Okay to use Liquid Malt Extract for a Yeast Starter?

[rockout]

I generally use DME because that's how I first learned about it - but i have no extra DME in the house and I had some liquid ultra-light extract. I measured out 3 oz. for 400 ml of water. Is this okay? I have 20 minutes of boiling before I waste my yeast in this mix (if I'm wrong) so maybe I'll get lucky and someone will respond before then.

THANKS!!!

 

[mr x]

I use hopped LME exclusively. Now, my numbers are 500ml LME + 3500 ml water = 4000ml @ 1.042 sg.

 

[rockout]

Appreciate the response. Going off your ratio, I guess I put in more LME (about double what you did) - no harm in that right?

In any case my yeast is now in the beaker and hopefully will be bubbling away soon.

 

[mr x]

Well, I measured the SG to make sure what I was using, and I'm not sure if the scaling is linear. You don't want a high SG for a starter from what I have been told. It's hard to say how yours will turn out if the sg is way high.

 

[hickdog]

I hope I don't have a problem. I used the 1/3 cup of LME to 3 cups of water recommendation. Boiled 10 minutes, cooled to 70 degrees. Then checked the specific gravity. Unless I read it wrong, It was around 1.060. Does this mean I am screwed on this batch?

 

[mglicini]

I hope I don't have a problem. I used the 1/3 cup of LME to 3 cups of water recommendation. Boiled 10 minutes, cooled to 70 degrees. Then checked the specific gravity. Unless I read it wrong, It was around 1.060. Does this mean I am screwed on this batch?

do you remember if this starter worked? normally or did you stress the yeast out too much?

 

[flars]

You can use DME, LME, or 2-row for a starter wort. Specific gravity of the wort is the major factor for the volume needed. SG should be in the range of 1.037 to 1.040 to feed the yeast but not stress them out.

 

[mglicini]

You can use DME, LME, or 2-row for a starter wort. Specific gravity of the wort is the major factor for the volume needed. SG should be in the range of 1.037 to 1.040 to feed the yeast but not stress them out.

Thanks

 

[mglicini]

You can use DME, LME, or 2-row for a starter wort. Specific gravity of the wort is the major factor for the volume needed. SG should be in the range of 1.037 to 1.040 to feed the yeast but not stress them out.

Thanks

 

[bajaedition]

I have used honey, brown sugar, corn syrup, with a pinch of nutrients

I wash off the wort before pitching however

I prefer to keep some DME around for starters, but have been caught without it and had to go to the pantry for sugars. If you draw off the wort, (recommended method for any starter) you can use any sugar. What you are wanting in the starter is the yeast count to explode, for them to have strong cell walls and to be healthy and ready to attack the wort. Using DME is the recommended method, but basically for making a starter, sugar is sugar, we do not transfer the taste profile of the starter into our beer. Just the yeast slurry.
pitching the starter medium is just nasty.

let me clarify a bit
when we first start the process of making starters we normally just pitch the entire thing
then we learn to do a cold crash and pour off the medium, and pitch just the slurry
the next step after that is learning to wash the yeast so we get a more pure culture without the left over waste.

I digress

 

[oylerck]

I have used honey, brown sugar, corn syrup, with a pinch of nutrients

I wash off the wort before pitching however

I prefer to keep some DME around for starters, but have been caught without it and had to go to the pantry for sugars. If you draw off the wort, (recommended method for any starter) you can use any sugar. What you are wanting in the starter is the yeast count to explode, for them to have strong cell walls and to be healthy and ready to attack the wort. Using DME is the recommended method, but basically for making a starter, sugar is sugar, we do not transfer the taste profile of the starter into our beer. Just the yeast slurry.
pitching the starter medium is just nasty.

let me clarify a bit
when we first start the process of making starters we normally just pitch the entire thing
then we learn to do a cold crash and pour off the medium, and pitch just the slurry
the next step after that is learning to wash the yeast so we get a more pure culture without the left over waste.

I digress

How do you wash it then?

 

[bajaedition]

cold crash, pour off the wort

put in some sanitized water ( cooled to about temp of the yeast bed)and mix up, cold crash again

pour off the liquid

now you have a much cleaner slurry of yeast, you can wash them again if you want but that should be good enough for a starter and you are not transferring any off flavors from the starter

Edit: this hobby can consume you as you try to get better and better at the craft. My starters are done on a counter top on a stir plate at about 74 degrees, house temp. as most guys do. So they are not done with the care I use for my beer. a little pre planning and a few extra steps pays off huge in the end. Most of the starters are DME and a pinch of yeast nutrients. I recommend that. I in my humble opinion feel that pitching all the junk from the fermentation in the starter is nasty, so I wash it out one time. That is my opinion. I know of others who also do such, and then there are guys who just pitch the entire starter as it comes off the stir plate.
It is up to you