Making a starter from slurry...just for practice.

[seatazzz]

I've got some older slurry in my fridge as well as some newer stuff, so I was thinking...I've never made a starter before (well, I did try once, but it didn't go anywhere so I got frustrated and discouraged), and it's about time I did. I don't have any DME but I *do* have a couple of fermenters going with an Orange Wit that's about to settle down from primary fermentation. I'd be using a growler as well since I don't have a flask. Any ideas on how to go about it? If I can make it work, it will be refrigerated and used for my next batch in a couple of weeks. If it fails...well there's always more slurry. Any ideas welcome, thanks guys & gals.

 

[flars]

Good reading here. You don't have to read the entire thread. Begin with the post by S. cerevisiae.
https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=24460.0

Good thread here in HBT on harvesting and using the harvested yeast.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=579350

It is actually a very simple and easy way to not buy yeast. You will need DME to propagate more yeast cells or create a vitality starter.

edit: You may need to use a starter/pitch rate calculator.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=579350
https://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/

 

[rhys333]

You're going to need some DME or other wort from an unfermented batch for your starter.

 

[Yooper]

If you don't want to buy any DME, just do a tiny BIAB batch. 1 pound of crushed two-row grain in a nylon bag in mashed in .5 gallon water, then lifted out and sparged with another quart or two, boil for a couple of minutes= .5 gallon starter.

 

[Kerrbrewer]

BIAB stovetop starter wort is a heckuva lot cheaper too. I make 1.5 gallons at a time and pressure can it.

 

[EthanH]

You can also do a 1 gal stovetop BIAB SMaSH. I've done this a few times before with a pint jar of slurry, 1.5# of grain, and 0.5-1.0 oz of hops divided between 60 min and 0 or 5 min additions. You get your viable yeast and a (hopefully) drinkable experiment. The only downside is you have to wait a bit longer.

I've had decent results this way w/ Maris Otter and Columbus, MO and Centennial, and Munich and Hallertau.