no DME... starter?

[ersheff]

Hi.
I'm brewing a high-ish gravity porter (OG 1.08) tomorrow and decided it would be smart to make a starter.
However, I'm an idiot and still a bit of a noob, so I didn't pick up any DME while at the brewshop yesterday... It's an hour's drive away, so I'm not planning to go back.
In a pinch, can I just use some of the malt extract from my recipe kit to get the starter going and then just pitch the whole starter (yeast and starter wort) tomorrow? If not, is there something I can pick up at a non-homebrew store that will suffice? Like, food-grade malt or barley products?
Since it's a smack pack, I may just go without the starter if no other methods will work. It's Wyeast British Ale yeast.

 

[TyTanium]

Haha...you're not alone there...I've done that a few times (though I usually forget bottle caps, not as easy to substitute those...)

You're exactly right - you can use some of the extract from the kit and pitch the whole thing. This would be preferred to skipping the starter since your OG is high. I'm not sure of any food-grade alternatives. Obviously sugar is a bad idea, but don't know about malted barley products (though many may contain husk material, preservatives and/or stuff that won't settle nicely).

 

[hypergolic]

There is something you can buy in some Mexican stores that will substitute for DME but I can't remember the name of it. I think it's some sort of soft drink.

 

[Double_D]

I think you're talking about Malta Goya. I've wondered if that stuff would work.

 

[ersheff]

Oh yeah! Malta Goya!
I think I'd rather use some of my recipe's LME and pitch the whole starter than use Malta Goya, though.
My starter will only be going for about 18-24 hours, so that seems like the smart thing to do anyway.
Any recommendations on starter volume? I'm using a growler and just shaking occasionally. It sounds like 1/2 c of DME to 1 qt water is the usual recommendation, so I'd probably go with the same amount of LME to avoid to high of a gravity in the starter. Maybe slightly more (like a "rounded" 1/2 cup).
I should add that my hydrometer is at the brewing partner's house and will not be readily accessible, so testing the starter's gravity is not really feasible.

 

[edecambra]

I used malta once and it smelled foul compared with other starters. Check the label because they have lots of fructose syrup in them too.

In a pinch it will get you yeast though

 

[Double_D]

I think it's a 20% difference between the dry and the liquid as far as equivalence goes so you're probably good with the "rounded" half cup. I do my starters overnight too.

 

[ersheff]

Thanks.
Got the starter going last night. Was a bit of a pain as stopping at 3 stores did not produce an appropriate funnel (seriously?!) and I made the mistake of putting aluminum foil in bleach water (apparently, bleach dissolves foil?).
I boiled some foil last minute to cover the growler mouth and bleach-watered a liquid measuring cup to transfer the starter wort. Transferred the starter wort to the liquid measure (just another chance for aeration, right?), still spilled a bit over the neck trying to pour in the starter wort from the measuring cup (just a little), shook the hell out of the growler to aerate. Everything seems to be going well at this point. There were signs of fermentation last night, and a good bit of foam (especially after shaking) on top this morning. Man, is it stinky.
It smells just like the smack pack did when I opened it (yeasty, funky, a little sulfury), but more so.

 

[Double_D]

I do mine is quart mason jars. Dump the yeast in the jar then top with my starter wort. If there's excess in the little sauce pot I use I dump it out then pass my starter/yeast back and fourth between the pot and mason jar to aerate. Then cover with a zip top bag.

 

[ersheff]

I didn't have any mason jars on hand, but I loved the image of my yeast starting its job in a growler from the Dogfish Head brewpub in Rehoboth Beach that I picked up on a trip last summer (I live in WI).
Hopefully, some of that good DFH mojo is imbued into this next beer.

 

[ersheff]

I do mine is quart mason jars. Dump the yeast in the jar then top with my starter wort. If there's excess in the little sauce pot I use I dump it out then pass my starter/yeast back and fourth between the pot and mason jar to aerate. Then cover with a zip top bag.

Do you actually zip the bag? Does it cover the whole jar, or do you just cinch it up around the jars mouth?