So I have been brewing for bout 2 years and only used dry yeast. I will be trying liquid for the first time soon. I have a question about growing up the yeast. I am currently brewing a beer today. I made a little extra wort that won't fit into the fermentor. If I bottle the wort (no hops, yeast netreant, no Irish moss) can I use that in about 8 weeks to grow up the yeast?
Questions on liquid yeast
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Lefou
Danged rascally furt
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Yes, you're describing a basic yeast starter. You can use it to carbonate your beer, too.
It will be called "speise". The amount and gravity of speise for certain carbonation levels can be found online.
It will be called "speise". The amount and gravity of speise for certain carbonation levels can be found online.
My answer is "no". It just won't last that long without alcohol or hops in it. You can put it in a freezer safe container and freezer, however.
No, fresh wort won't keep for 8 weeks unless you sterilize it (pressure canning at 250F). Otherwise, anything in there will grow. Keeping fresh (boiled) wort, even in the fridge, has a small but real risk for botulism to grow, since the pH is too high to prevent it.
You can, however, freeze the leftover wort in a plastic container, I've used take out soup containers as well as larger cottage cheese or sour cream containers. Defrost and use for your starter. Now when it comes from the freezer, I would surely reboil it and let it cool before growing yeast in it, to make sure nothing else got in there.
This^^^^- DME is cheap for making a fresh starter VS. running the risk of an infection from 8 week old wort.
Put that left over wort into a jar, put in a little yeast and put the lid on loosely. It will make beer in a small container.
Lefou
Danged rascally furt
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Totally blew over the "8 weeks" part. ...it helps to read the whole post ...
Just to clarify, it IS possible to store fresh (boiled) wort in the fridge for extended times. I have proof of that, after over 8 weeks it was still uninfected and smelled and tasted (very small bit) fine, no sourness or funky aromas and flavors whatsoever. I used a quart take-out soup container, with its well sealing lid.
The problem, however, and why you shouldn't do it, is that in an anaerobic (no oxygen) environment it allows the deadly botulism to grow. Only one surviving spore is enough.
Now dropping the pH to 4.6 or below eliminates the botulism risk. But that's too acidic and thus not suitable for growing starters, as is. You could restore the pH to around 5.2 and then pitch the yeast, all should be fine. I'd still boil it before use though. So all in all, it is hardly worth the effort. Making fresh starter wort with DME at a 1:10 (weight) ratio to water is so easy.
I boil the starter wort in a stainless pot that has a well fitting lid, then let it chill in the sink or a plastic dishwash tub with cold water, before pouring into a flask, jug or 64 oz pickle jar.
The problem, however, and why you shouldn't do it, is that in an anaerobic (no oxygen) environment it allows the deadly botulism to grow. Only one surviving spore is enough.
Now dropping the pH to 4.6 or below eliminates the botulism risk. But that's too acidic and thus not suitable for growing starters, as is. You could restore the pH to around 5.2 and then pitch the yeast, all should be fine. I'd still boil it before use though. So all in all, it is hardly worth the effort. Making fresh starter wort with DME at a 1:10 (weight) ratio to water is so easy.
I boil the starter wort in a stainless pot that has a well fitting lid, then let it chill in the sink or a plastic dishwash tub with cold water, before pouring into a flask, jug or 64 oz pickle jar.
Black Island Brewer
An Ode to Beer
Save it in the freezer, thaw it, adjust the gravity (add water if too high, boil to concentrate it too low), boil to sanitize, cool it and use it. I shoot for starter gravity of 1.035-40.
