Making a dubbel tomorrow, don't have a starter

[maltMonkey]

I just got my yeast in late for my Dubbel (1.074 SG) I'll be brewing tomorrow. I wanted to make a large starter but I'm thinking if I make it tonight 1 day won't be enough time for the yeast to multiply enough.

I have a few options, I just need some help figuring out which is best:

1) Go ahead and make the starter tonight. Ferment it warm, shake it a lot (don't have a stirplate) and hope for the best.

2) I have a Belgian Pale Ale sitting in primary that is ready to be racked over. The yeast is Wyeast 3522 (Belgian Ardennes). I could pitch onto the cake, but I was really wanting to use the Wyeast 1214 I just got in for this, AND I wanted to wash the yeast so that I would have a few jars of 2nd generation yeast laying around instead of using it all on the this batch.

3) I'm using 1 pound candi sugar in the recipe. the SG without the sugar is 1.066, so I was also thinking about making a small starter tonight, leave the candi sugar out of the boil and pitching the yeast....then a week later boiling the sugar in some water and adding it to the primary.

What do you think?

 

[BREW N QUE]

I would make the starter tonight. I believe most yeast reproduction is done in the first 18-24 hours.

 

[landhoney]

If you don't want to do option two, option three is a good compromise/solution in my opinion. Or you could mix the yeasts, the small starter and some washed 3522. I think option three is good though.

 

[Ryanh1801]

I think I would just get the starter going now. Also mixing the yeast might be interesting as LH said.

 

[maltMonkey]

Thanks guys, I think I'll go with option #3.

 

[c.n.budz]

I've done option 3 before and it works well. I've heard that Wyeast even recommends doing that with some of their high gravity Belgian strains. I can't remember where I read it, I'm going to go do some searching for that...

 

[DeathBrewer]

i've heard from quite a few brewers that make decent strong belgian beers...the best way to keep that fermentation going is to step it up in the primary over time.

One guy i know from the LHBS will do his mash one day, add extract a few days later and add sugar after that. His Belgian red was awesome and pretty damn strong...it was about 11% if i remember correctly.

i've got plans for a dark strong ale...i think i'll give this a shot.

 

[maltMonkey]

So when I step this up with the candi sugar, when is the best time? High krausen, or after it's fallen?

 

[AndrwHock]

I would add the sugar while the fermentation is still giong strong. You don't want tohe yeast to start settling out before realizing it has more work to do.

 

[EinGutesBier]

Uh oh. I made a Belgian strong ale on Sunday and I put the candi sugar in with the boil...from what I read, that's correct. Is it supposed to be introduced during primary or secondary instead?

 

[RoaringBrewer]

Uh oh. I made a Belgian strong ale on Sunday and I put the candi sugar in with the boil...from what I read, that's correct. Is it supposed to be introduced during primary or secondary instead?

The sugar should be added during primary in almost any and all cases...

You can introduce the candi sugar in the boil and it will ferment out during primary - that is fine. This is option A and widely used.

You seem to be getting confused by the adding sugar later concept. We'll call this Option B. This is a totally accepted (and even suggested as some have noted) method as well, however it is still added during the primary when the yeast are still in suspension and their most active.

The reason the OP is taking approach B is b/c he can't make an adequate starter, so he can start the yeast on a lower OG wort, then add the sugar once its started. If you make an adequate starter, using the sugar in the boil is 100% OK.

So in cliff - no matter how/when you put sugar in primary, it goes in primary. Adding to secondary after the yeast have fallen out of suspension and its been racked off the cake is (generally) the worst idea. Not saying it still wouldn't work, but it wouldn't be most efficient either.

 

[EinGutesBier]

Great, thanks, that answers my question. I figured that introducing it to the boil would be ok, but this was my first time using candi sugar. Since I made a starter, I should be in the clear like you said.