Redo the starter?

[QuagmiresChin]

I'm making a 3 step 7L starter. I have a 2L flask, a +5L flask and two 2 gallon carboys. Using WLP530. I have a weak stir plate from a pc fan. It BARELY makes a vortex. I plan to build a better one but don't know the specs of the parts I need (voltages, specifically).

Steps one and two of the starter both overflowed. A lot of yeast ended up outside of the flasks and wasted. I'm scheduled to do the last step tonight. I made the wort last night, kept it in my SS pot with the lid covering it and foil around the edges while it cooled over night to 70°.

I'm considering redoing the starter because of how much yeast I lost. Will use fermcap this time.

2 questions:

1) Is the wort sitting at 70° in my SS pot with the lid and foil covering the edged ok to use? I can store at 40° until I'm ready for that volume next week.

2) Should I buy a new vile of yeast for the first step? Not because I think the yeast that I have is bad, but because I don't know how much to pitch of the good slurry I have. I don't want to screw up the inoculation and growth rate.

Thanks for your help, learned a lot from you guys so far from this site.

 

[LovesIPA]

I wouldn't let wort sit around for longer than 24 hours before pitching yeast. You put yourself at risk (albeit small) for botulism poisoning. If you want to preserve wort longer than that, it needs to be boiled in a pressure cooker at 250 degrees for 15 minutes.

You can re-use the slurry you have. If you think you have enough to do the 7L step, go for it.

 

[QuagmiresChin]

No, compared to the last two step starter I made with no lost yeast, I really doubt I have enough for the third step.

Damn... What a waste of time and money

 

[duboman]

Why don't you use the starter you have to brew a smaller beer and then pitch the bigger beer on the cake. The smaller beer becomes your starter

 

[IslandLizard]

Instead of wasting the wort, can you pitch the yeast you have in part of it, and the remainder with a different yeast, perhaps 1 or 2 vials or a packet of dry?

[EDIT] How much wort do you have and at what gravity to need a 7 liter starter?
Can you roughly estimate how much yeast you have? MrMalty is very, very conservative.

 

[IslandLizard]

Why don't you use the starter you have to brew a smaller beer and then pitch the bigger beer on the cake. The smaller beer becomes your starter

I think he's way past that point already. He has 70° wort waiting for yeast.

 

[duboman]

I think he's way past that point already. He has 70° wort waiting for yeast.

Oops, forgot about that

 

[QuagmiresChin]

Instead of wasting the wort, can you pitch the yeast you have in part of it, and the remainder with a different yeast, perhaps 1 or 2 vials or a packet of dry?

[EDIT] How much wort do you have and at what gravity to need a 7 liter starter?
Can you roughly estimate how much yeast you have? MrMalty is very, very conservative.

That's a good idea. I'll do some measurements when I got home but using mr malty with estimated measurements from memory aren't turning up good results. I really prefer peace of mind knowing that nailed the growth and inoculation rates on the head based on yeastcalc's step schedule. It's looking like I'll be back to square one.

The wort I'll have will have a maximum sg of 1.100 based on excellent efficiency however there will be 7# of sugar and lme divided into 3 additions after high krausen. The actual sg could essentially be 1.161 WRT what the yeast will endure. It is likely that I will only see 1.151 from lower than expected efficiency but preparation calls for the highest realistic sg.

 

[IslandLizard]

That's a good idea. I'll do some measurements when I got home but using mr malty with estimated measurements from memory aren't turning up good results. I really prefer peace of mind knowing that nailed the growth and inoculation rates on the head based on yeastcalc's step schedule. It's looking like I'll be back to square one.

The wort I'll have will have a maximum sg of 1.100 based on excellent efficiency however there will be 7# of sugar and lme divided into 3 additions after high krausen. The actual sg could essentially be 1.161 WRT what the yeast will endure. It is likely that I will only see 1.151 from lower than expected efficiency but preparation calls for the highest realistic sg.

As suggested before, wort sitting around will not stay fresh, so you got to add something or the random factor will take over. You can always add the sugar adjuncts in several small additions once the pitched yeast has grown enough, although I see your predicament with a 1.100 start. I'd split the batch and make the best with what you have, as the chef would say.

Or deep freeze that wort pronto in sanitized water jugs or so.

 

[QuagmiresChin]

I think I misunderstood you. The wort for the starter is 1.050. The wort I'll pitch the yeast into will be around 1.100 but essentially 1.151.
Ya I'm just going to start fresh with the starter. I really don't want to screw this brew up by having it start off risky.

Thanks for the input.