Time on Stir Plate for Starter

[DrumForHire]

I'm going to be brewing this Saturday morning, but I just realized I won't be home on Friday until at least 11pm. This has made me consider my options for timing my yeast starter. In order to pitch at noon on Saturday, is it better to getting the starter going late on Friday night (and hopefully get 12 hours on the stir plate) or get the starter going Thursday night (so, I'd say 38+ hours on the stir plate)? I would usually do the starter early Friday evening, but since that isn't an option what's the best way to handle it? I've never kept a starter stirring for more than 24 hours...

 

[day_trippr]

This is my typical routine: start the stir plate up Thursday evening, let it run 'til Friday evening, stick it in the fridge to cold-crash over night, pull it out of the fridge first thing Saturday morning and immediately decant the extra wort, let the rest warm up 'til it's time to pitch.

It actually works out great - as long as I get my act together on Thursday

Cheers!

 

[jcav]

Nothing wrong with making it tonight. Put it on the stir plate and you could turn off the plate late tomorrow night, when you get back. Then let the yeast settle until your ready to pitch on Saturday. You can decant some of the spent clearer wort on top of the yeast and then swirl the rest of it in the beaker and then pitch the rest. Your beer will be fine!

John

 

[DrumForHire]

I don't know if it changes anything, but this is for a pretty big DIPA - 1.082 target SG. My calculation for the starter is 1.56 liters.

 

[obsessedbrewing]

This is my typical routine: start the stir plate up Thursday evening, let it run 'til Friday evening, stick it in the fridge to cold-crash over night, pull it out of the fridge first thing Saturday morning and immediately decant the extra wort, let the rest warm up 'til it's time to pitch.

This is close to my typical routine, also. I like to crash for 2 days to make sure I settle out more of the yeast so that I don't decant too many cells still in suspension. Just requires a little more planning ahead.

If you're not going to decant, then your yeast really only needs about 12 hours to get active and go through the reproduction phase to hit your pitching rate. I'm a purist and don't like to put starter beer into my actual beer, but with a huge DIPA, it's unlikely to be noticeable in the final product.

 

[schematix]

Do you have temp control?

If so take your wort down to ~32F by the end of the day on Saturday, then let it rise back to the 60s on Sunday, and pitch it on Sunday. Risk of infection at cold temps exceedingly low. This will gain you an extra day to deal with your starter.

I have had to do this before with lager brewing in the summer when my cooling temps can barely get me to 90F.

 

[murphyslaw]

I usually just make the starter the night before and pitch the whole thing. I do want to start decanting instead, but that requires more planning and advance permissions.

 

[Sammy86]

I've done both ways as stated above...I get vigorous fermentations both ways usually within 6-12 hours.

 

[domdom]

you'll certainly get more healthier yeast than a straight pitch. unless it's a really high OG beer or lager, i would think you would be fine.