El Pistolero
Well-Known Member
I found myself searching through past threads a couple of days ago, looking for the proper way to make a starter. Thought I'd put what I found together for the next guy.
Rhoobarb and DeRoux shared their takes in this thread. Here are the hilites:
cbotrice did it like this:
If you need a second opinion:
So there's five variations on the same theme. I like Rhoo and DeRoux's methods myself, but each to his own. Also, here are a couple more links that will tell you way more than you ever wanted to know about yeast growth and yeast culture:
http://www.brewingtechniques.com/library/backissues/issue2.3/kingtable.html
http://www.brewingtechniques.com/library/backissues/issue2.3/king.html#1
Finally, here's how I did it: Dissolve 1 cup wheat DME in 1 qt. (plus a bit) hot water, boiled for 15 minutes, then cooled in an ice bath. After cooling to under 80, poured in a 1/2 gallon jar, shook real good to aerate, then poured in yeast vial, shook good again and covered with aluminum foil and wrapped with a clean towel. The jug, funnel, and foil had all been sanitized in iodophor of course. Here's how it looked next day:
Rhoobarb and DeRoux shared their takes in this thread. Here are the hilites:
Rhoobarb said:I use a 1/2 gallon growler from a brewpub similar to this one. I fill the growler about 1/2 full of water, then dump that water into a pot. Bring the water to a boil, take it off the heat, add ~1 cup of plain light DME, then boil it, stirring, for about 15 minutes. Cover it and cool in an ice water bath. Once cool, transfer it to the growler, add the yeast, cover with sanitiary foil or plastic wrap, shake vigourously, then put an airlock on it. Just like doing a small brew session.
I usually make my starter a day to two before brewing.
DeRoux's Broux said:i use a 2000 ml pyrex flask, 1 cup of extra light dried malt extract, and 1300 ml of water. i heat the water in a small enameld kettle, add the dry extract and stir to dissolve. bring to a gentle boil for 15 minutes. pour the wort into the sanitized flask and cover pronto with foil and set into an ice bath in the sink. when cool to the touch (about 15-20 minutes) i add my yeast and put the cleaned/sanitized air lock on it. wrap a towel around it, and let her go to work. i do this the day before i plan to brew. i usually see activity in no more than 1-2 hours. for a lager or high ABV brew, i'd use 2000 ml of water and 1.5 cups of extar light dme.
i got my starter kit from www.northernbrewer.com.
hope this helps.....
cbotrice did it like this:
in this thread.cbotrice said:I took the advice from all the sage brewers here and did a starter for my I did last nite. It worked great, used a 1/2 gallon growler with the 3/4 cup dme and 1 1/2 cup water boiled for 10 minutes cooled and thrown in the growler. Then I added the yeast and covered with tinfoil. Worked great, batch was bubbling away when I checked on it some 5 1/2 hours later. MPW
If you need a second opinion:
Northern Brewer said:Make sterile wort directly in our heat-tolerant 1000 ml Pyrex flasks. Once cool, pitch yeast into the wort and seal the flask with a stopper and an airlock. Once a frothy head has developed (usually in 1 to 3 days), pitch the active "yeast starter" into your fermenter.
LHBS said:ONE DAY BEFORE BREWING: MAKE A STARTER
Simmer 2 tablespoons of malt extract & a half dozen hop pellets in two cups of water. Cool briefly and pour into a sterile wine or 22 oz. beer bottle, adding yeast nutrient if desired. Top bottle with an airlock and #2 stopper, allowing starter to cool to room temperature. Shake vigorously to aerate the starter. Use a flame to sterilize the mouth of the bottle and dip the corner of the pouch in sanitizing solution. Snip corner of swollen Wyeast pouch. Pour contents of pouch into bottle and replace the airlock. Store at room temperature. Fermentation should begin within 24 hours.
So there's five variations on the same theme. I like Rhoo and DeRoux's methods myself, but each to his own. Also, here are a couple more links that will tell you way more than you ever wanted to know about yeast growth and yeast culture:
http://www.brewingtechniques.com/library/backissues/issue2.3/kingtable.html
http://www.brewingtechniques.com/library/backissues/issue2.3/king.html#1
Finally, here's how I did it: Dissolve 1 cup wheat DME in 1 qt. (plus a bit) hot water, boiled for 15 minutes, then cooled in an ice bath. After cooling to under 80, poured in a 1/2 gallon jar, shook real good to aerate, then poured in yeast vial, shook good again and covered with aluminum foil and wrapped with a clean towel. The jug, funnel, and foil had all been sanitized in iodophor of course. Here's how it looked next day: