Starter from harvested yeast

[Rod Hobbs]

Hi all,

first off, I've never made a starter, so please don't assume I know anything about the process when responding. Generally, I make 1.05 - 1.06 beers and use a pack of dry yeast per ~5 gal batch. Over the last year, I have been saving the yeast from the previous batch in mason jars, and direct pitching into the next batch (~200 ml of settled yeast per 5 gal batch). Had no issues until a batch of 1.05 recently, where fermentation didn't start within the typical 12-24 hours after pitch that I normally see, and I ended up pitching a fresh pack of dry yeast about 3 days in. That got me thinking about the viability of the saved yeast (which is stored in the fridge with the mason lid on loose to allow for gas exchange). Up until the "issue" beer, the stored yeast would typically be 0.5-2 months old. The one I had a slow start with was likely approaching 3 months. To avoid future issues, I am wondering if I should do up starters just to verify that the yeast is healthy.
1. should I?
2. how do I do it?
3. what size starter (2L?) do I make and how much starting yeast do I use?

Thanks

 

[Dgallo]

Hi all,

first off, I've never made a starter, so please don't assume I know anything about the process when responding. Generally, I make 1.05 - 1.06 beers and use a pack of dry yeast per ~5 gal batch. Over the last year, I have been saving the yeast from the previous batch in mason jars, and direct pitching into the next batch (~200 ml of settled yeast per 5 gal batch). Had no issues until a batch of 1.05 recently, where fermentation didn't start within the typical 12-24 hours after pitch that I normally see, and I ended up pitching a fresh pack of dry yeast about 3 days in. That got me thinking about the viability of the saved yeast (which is stored in the fridge with the mason lid on loose to allow for gas exchange). Up until the "issue" beer, the stored yeast would typically be 0.5-2 months old. The one I had a slow start with was likely approaching 3 months. To avoid future issues, I am wondering if I should do up starters just to verify that the yeast is healthy.
1. should I?
2. how do I do it?
3. what size starter (2L?) do I make and how much starting yeast do I use?

Thanks

What you doing now is fine but you need to look into how to clean your yeast. I don’t personally do it so I can’t comment on how to do it but I know a fair amount of people on here do.

I do however build starters. The size of the starter is completely depended on the number of cells I want. This is a pitch rate calculator. https://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/
You will input the info of the beer and yeast (ie. og, age of yeast, number of pack used) and the calculator will tell you how large your starter needs to be to grow enough yeast for a proper pitch.

Starters are really easy to make, just need water and dme. I typically would do 1 cup of dme to 1 l of water. Gave me roughly 1.043 as a starter wort

 

[Andrew Hodgson]

Above is basically what I do as well. I don't harvest yeast and instead overbuild my starters and then save some of the extra for next time, this way there is no need for washing or dealing with trub etc in your saved yeast and/or starter.

 

[VirginiaHops1]

Harvesting into clean/sanitized mason jars and direct pitching is fine, provided you do it fairly soon after harvesting. No need to clean to clean/wash the yeast in that case. I've done it a bunch of times and never had a stuck fermentation. I wouldn't direct pitch harvested yeast if it's been sitting longer than a month or two though.

I've let mason jars sit awhile and wasn't comfortable direct pitching and have done starters with them. There will be a lot of trub/dead yeast in that starter so you'll not want to pitch it all in your beer. I would swirl it up and let the dead stuff settle(about 5-10 minutes) once the starter is finished and then transfer to some other container. Once that settles it should be mostly healthy looking white yeast. I guess that is in effect, washing the yeast.

 

[Gregory T]

Yeast starter approximately 100 grams dme per 1 liter of water



how much yeast I recommend at least .75 m/ml/P I personally use 1 to 1.25 for my trappists choose slurry from the type menu


https://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/

 

[STMF]

Starters are really easy to make, just need water and dme. I typically would do 1 cup of dme to 1 l of water. Gave me roughly 1.043 as a starter wort

Are you sure about that math? I think its more like 100g DME in 1l of water.

 

[Dgallo]

Are you sure about that math? I think its more like 100g DME in 1l of water.

Depending on how tightly you pack a cup it’s anywhere from 105 - 130 grams. 100grs in 1l should give you a 1.038. Using a dry ingredient measurung cup could give you a 1.048 if you really pack it in there but that gravity is still absolutely fine for a starter.

 

[Rod Hobbs]

ok, so if I either harvest yeast from a brew OR make a starter and save a little bit for the next starter, How much of the "yeast slurry" would you want to add to the DME/water to get it going? Say I am making a 1 L starter, how many ml of slurry would you "seed" it with? When do you know it is finished?

 

[Gregory T]

ok, so if I either harvest yeast from a brew OR make a starter and save a little bit for the next starter, How much of the "yeast slurry" would you want to add to the DME/water to get it going? Say I am making a 1 L starter, how many ml of slurry would you "seed" it with? When do you know it is finished?

https://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/