total rookie here - starters in a growler??

[dawn_kiebawls]

I am brand new to this obsession, I mean hobby, and I want to get my next batch going soon but I am hung up on yeast starters. My next batch will be a 'frankenbeer' Belgian IPA with an anticipated OG of right around 1.070. I'm using Wyeast 3522 (100 billion cells) for its alcohol and high temperature tolerance.

From what I have read I need to make a 2 liter starter (1800ml:180g of DME).

My questions are: can I make the starter in a growler (just barely larger than 1800ml) without having krausen blow out the top? I will be using foil to cover instead of an airlock

Can I pitch the entire thing or is it best to cold crash and pour the liquid off the top? Having never done this, this is the step that makes me nervous.

How long should I let the starter do its thing? I've read everything from 12 hours to 7 days

Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[mbobhat]

You will definitely get fizzing up over the top when you go to shake it. I've done it in a growler and usually do 1.5 qt max. I like to let it sit in fridge morning of to settle then pour off some of the liquid, then give a good quick stir/shake and pitch. The longer it sits in the fridge more can be decanted off. For a 5 gallon batch not all that critical though, you can just pitch the whole thing.

Couple of days for the starter. I usually do it thursday night if I'm brewing sat. That way I can check it and give it a few shakes fri night to make sure its working well. Then 12 hrs later after I see it fizzing a lot I'll pitch.

If you wait longer than a couple days on your starter, I believe you want to refrigerate it till brew day, since it will be mostly fermented and then you can start getting infections from bacteria if it is not actively fizzing when you give it a good swirl.

Make sure you sanitize your growler and aluminum foil, since it will fizz over.

 

[Kerrbrewer]

Go find a gallon of juice or something in a gallon glass jug. Use the gallon jug to make a 3L starter. Put 1/3 of the starter in a sanitized jar and pitch 2/3 in your brew. Save the 1/3 for a starter for another brew.

 

[dawn_kiebawls]

You will definitely get fizzing up over the top when you go to shake it. I've done it in a growler and usually do 1.5 qt max

Thanks for the info. I'll do a smaller starter and aim for 1500ml to 150g DME (as long as I fall within the correct gravity, it should be okay. Right?) If the starter will only sit for 2 days will it be okay sitting at room temperature? My last noob question is, how will I know when it is optimal to pitch? Does the krausen fall or should I pitch at peak bubbling? Thanks again!!

 

[tiredofbuyingbeer]

Do you need a 2 liter starter? I wouldn't think you would, given that that's an ale. Then you wouldn't have to worry so much about it overflowing.

Have you looked at a starter calculator? According to the Brewer's Friend calculator, if your yeast was packaged about a month ago and has 78% viability, a starter of 1.25L wort at 1.036 gravity would get you 280 billion cells, a little more than you'd need. (The Mr. Malty calculator is probably the same, but I avoid it because I don't want to run Flash.)

 

[tiredofbuyingbeer]

Nm. That's with a stir plate. The no stir plate numbers seem a little pessimistic to me, though. But yeah, maybe you do need 2L after all.

 

[mbobhat]

how will I know when it is optimal to pitch? Does the krausen fall or should I pitch at peak bubbling? Thanks again!!

If you pitch a good pack in, 24 hrs later should be like high krausen, really you are exposing it to atmosphere so it doesn't really bubble up, only when you shake it to remove CO2. That is important. So the first night you boil your wort, cool it in some ice, then shake the heck out of it with cap on before pitching to oxygenate. Don't worry if it's not super cool just pitch at a little above room temp. I like to give a bunch of good shakes a few hrs after I pitch the pack, just swirl with the foil on. You will probably get a little bit of that good bready smell.

24 hrs later if you go give it a tiny shake, the CO2 will almost boil out and probably will get all over your foil, no big deal. Just keep giving it a shake at the 24 hr mark periodically so the you keep getting rid of some of that CO2 and replacing it with more O2. After 24 hrs you can pretty much pitch whenever, usually by brewday the starter will still be giving off some CO2 when shaken, it will just take more shaking to do it.

Just have fun, it will turn out fine

 

[dawn_kiebawls]

Go find a gallon of juice or something in a gallon glass jug. Use the gallon jug to make a 3L starter. Put 1/3 of the starter in a sanitized jar and pitch 2/3 in your brew. Save the 1/3 for a starter for another brew.

I think I'll give this a try. I just realized I have a 1 gallon jug of distilled water I use for my humidor. For some reason I had it in my head I had to use glass for a starter. This way I can do 3 liters to hopefully achieve my cell count, and if nothing else I'll have extra to pitch if my fermentation stalls!

Thanks again for all the help guys! I'll be nervous doing this for the first time no matter how much I read about it so I better just do it!!

 

[eric19312]

I think I'll give this a try. I just realized I have a 1 gallon jug of distilled water I use for my humidor. For some reason I had it in my head I had to use glass for a starter. This way I can do 3 liters to hopefully achieve my cell count, and if nothing else I'll have extra to pitch if my fermentation stalls!

Thanks again for all the help guys! I'll be nervous doing this for the first time no matter how much I read about it so I better just do it!!

I'm not a fan of the plastic jug for the starter either. Maybe do it in two growlers?

 

[dawn_kiebawls]

I'm not a fan of the plastic jug for the starter either. Maybe do it in two growlers?

I only have one growler..Unfortunately it will be done in a plastic jug this time. I will without a doubt find a 1+ gallon glass jug before my next brew day. While I was boiling my DME I couldn't help but wonder why I couldn't just use my SS pot to make the starter. If thats an option that may be what I do for the next few times!