San Francisco 810 yeast starter

[todmclemore]

A few questions on a yeast starter for the White Labs San Francisco 810...

1. I was going to use a half cup of dark DME with a liter or water. I've read that some people will mix a cup of DME with two liters of water.

Is either acceptable?

2. Once the yeast is pitched and shaken, can it be kept in a 70 degree environment out of direct light while being shaken/agitated, or should it be in a spot with a colder temperature range (due to the lager nature of the yeast)?

 

[kh54s10]

The best way to measure DME for a starter is to weigh it. 10 grams to a ml. So for 1 liter you would use 100 grams, for a 1.25 liter starter - 125 grams. For a 2 liter - 200 grams.

I do all my starters on a stirplate sitting on my kitchen counter no matter what the temperature. I decant the liquid so I am not concerned about light skunking it.

I have only done one lager and I did not change the temperature for the starter. I have never read anything about needing to, but I could be wrong.

 

[FarmerTed]

I just did a starter for 810 last week (my first lager as well). I used 171 g of light DME is just over 1.7 liters of water. I also added 1/8th of a teaspoon of wyeast nutrient and a couple hop pellets for good luck. I boiled for maybe 5 minutes, then pitched 3 vials and stirred for 1.5 days at room temperature. It was really vigorous, and done after 24 h. I stored it cold for 2 days, decanted most of the wort, and pitched it at 55 F into 5.5 gallons of 1.050 wort. The beer was done fermenting after 4 days, and raising the temp to 63 F.

Surprisingly, the starter beer tasted pretty damn good-much better than any from an ale yeast that I've built up. It was very clean, and not estery or solventy at all.

 

[Token]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/how-make-yeast-starter-pictorial-76101/

Follow these instructions, and you'll be fine. It's what I do, and I get great results. (I use the 1/4 cup DME and 800 mL water. Yes, I pitch the whole thing!)

 

[todmclemore]

I've got one vial of yeast. Should I pitch two vials, or will one suffice?

 

[Token]

Use your option 1 posted above with the 1 lt of water.

 

[FarmerTed]

I doubt one vial will do it, unless you go real big on the starter. You'll probably need 400 billion cells or so. I know that for mine, even 2 vials into about a 2 L starter wasn't enough. Play around with a pitch-rate calculator (brewsmith, mrmalty) to get an idea of what you need.

 

[todmclemore]

Couild I combine the 810 with a package of Wyeast 2112 California Lager Yeast to make the starter?

 

[Token]

Just use the 810 and follow instructions in DeathBrewer's post. It'll be fine. I've done a Cali Common with 810 using his instructions. Great beer.

RDWHAHB. (<-- That coming from the brewmaster of Worry Wort Brewing!)