Sugar water starter

[Argyll Gargoyle]

I have 1 cup of 1469 slurry that’s about 6 weeks old. I figure I should do a starter, but I’m all out of DME. Would it be better to just pitch the slurry as is, or to try a starter using only sugar? I know they say not to use sugar, but would it really matter?
The beer I’m thinking of making is a northern brown, so not terribly big.

 

[marc1]

I have 1 cup of 1469 slurry that’s about 6 weeks old. I figure I should do a starter, but I’m all out of DME. Would it be better to just pitch the slurry as is, or to try a starter using only sugar? I know they say not to use sugar, but would it really matter?
The beer I’m thinking of making is a northern brown, so not terribly big.

I would not make a starter using only sugar water.

I would buy supplies to make a starter, or make a small starter from the brown ale ingredients. You can make starter wort from grain, too.

6 weeks for a cup of slurry would probably work OK, though, as long as it was stored well.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

A starter has 2 important roles, grow more yeast and train the yeasties... sugar water may grow some yeast but now they wont be training to ferment maltose but instead sucrose. Sugar water will have no benefit for yeast going into your fermenter. If you dont have time to get dme or one of them premade starters in a can then I would just role with what you got.

 

[twd000]

it can't hurt to build a simple starter with table sugar, if nothing else to "proof" the yeast and get them active again

They won't "forget" how to consume maltose in a single generation; just don't make a habit of it for maintaining a yeast bank

The other option is to draw off a liter of wort on brew day, and use that as a starter to revive the yeast, and pitch the entire starter into the larger batch that day after

 

[odie]

I'd just pitch the slurry and let it rip.

 

[The_Antikveik]

Culturing yeast in simple sugar solution isn't really a problem. Yeast are cultured routinely in dextrose based media in labs. Nor is it going to change yeast behaviour in terms of fermenting wort. It takes several hours to express genes and translate the necessary enzymes, which is what the lag phase is all about regardless. The real problem is your sugar solution is going to lack all the essential nutrients to support metabolism, let alone support growth or maintenance. If you can't prep some starter wort (a mini mash) yourself you're probably better off taking a punt and just pitching what you have. In this case, ensure the yeast slurry is at the same temp as your FV wort before pitching, to avoid shocking the yeast. Worst case is fermentation takes a few days or so to kick off

 

[Argyll Gargoyle]

Alright guys - I’m gonna pitch what I got! Go get ‘em little 1496 buddies!