry about?

Just did initial burn on my outdoor burner (pick up a Hellfire) and boil leak teat on on a used keggle...hoping to actually get to make my high gravity blood orange wit tomorrow

You will be fine. Before you do anything else with your brew (milling grain, etc), first remove the starter from your refrigerator and decant most of the wort off the yeast bed leaving about an 1/2" of wort on top of the yeast bed. Then swirl the starter and let the starter slurry warm up while you are brewing. When mashing and boiling, I occasionally swirl the starter to keep everything mixed.

It's always exciting using new pieces of equipment. Good luck tomorrow!

 

[kh54s10]

You will be fine. Before you do anything else with your brew (milling grain, etc), first remove the starter from your refrigerator and decant most of the wort off the yeast bed leaving about an 1/2" of wort on top of the yeast bed. Then swirl the starter and let the starter slurry warm up while you are brewing. When mashing and boiling, I occasionally swirl the starter to keep everything mixed.

It's always exciting using new pieces of equipment. Good luck tomorrow!

I would do this with the exception of leaving less wort to swirl up the yeast. Maybe a little under 1/4 inch. But for smaller starters, especially with good timing, I would pitch the whole starter at high krausen. These less than 1 liter starters.

 

[TexasGuy]

I gave the wort a shot of oxygen (first time using) right before I pitched the wort last night around 11:00 pm, but couldn't get anything except large O2 bubbles. After I put everything away, I went to clean the O2 wand, and noticed the compression fitting was loose, so very likely nothing got dissolved. I let it sit and went to bed.

Got up at 6:30 am, and no change in in OG (using a tilt to read). Gave it about 90 seconds of dissolved O2 (worked much better this time with the fitting tightened).

OG 1.078, current temp is 69, using Wyest 3944. How long should I wait to see good activity? And since my first O2 shot was a dud, should I gas it again when I get home this evening?

 

[CodeSection]

I gave the wort a shot of oxygen (first time using) right before I pitched the wort last night around 11:00 pm, but couldn't get anything except large O2 bubbles. After I put everything away, I went to clean the O2 wand, and noticed the compression fitting was loose, so very likely nothing got dissolved. I let it sit and went to bed.

Got up at 6:30 am, and no change in in OG (using a tilt to read). Gave it about 90 seconds of dissolved O2 (worked much better this time with the fitting tightened).

OG 1.078, current temp is 69, using Wyest 3944. How long should I wait to see good activity? And since my first O2 shot was a dud, should I gas is again when I get home this evening?

While the first attempt of adding O2 did not produce the smaller bubbles, the second attempt did. I see no reason to add anymore O2 this evening. I would suggest you now keep the fermenter sealed....

 

[TexasGuy]

After 8 days of fermenting, I still have airlock activity. I’m at current gravity 1.043, down from SG 1.78...my Tilt says I'm about 46% attenuated (yeast is rated for 72%) and an ABV of 4.73%. I’m currently at 68°F without helping it with supplemental heating.

At what point should I consider helping it along? My goal for FG is 1.021 or less and 8% or more ABV. I’m not trying to match a style, just end up with a nice beverage that doesn’t require drinking a 6-pack to relax at the end of the day when I’m not in the mood for whiskey.

 

[David Baker]

Is temperature control as important during preparation of a yeast starter compare to during fermentation? What should be the temperature of a yeast starter for an ale and lager strain? Does it make sense to make a starter at same temperature as the one planned during my fermentation or just the temperature at which I will get the healthiest yeast?

The latter. The whole object of a starter is to grow the yeast. In summer keep it at room temp. In winter keep it warm.

 

[David Baker]

After 8 days of fermenting, I still have airlock activity. I’m at current gravity 1.043, down from SG 1.78...my Tilt says I'm about 46% attenuated (yeast is rated for 72%) and an ABV of 4.73%. I’m currently at 68°F without helping it with supplemental heating.

At what point should I consider helping it along? My goal for FG is 1.021 or less and 8% or more ABV. I’m not trying to match a style, just end up with a nice beverage that doesn’t require drinking a 6-pack to relax at the end of the day when I’m not in the mood for whiskey.

Sounds as if you have a "big" beer there. I suggest leave it alone. Let it be. Less fiddling with it and let the yeast do its work. Maybe at 2 weeks rack it off the dead yeast and then leave it alone - for weeks or even months.

 

[theothermillion]

With it being winter, my current room temp is ~64 during the day and I let it drop to 61 at night. Any suggestions for keeping the starter closer to 70 - 74?

 

[FswBG]

With it being winter, my current room temp is ~64 during the day and I let it drop to 61 at night. Any suggestions for keeping the starter closer to 70 - 74?

If you have a spare temp controller available you can set up a heating box. I used a styrofoam cooler and a heating pad to make a bread proofing box for my wife that will double as a starter box during winter. If not, you can always set up a heater in a spare bathroom or something to get the temps up a bit.

 

[theothermillion]

If you have a spare temp controller available you can set up a heating box. I used a styrofoam cooler and a heating pad to make a bread proofing box for my wife that will double as a starter box during winter. If not, you can always set up a heater in a spare bathroom or something to get the temps up a bit.

Great idea! Thanks. Just made that starter and put it in the spare bathroom next to my space heater. I do have a heat pad but not sure how that would work with a stir plate. Would need the spare controller anyways.

 

[robert.balsinger]

Great idea! Thanks. Just made that starter and put it in the spare bathroom next to my space heater. I do have a heat pad but not sure how that would work with a stir plate. Would need the spare controller anyways.

My experience is that my small stir plate adds 4 or 5 F to the temperature of the surrounding air.

 

[KeizerBrewr]

I put an adhesive thermometer on my 2L flask to help give me an idea of where the temps are at. I typically chill my starter wort to 72F, let the stir plate run on high for 10 minutes to aerate, then turn down to my desired RPM and pitch yeast, cover the top with sanitized foil and wrap the whole thing with a kitchen towel to keep the heat in and more constant. Works for me, YMMV

 

[deuc224]

Ok if you do a 2 step starter how many of you decant it before doing the second step? It would save me a full day if I just went from propped yeast in toa bigger starter.

 

[KeizerBrewr]

Ok if you do a 2 step starter how many of you decant it before doing the second step? It would save me a full day if I just went from propped yeast in toa bigger starter.

I do purely because I only have a 2L flask. Once the first step is complete, I crash it, decant the supernatant and then begin the second step.

 

[deuc224]

I do purely because I only have a 2L flask. Once the first step is complete, I crash it, decant the supernatant and then begin the second step.

If you had a bigger flask, 5L, would you still do it?

 

[KeizerBrewr]

I would, yes. The supernatant would dilute the fresh starter wort throwing off the calculations for growth.