starter without DME?!?!

[JLem]

I picked up a vial of yeast today so I could make a starter for brew session this weekend, but I completely forgot to pick up some DME!

Can I make a starter with anything else? I have some yeast nutrient if that helps.

 

[flyangler18]

Many people have reported good results using Malta Goya.

 

[JLem]

Many people have reported good results using Malta Goya.

Interesting...just did a quick google search - sounds basically like unfermented wort. I might be able to find that in the local mega-mart...but if not?

And, if I do find it, how do I use it? (hmm, I'd be surprised if it didn't contain some kind of preservative too - potassium sorbate or some such)

EDIT: found this HBT thread on the subject - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/just-made-starter-goya-malta-85681/

 

[sammykap]

If you have yeast nutrient, regular old sugar water should do just fine (although i haven't actually tried this). I'd say mixing the same amount of sugar as you would DME (by weight) in a pint or two of water and boiling it in the microwave to sterilize should be just fine... just make sure you cool it down to about 75F before you add the yeast.

 

[JKoravos]

Using plain old sucrose is a bad idea. The yeast will lose their ability to effectively ferment maltose and more complex sugars.

 

[Yooper]

If you have yeast nutrient, regular old sugar water should do just fine (although i haven't actually tried this). I'd say mixing the same amount of sugar as you would DME (by weight) in a pint or two of water and boiling it in the microwave to sterilize should be just fine... just make sure you cool it down to about 75F before you add the yeast.

I don't agree. A starter is used to grow yeast, but you want the yeast to be acclimated to eating maltose and other sugars in malt. If you grow them eating sugar (sucrose), I don't think you'd have very good results.

 

[ajf]

You could use LME. Just use 20% more because it contains about 20% water.
If all you have is grains, you could make some extra wort, and use the extra wort for future brews, but that won't help you in this instance.

-a.

 

[JLem]

It's starting to look like I might have to give Malta Goya a try...I've got no LME either and I figured sucrose was a bad idea (though was hoping otherwise).

 

[Yooper]

It's starting to look like I might have to give Malta Goya a try...I've got no LME either and I figured sucrose was a bad idea (though was hoping otherwise).

When are you brewing? Do you have any grain you can mash?

 

[COLObrewer]

Health food stores have malt extract, probably not as good though.

 

[JLem]

When are you brewing? Do you have any grain you can mash?

Here's the thing - I went to the LHBS to pick everything up today for this weekend, but they were out of Maris Otter. They're getting a shipment on Friday, so I decided to wait to get the grain on Saturday when everything I wanted was in stock together. I grabbed the yeast so I could get the starter going and realized when I got home my mistake. Unfortunately, I can't get back to the store until Saturday.

I might be able to get away with just using the single vial of yeast since it is a relatively low gravity Scottish Ale, but Mr. Malty says I should use a 1 liter starter (or 1.5 vials of yeast)

 

[Yooper]

Here's the thing - I went to the LHBS to pick everything up today for this weekend, but they were out of Maris Otter. They're getting a shipment on Friday, so I decided to wait to get the grain on Saturday when everything I wanted was in stock together. I grabbed the yeast so I could get the starter going and realized when I got home my mistake. Unfortunately, I can't get back to the store until Saturday.

I might be able to get away with just using the single vial of yeast since it is a relatively low gravity Scottish Ale, but Mr. Malty says I should use a 1 liter starter (or 1.5 vials of yeast)

You don't hear this too often from me, but I'd go ahead and skip the starter if that's the case. I mean, sure, it'd be ideal to use a starter but if you have a low OG ale, and relatively fresh yeast, then I'd go ahead and pitch from the vial. That way you're not acclimating the yeast to other things and stressing it in other ways. You're going to be underpitching, according to mrmalty, but it's not terribly so.

 

[JLem]

You don't hear this too often from me, but I'd go ahead and skip the starter if that's the case. I mean, sure, it'd be ideal to use a starter but if you have a low OG ale, and relatively fresh yeast, then I'd go ahead and pitch from the vial. That way you're not acclimating the yeast to other things and stressing it in other ways. You're going to be underpitching, according to mrmalty, but it's not terribly so.

Now that I think about it, I think I remember listening to Jamil Z's podcast on Scottish Ales and he mentioned wanting to keep attenuation down so that the FG finished towards the high side. He said he wouldn't underpitch ever, but he'd pitch on the low side with this kind of beer. So, even though I'll be underpitching, it might end up OK