Pressure Cooking Wort for Starters

[quaboagbrewing]

I have read a few articles recently discussing using a pressure cooker to preserve wort for starters. My wife and I use a pressure cooker all the time for jams/jellies so seems like a no brainer. In the different articles I have come across for this looks like some people will boil the DME like you would with a normal starter and then add to the pressure cooker. But I have also read articles where they simply add the DME and water to the mason jar, shake really good and then just add that right to the pressure cooker. Just wondering if one method is better then another or if boiling first is redundant given the high temps the wort will be subjected to in the pressure cooker. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[BigFloyd]

I use the second method. Why boil the starter wort if I'm going to pressure cook it?

 

[Black Island Brewer]

BigFloyd is right - just add the DME to the jar and add water (and hops and nutrient if you're so inclined) - saves the step. I've done it, it mixes fine. Here is the Maltose Falcon's page on the process: The Starter Made Easy

I've switched to just doing a mini-mash of pale 2-row and canning it. Takes longer, but it's cheaper, and I like doing it. But you get a lot more break material in the jars.

 

[raysmithtx]

Yep, no need to boil first. Put the dme in the jar, shake it well and put in the pressure cooker. If you fill the jars too full it can be a bit sticky to clean up. Using the pressure canner is great. You get a lot of starter wort and most important to me is that it does not need to be refrigerated.


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[user 171019]

How long do you pressure cook it using this method?

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[msa8967]

I let this fo 15-20 minutes in the pressure cooker. There is a great video (and audio) pod cast on Basic Brewing Radio that covers all of the details on canning starter wort. I usually make a 5 gallon batch from 2-row and then can to have plenty of starter wort.

 

[aiptasia]

I know a few people that use their pressure cooker for sterilizing slants for yeast propagation or jars and water for yeast washing. I've usually been able to accomplish the same thing just using a big stock pot.

 

[Chrisl77]

I know a few people that use their pressure cooker for sterilizing slants for yeast propagation or jars and water for yeast washing. I've usually been able to accomplish the same thing just using a big stock pot.

Boiling is not the same thing as pressure cooking. Pressure cooking raises the temp above boiling. This kills everything in the wort. Bringing wort just up to boiling will not kill everything just most things. That's ok when you are pitching yeast right away as the yeast will take control and eliminate everything else with there by products.

 

[quaboagbrewing]

just curious..........I have never added yeast nutrient nor a hop pellet to my starters before but know that some folks do. I can understand why the nutrient may make sense but can't figure what the addition of a single hop pellet does. What is the benefit (or perceived benefit) of the hop pellet addition?

 

[user 171019]

The only thing I can think of is that it might add a little acid to give a better environment for yeast growth (?)

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[Black Island Brewer]

The only thing I can think of is that it might add a little acid to give a better environment for yeast growth (?)

That's my thought too. I don't believe it's enough acid to allow for canning without reaching 250F (so you could can in a water bath instead of a pressure cooker). I've always assumed it was to give the yeast an environment similar to the one they'll eventually be introduced into.

Or maybe it's homebrew voodoo! :cross:

 

[ianw58]

The idea behind the hop pellet is that it will get the yeast used to being in a hop environment. I do not subscribe to that notion.

 

[waterskj]

Remember pressure COOKERS are not pressure CANNERS

http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/pressurecookers.html

 

[Black Island Brewer]

Remember pressure COOKERS are not pressure CANNERS

http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/pressurecookers.html

I have both, and my pressure COOKER still gets up to 15psi according to the manual, which is enough to can with. My first slants and canned wort were done in my cooker.

Thanks for the link, though. Food for thought for sure!

 

[waterskj]

HI not to argue but to discuss...

The point is that a "cooker" although reaching 15 PSI may not have the proper heat up and cool down times. They are not designed for canning and *may* not process properly. Improperly processed foods have the potential to cause death by botulism.

Also what if someone reads your post and uses their pressure cooker that does not reach 15 PSI and dies from botulisms

It is said nothing that grows in beer can kill you.
However things can grow in improperly canned starter wort that can kill you.

So it is best to clarify.

It is unsafe to can wort in a Boiling Water Bath
It is unsafe to can foods that requires pressure canning in a pressure cooker.
Wort requires pressure canning

In your post you mentioned canning jam in your pressure cooker. This IS safe as Jam can be canned via Boiling Water bath.

With the food safety aspect addressed then on to your original query...

Pre-Boiling the DME is unnecessary.

I usually do a mini BIAB mash with 2-row and can that directly - be aware as mentioned elsewhere you get lots of break material.

It also amazing how much the wort darkens...


There are other things you can do as well..

Today I did a 10 gallon IPA OG 1.061 - After I collected my wort ( 2 batch sparges) I threw and extra 8 liters of water into my mash tun and drained that into another pot - actually left it drizzling for my whole boil and got about 9 liters of 1.027 wort (I was expecting a lower OG) - while cooling and cleaning I boiled that down and got 6.5 Liters at about 1.035.. canner is just starting to get to the venting stage as I type this.

 

[user 171019]

https://byo.com/stories/item/415-ca...centrated-extract-with-its-high-sugar-content

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[quaboagbrewing]

I appreciate the food safety information.........I call it a pressure cooker but I believe (and I will verify) that it's actually a pressure cooker/canner. BTW.......never considered the option of an additional sparge to get some low gravity wort to use for starters. I'll need to try that sometime. Might as well take full advantage of the grains in the mash before tossing to the chickens.

 

[waterskj]

hmm - I could tell the SWMBO that I need to get chickens to get rid of the spent grains!!

Still I don't think she would let me ...

 

[fearwig]

I can't fathom why you would do this. DME is already ready for long storage, and it is easy and convenient to turn it into a starter. It takes up almost no space, and it doesn't break when you drop it. Meanwhile, canning takes time and effort.

I can concentrated starter from all grain, but I do that to save money. DME ain't cheap.

 

[fearwig]

That's my thought too. I don't believe it's enough acid to allow for canning without reaching 250F (so you could can in a water bath instead of a pressure cooker). I've always assumed it was to give the yeast an environment similar to the one they'll eventually be introduced into.

Or maybe it's homebrew voodoo! :cross:

It's homebrew voodoo.

As for acid, you could safely acidify your starter with lactic or citric to under 4.6 and can in boiling water without pressure. You can minimize the impact of this on the beer's finished pH and maximize safety by making concentrated starter: 1.080, 1.120, even 1.160 if you insist on doing this with DME. Do multiples OF 1.040 so you don't have to measure OG. This also saves you pantry space.

 

[kombat]

I can't fathom why you would do this. DME is already ready for long storage, and it is easy and convenient to turn it into a starter.

The answer is "time."

Canned starter wort can be dumped straight into a sanitized flask with the yeast and stir bar, and I'm off to the races in literally seconds. Without the canned wort, I would have to bring the DME to a boil to sanitize it, then cool it in an ice bath in the sink. Those steps combined will take at least half an hour.

By canning starter wort, I can skip the boil and just heat the water up enough to dissolve the DME evenly. I then add a half teaspoon of yeast nutrient or whatever, then transfer the wort to the canning jars and run a canning cycle while watching TV. I let them cool overnight, confirm the lids have sealed, then store the jars on a shelf until I need to make a starter.

 

[fearwig]

Whatever works, then! I still suggest concentrated starter, though if you're a "boil topoff water" believer that doesn't help you much.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

The answer is "time."

Canned starter wort can be dumped straight into a sanitized flask with the yeast and stir bar, and I'm off to the races in literally seconds. Without the canned wort, I would have to bring the DME to a boil to sanitize it, then cool it in an ice bath in the sink. Those steps combined will take at least half an hour.

By canning starter wort, I can skip the boil and just heat the water up enough to dissolve the DME evenly. I then add a half teaspoon of yeast nutrient or whatever, then transfer the wort to the canning jars and run a canning cycle while watching TV. I let them cool overnight, confirm the lids have sealed, then store the jars on a shelf until I need to make a starter.

This. By spending a couple hours canning, I save much more than that much time later.

I don't use DME because of the cost, so I make a 1.040 starter wort in my 2 gallon mash cooler. I pressure can it, and then when I go to make me starter, I sanitize the jar, the stirbar, the vial, and the flask, then pop the lid, dump the yeast. 10 minutes tops including the time to get the equipment from my brewery and wash the canning jar.

I also can in quarts and pints so I can get to the volume I need with as little waste as possible. On brew day, I decant my starter and then add a pint to start yeast activity, and by the time I pitch I have active starter.

In the end, I like the convenience of prepping all my starter wort at once, to save time later.

On brew

 

[Eugenio]

This. By spending a couple hours canning, I save much more than that much time later.

I don't use DME because of the cost, so I make a 1.040 starter wort in my 2 gallon mash cooler. I pressure can it, and then when I go to make me starter, I sanitize the jar, the stirbar, the vial, and the flask, then pop the lid, dump the yeast. 10 minutes tops including the time to get the equipment from my brewery and wash the canning jar.

I also can in quarts and pints so I can get to the volume I need with as little waste as possible. On brew day, I decant my starter and then add a pint to start yeast activity, and by the time I pitch I have active starter.

In the end, I like the convenience of prepping all my starter wort at once, to save time later.

On brew

I might start doing this to save some cash, dme here is quite expensive. Mind sharing your recipe? (im just beginning to do all grain and im still confused as to calculating time ingredients and temp).

 

[fearwig]

I think you just want an unhopped bill of whatever bulk grain you have on hand, cool mash (146ish) preferable but not mandatory. If you make it 1.080, as I mentioned, you will do half the canning and can just mix with an equal amount of clean water when you're ready to pitch.

If you don't do a dedicated recipe for this you can always make it out of the last (or first) runnings of another mash.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

I think you just want an unhopped bill of whatever bulk grain you have on hand, cool mash (146ish) preferable but not mandatory. If you make it 1.080, as I mentioned, you will do half the canning and can just mix with an equal amount of clean water when you're ready to pitch.

If you don't do a dedicated recipe for this you can always make it out of the last (or first) runnings of another mash.

I'm going to do that next time - mash with a 1.080 target. Then add water to dilute it to 1.040, then can it.

I tried collecting my last runnings, but even the last IPA I made, all of the remaining liquor was 3+ gallons of 1.015, so I'd have to boil off for a couple of hours to get it to 1.040. Perhaps the only drawback of 88% conversion/lautering efficiency.

As far as a "recipe" for starter wort goes: whenever I can I use all the little dribs and drabs of leftover grains from previous recipes and fill in with GW 2-row pale to get the rest of the malt bill. Assuming 28 points per pound per gallon (80% efficiency from 1.036 max), I decide on how much wort I want at what gravity and use that much malt. 2 gallons of 1.080 would be 160 points, 160 points divided by 28ppg/pp, or 5.7 pounds of grain.