Made my starter too early

[Llarian]

I'm not sure why I was expecting a long fermentation, but I made a 2L starter of Wyeast 1272 for a beer I'm making on Saturday.

It looks like it'll be done fermenting tonight, and for some reason I was expecting it to take a couple days. My plan was to toss it in the fridge and let it fully flocculate, then take it out on brew day and decant off most of the liquid and bring it back up to room temperature before pitching.

Am I going to lose some of the benefits of the starter by letting it sit that long after fermentation?

-D

 

[cweston]

It should be fine--I'd leave it at room temp until the night before brew day. Or it may be sifficiently setlled out by then that you don't need to chill it at all.

 

[Dude]

I'd even consider adding more wort to it the night before you brew...wake the yeast up again and get them prepared for battle.

 

[Llarian]

I'd even consider adding more wort to it the night before you brew...wake the yeast up again and get them prepared for battle.

Hadn't thought about that. Maybe decant off a liter or so and add some new sterilized wort to replace it?

Won't I still be seeing active fermentation when I go to brew if I do that and have a hard time decanting off the liquid without losing yeast?

-D

 

[TheJadedDog]

I think you'll be okay. I am contemplating preparing starters a week in advance of brew day as I won't be home at all during the week for the next 6 weeks. My plan is to make the starter Saturday morning, let it ferment out, put it in the fridge Sunday evening, then pull it out Friday night to let it warm up before brewing on Saturday.

 

[boo boo]

I make starters a week in advance anyway. Gives it time to flocc out and like Dude said, wake it up with a fresh meal the night before. Pitching a starter at high krausen rules.

 

[sirsloop]

having them in log phase would be nice, but the important thing is that right now you have an INSANE amount of yeast to pitch.

 

[EdWort]

You probably have enough to split off some in a sanitized bottle to cap and store in the fridge for another brew. I do this with all my liquid yeasts and get at least 4 batches that way. It brings the price down to the level of dry yeast.

 

[Llarian]

You probably have enough to split off some in a sanitized bottle to cap and store in the fridge for another brew. I do this with all my liquid yeasts and get at least 4 batches that way. It brings the price down to the level of dry yeast.

I've been thinking about that, since my next brew will use the same yeast.

How long can I store it in the fridge and still have it be viable? It'll be probably 4 weeks before I have a chance to make another brew after this one.

-D

 

[uglygoat]

I'd even consider adding more wort to it the night before you brew...wake the yeast up again and get them prepared for battle.

what the dude said, make it big, then cut it up but i'd make it big now, add another quart of wort to the yeast.

 

[EdWort]

I've been thinking about that, since my next brew will use the same yeast.

How long can I store it in the fridge and still have it be viable? It'll be probably 4 weeks before I have a chance to make another brew after this one.

-D

I've heard folks go 6 months without issue, as long as everything is sanitary.

My next batch will be a Hefe with this yeast from October and I'll split this one 4 ways too.

 

[sirsloop]

I've been thinking about that, since my next brew will use the same yeast.

How long can I store it in the fridge and still have it be viable? It'll be probably 4 weeks before I have a chance to make another brew after this one.

-D

Just keep saving half and making a new starter every time you want to brew with that yeast...

 

[Llarian]

Excellent advice! Thanks all!

I think I'll split this starter into 3rds wne its done fermenting and set aside a couple bottles for later.

-Dylan

 

[Toilet Rocker]

I usu start my starter close to a week in advance and swirl it a bit each day to get the yeast back into suspension. Sometimes I'll add more wort.