Pitching a yeast starter

[msilver]

So I was a bit ambitious:

I am making a Tripel IPA (OG 1082) for my first home brew ever!

I made a 32oz. yeast starter last night and I am wondering whether to pitch the whole thing tonight (the starter was pretty active this morning), or to wait another day or so and refrigerate/decant. Ideally I would pitch everything tonight, but given the volume of the starter, I really am worried about ruining flavor.

Thoughts?

 

[Jakemo]

When did you or are you brewing the beer? Sounds like your starter is up to snuff as it is now, I'd pitch it when the wort is cooled to pitching temps.

 

[msilver]

I am planning on brewing either tonight or Saturday (depending on whether I decant or not)

 

[Jakemo]

For reference; i pitched a double starter that was in 2 pints of liquid for a 1.090 imperial stout. Are you just concerned with the volume of liquid that you're pitching with your yeast?
If so you could probably just leave 32oz of space when you top off... or decant then "poof" the yeast with a very small amount of corn sugar when you start your boil.
Just make sure to aerate the bujeezus out of your wort!

 

[wildwest450]

Do you use a stir plate? I always decant, I don't want 2 quarts of oxidized starter in my wort.


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[msilver]

I am not concerned as much with the volume as I am with the flavor. What do you mean by aerate the wort? Do you just mean a blow-off tube?

 

[msilver]

One other question - do I NEED to refrigerate before decanting?

 

[Jakemo]

Sounds like a good answer from wildwest.

Aerating the wort is splashing it around after you cool it to get oxygen in it so the yeast can reproduce healthily

 

[dallasdb]

Aerate means add oxygen to the liquid. You can do this by shaking the wort once it is in the carboy. There are tons of other methods, just seach HBT for some suggestions.

 

[Wakadaka]

aerate is the process of getting oxygen into the beer to help with yeast growth.

You don't need to refrigerate before decanting, or even decant, but getting it cold for a while will help the yeast settle out a lot better. you would be wasting a lot of good yeast if you just decanted warm.

And how did this thread end up in this section?

 

[BrewKnurd]

I am not concerned as much with the volume as I am with the flavor. What do you mean by aerate the wort? Do you just mean a blow-off tube?

This is why a high gravity beer for a first brew might have been a less than ideal decision.

It is very important, ESPECIALLY for high gravity beers, that the yeast have sufficient oxygen. Aeration is the process of getting oxygen into your wort. Easiest way is to shake the hell out of your carboy or stir the heck out of your bucket. Whenever you think you've shaken or stirred enough, shake or stir some more. More thorough way is to get an aeration system, hook it up to an O2 supply, and bubble O2 through your wort.

 

[BrewKnurd]

And how did this thread end up in this section?

Obviously, he was ANNOUNCING his first beer! :rockin:

 

[wildwest450]

One other question - do I NEED to refrigerate before decanting?

If you want all the yeast you worked so hard to cultivate to make it in the wort, then yes. Overnight will work for an ale yeast.


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[msilver]

Thank you all for your help!!! Sorry this ended up in the wrong section (I am definitely a newbie)

So should I periodically aerate the beer or only when I first pour the wort into the carboy?

After reading the comments here I will refrigerate and decant.