Too early for starter?

[Rob2010SS]

A friend of mine bought the NB Goose Island porter kit. It came with 2 packs of S-04 and the OG is 1.079. I know that with 2 packs, a starter is not NEEDED but I'm going to do a starter for these because he got the kit and had it for a week and never put the yeast in the fridge. I snagged them from him and put them in the fridge at my house.

We're going to brew this on Saturday at about 10am and so we'll probably pitch yeast at 1 or 2pm. If I start the starter tonight at about 7pm, is that too early? I usually try and do about 2 days for a starter and this will be 2 and a half. I think it'll be ok, but always like to double check to make sure I'm not missing anything.

 

[probablynotnick]

Dry yeast can be stored at room temperature for a while without killing it. But if you WANT to make a starter, personally, I'd wait a little bit so that you're pitching the yeast right after it has multiplied and is starting peak fermentation in the starter flask.

Fermentis says up to 3 months of ambient storage/shipping is fine at the bottom of the page. So it's all up to you

https://fermentis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/SafAle-S-04.pdf

 

[flars]

Rehydrate the yeast before pitching to the starter wort. Pitching straight into wort can damage or kill half the cells. Estimate 400 billion cells on hand if you are going to use both packs for the starter. You will need a very large volume starter wort to achieve growth with an estimated 400 billion cells in the two packs.

I would just rehydrate both packs of yeast and pitch without a starter. The two packs will be more than sufficient for a 1.079 wort.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Great points. Ok, well that makes things easier. I'll just rehydrate on Saturday then. Thanks for the info!

 

[user 254557]

with two packs your fine, hydrate at the begining of the brew day, use a yeast neutrient and your good to go

 

[Kent88]

With dry yeast I'd recommend you add them to a starter just a few hours at the most before you pitch them into your cooled wort. You'd mostly just be looking to wake them up and make sure they don't starve before you put them to work. I think that they recommend you rehydrate 10-15 minutes before you pitch, but maybe it is most convenient for you to have it ready 45 minutes or an hour before that, then the yeasts might need a little food to eat while they're waiting.

 

[flars]

Great points. Ok, well that makes things easier. I'll just rehydrate on Saturday then. Thanks for the info!

Fermentis and Lallemand sites have good information on temperature and times for rehydrating yeast. Pitch within 30 minutes after the yeast is fully rehydrated to prevent nutrient reserves inside the cells from being used up. Can rehydrate while the wort is cooling. Using RO or distilled water will damage the cell walls of the yeast cells.

At one point the Fermentis site says stir for 30 minutes. I think this is either for breweries that are rehydrating one or more 500 gram bricks at a time or very poor translation from French. Fermentis site also says you can rehydrate in wort. Without an explanation from Fermentis I think this means a very low OG wort to give the yeast some nutrients.

 

[Rob2010SS]

OK, so since we're on the topic of rehydrating, is it standard practice to boil the water you're rehydrating in if using tap water? I've been doing that for the rare occasion I use dry yeast but unsure if it's necessary.

 

[flars]

OK, so since we're on the topic of rehydrating, is it standard practice to boil the water you're rehydrating in if using tap water? I've been doing that for the rare occasion I use dry yeast but unsure if it's necessary.

The water used needs to be sanitary and without chlorine or chloramines. Boiling and a pinch of a Campden tablet for municipal water.

I microwave my well water in a Pyrex measuring cup the will be used for the rehydration.

Edit: Forgot to mention that bottled drinking water can be considered sanitary and negates the need for Campden if you have municipal water.

 

[Rob2010SS]

The water used needs to be sanitary and without chlorine or chloramines. Boiling and a pinch of a Campden tablet for municipal water.

I microwave my well water in a Pyrex measuring cup the will be used for the rehydration.

Edit: Forgot to mention that bottled drinking water can be considered sanitary and negates the need for Campden if you have municipal water.

I use the pyrex measuring cups as well and i have well water on a water softener. So then i'll just microwave it from now on.

 

[Kent88]

Careful with campden, that stuff can kill yeast if you aren't careful.

 

[user 254557]

How will campden effect yeast?

 

[Kent88]

Campden tablets are often used to pre- sanitize wine must or stabilize it after fermentation is finished.