I am making a Belgian Dark Strong Ale with an OG of 1.090 and I don't know what size to make the steps for the starter. My yeast is 3787 with a date of Oct. 20, 2010, so it's pretty old. If I go over to Mr. Malty it says that the viability would be 10% and I need 320 billion cells. 10% would mean that I only have 10 billion cells. Now although I have made many starters I have never made a starter that needs steps before. So my question is how many steps do you think I need and how big should they be in order to reach 300 or so billion cells? I do not have a stir plate, I will be using intermittent shaking.
step sizes for a starter
- Thread starter rjwhite41
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Hophazard
Well-Known Member
Frankly, I think it would be cheaper to buy new yeast and do a simple 1.5L starter rather than the multiple steps (and DME) that would be needed to step up the old yeast.
Hophazard
Well-Known Member
I would spend the $6 on new yeast and make a 1.5l starter. You can step up old yeast if you want, but I don't understand why you'd want to. You can make beer out of old malt and hops but it doesn't mean it'll be good.
OP
OP
rjwhite41
Well-Known Member
It's 4 months old, it's not even expired. Besides after you build up you won't have old yeast, you will have a healthy population of yeast for less than the price of a new packet and I won't have to throw this one in the trash that I already spent $6 on.
SwampassJ
Well-Known Member
Try a 1 liter starter. If you have a stir plate better, if not just shake it like it knocked up your sister.
If it ferments out fine and you get a little yeast cake without it tasting foul or rubbery then step it up to a 2L or a 3L starter. In December I took a lager packet from August and stepped it up, took some nurturing but it worked.
Just stick it in the fridge and let it settle, pour off liquid and add new cooled starter liquid and you're good to go. You could also pitch two yeasts into a larger starter. Play with Mr. Malty settings, depending if you make a simple starter, or shake, or oxygenate you get different starter size results.
If it ferments out fine and you get a little yeast cake without it tasting foul or rubbery then step it up to a 2L or a 3L starter. In December I took a lager packet from August and stepped it up, took some nurturing but it worked.
Just stick it in the fridge and let it settle, pour off liquid and add new cooled starter liquid and you're good to go. You could also pitch two yeasts into a larger starter. Play with Mr. Malty settings, depending if you make a simple starter, or shake, or oxygenate you get different starter size results.
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