Lager Yeast Starter

[mcnewcp]

Brew People,

I'm a long time ale brewer, but I'm about to make my first lager loosely based around the Brooklyn Lager recipe in the most recent BYO and I've got a few questions for you all.

Should I hold the starter temp at the fermentation temp or allow it to go ambient like an ale starter? Should I pitch at high krausen or let it run it's course and then pitch after cold crashing, like an ale starter?

That's about it, thanks.

 

[Malticulous]

If you pitch the whole active starter ferment it close to the fermentation temp, otherwise chill and decant.

 

[944play]

For any medium- or higher-gravity lager, the starters get to be a very significant portion of the batch volume, so letting the starter finish and flocc out is preferable. Room temp is fine, since you'll pour out most of the starter beer.

Another approach is to make an actual small batch of beer as your starter. I had good results with a direct double-pitch into 4 gallons of 1.047 wort.

 

[mcnewcp]

Hmm, the OG I'm shooting for is 1.052, so I think I'll do a sizable starter at room temp and then decant.

 

[Malticulous]

Kai has a paragraph about it on his site.

Temperature: As much as there is debate about warm pitching vs. cold pitching there is debate about the propagation temperature for lager yeast. Microbiologists will tell you that yeast (lager and ale) should be propagated at 75 *F (25 *C) because that is the temperature at which they will grow best. (Pro) Brewers however generally agree that yeast should be propagated at or slightly above primary fermentation temperature because the yeast should not get used to living and performing at higher temperatures than the primary fermentation temperature. Some home brewers report that yeast grown at temperatures above room temperature (80+ *F) tends to loose their flocculation characteristic which makes it harder for the yeast to drop out at the end of fermentation. Growing yeast at primary fermentation temperatures also avoids shocking the yeast when pitched because its temperature is already close to pitching temperature. The yeast propagation guidelines from the yeast bank Weihenstephan also suggest that the last stages of propagation are done close to fermentation temperatures.

Pitching active yeast greatly reduces lag phase. Pros usually have the same wort on hand. They may even have to step it up in the actual fermentation tank. This summer I've had to cool my lagers overnight in the fermentation fridge so I've been able to make the starter with the same wort to pitch at high kraeusen the next day.