Lager yeast??

[Asell]

I'm about to start on my first journey into brewing a lager, a light honey ginger lager to be enjoyed by the end of spring and into the summer. I was hoping to get some advice on a starter for the lager yeast if any different then an ale yeast starter? Any help or suggestions?

 

[jmcquesten]

I'm about to start on my first journey into brewing a lager, a light honey ginger lager to be enjoyed by the end of spring and into the summer. I was hoping to get some advice on a starter for the lager yeast if any different then an ale yeast starter? Any help or suggestions?

Probably at least double the starter for a lager. You really need to check the yeast pitching calculator to be sure though.

 

[kombat]

Yup, you'll need a nice, big starter. The rule for yeast starters for ales is

Target yeast count = (4 billion) * (point of O.G.)  * (# of 5 gallon batches)

Double that for lagers. So if you're making a 5 gallon batch of lager with an O.G. of 1.055, your target cell count would be:

4 billion * 55 * 1 * 2 = 440 billion

A single Wyeast smack pack yields 100 billion cells, so you'd either need 4 (and a half, technically) smack packs, or you'd need to step a starter up to 4 and a half liters (do a 2 liter first, then cold-crash, decant, and step up to 4 and a half liters).

 

[BigRedHopHead]

For your first Lager skip the starter and use 2 packets of dry Fermentis Saflager 34/70. This will be enough yeast and this is a good lager strain to start out with.

 

[patthebrewer]

Yup, you'll need a nice, big starter. The rule for yeast starters for ales is

Target yeast count = (4 billion) * (point of O.G.)  * (# of 5 gallon batches)

Double that for lagers. So if you're making a 5 gallon batch of lager with an O.G. of 1.055, your target cell count would be:

4 billion * 55 * 1 * 2 = 440 billion

A single Wyeast smack pack yields 100 billion cells, so you'd either need 4 (and a half, technically) smack packs, or you'd need to step a starter up to 4 and a half liters (do a 2 liter first, then cold-crash, decant, and step up to 4 and a half liters).

What he said.

 

[TrickyDick]

So much simpler to open some dry yeast packs. So big props for that Saflager strain? How many cells per pack, 180-200 billion?


TD

 

[WildTex]

I just brewed my first lager 5 days ago. I was mislead that a smack pack is all the starter you need, , ha!

Well the pack did not swell, I pitched it anyway, and of course, zero activity in my glass carboy after 24 hrs. So I grab another smack pack, give it 2 days to swell/start, then pitch. Now there is finally good action for 57 degrees. And I'm learning that a BIG lager starter will save you lots of time and keep your blood pressure down.

Next time I will use a 2L starter, days in advance, and follow the mrmalty calculations based on the yeast package date, to ensure I have my yeast count. I suggest you do the same.