Using Plastic Primary Bucket for Yeast Starter?

[HomeBrewMaster]

Hey everyone

I was looking on the internet for a flask so I could start doing yeast starters, and then it hit me. Why couldn't I make a yeast starter by using a sanitized pot, then completely cooling the "wort" before adding it to a sanitized plastic primary, then pitching the yeast. Should be plenty of oxygen in the bucket to help the starter. Then on brew day once I have the wort chilled down to pitching temps I could just siphon the wort right on top of the starter that is in the sanitized bucket already.

What do you guys think? is there any problem with doing this?

 

[thekraken]

Since your just getting started I'm assuming your not using a stir plate. Might be tough to use a stir plate with a 6 gallon bucket.

The only issue I see is that in order to get the yeast population you might need, without a stir plate, you would have a lot of used up starter beer that I would personally want to decant off. Consider for example that a 2 liter starter is 10% of five gallons. I don't have room in my fridge for a fermentation bucket to settle the yeast out. Maybe in your ferm/lagering fridge if you got one?

 

[SnakeRidge]

Depending on the size of the starter relative to the batch size, you might want to get rid of the starter liquid after the yeast settles out. But if you're talking about a 1-2 quart starter and 5 gallons of beer, I don't think it matters. That's pretty much what I do with 2 1/2 gallon batches that I make to grow up yeast except I do mine in a 3 gallon glass carboy and pour off the fermented starter beer.

 

[HomeBrewMaster]

Since your just getting started I'm assuming your not using a stir plate. Might be tough to use a stir plate with a 6 gallon bucket.

The only issue I see is that in order to get the yeast population you might need, without a stir plate, you would have a lot of used up starter beer that I would personally want to decant off. Consider for example that a 2 liter starter is 10% of five gallons. I don't have room in my fridge for a fermentation bucket to settle the yeast out. Maybe in your ferm/lagering fridge if you got one?

Yes I have a fridge I could use to drop the yeast out and auto siphon the liquid off the top. So If I did that you think it would be good?

 

[thekraken]

Worth a shot as far as I can tell.

 

[flars]

Do you have a stir plate? If no stir plate, just use a large pickle jar. Pickle jar, or other containers, will fit in frig for cold crashing and decanting.

This is what I use on the stir plate for large starters. It will also work for the intermittent shaking method.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/photo/new-yeast-starter-container-61619.html

 

[RM-MN]

Your plastic bucket is safe for well above the boiliing point of water so don't bother chilling the starter wort first, just sanitize the bucket and dump it in. Tests done by one of the brewers on here have shown that there is little difference in the amount of yeast produced between stirred and not stirred. Without the stirring it just takes longer to grow as many yeast cell.

 

[HomeBrewMaster]

Do you have a stir plate? If no stir plate, just use a large pickle jar. Pickle jar, or other containers, will fit in frig for cold crashing and decanting.

This is what I use on the stir plate for large starters. It will also work for the intermittent shaking method.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/photo/new-yeast-starter-container-61619.html

I dont have a stir plate so Beersmith is telling me I need a 1.86L starter. I would probably just give it a shake once and awhile. I have growlers that are about the same size as I need the starter to be so obviously that wont work. So next best this is to use my Plastic primary or a carboy.

 

[dumpsterbrew]

I've been making starters in my fermenting buckets then just dumping wort onto them, works for me.

 

[HomeBrewMaster]

I've been making starters in my fermenting buckets then just dumping wort onto them, works for me.

So you don't decant the starter? you just add the new wort on top? I feel like with larger starters decanting the starter is a must.

 

[dumpsterbrew]

Yea i usually siphon off the liquid from the starter but if i'm feelin lazy ill just dump the wort right on top. Its easy enough to decant right from the bucket and saves me from having to clean a separate starter vessel.

 

[falkaveli]

Yes I have a fridge I could use to drop the yeast out and auto siphon the liquid off the top. So If I did that you think it would be good?

Why autosiphon? While we're keeping it simple (which I love), just pour it off.

 

[HomeBrewMaster]

How many days ahead do you make the starter

 

[Bamsdealer]

Why autosiphon? While we're keeping it simple (which I love), just pour it off.

This. Done it quite a few times.

Typically, I end up brewing a 1-2 gallon batch of experimental beer in my primary that's under 7% abv before I brew a lager or imperial. Anything under a half gallon, I just use DME and a growler. I'll pitch it all if the starter has only been going a day or two. If the yeast has time to drop out, I'll decant the liquid first.

 

[Bamsdealer]

How many days ahead do you make the starter

at least two if you plan on decanting the starter liquid and you're not using a stir plate. Feel free to do it a week or two in advance if you're planning a brew day.

 

[HomeBrewMaster]

at least two if you plan on decanting the starter liquid and you're not using a stir plate. Feel free to do it a week or two in advance if you're planning a brew day.

Thanks, I am excited to try another level in the brewing world.

 

[WoodlandBrew]

Propagating in the fermenter is a fine way to do it. That's the way many craft breweries do it. The biomass yield is about the same whether you use a stir plate or not, but stir plates are faster.

Details here:
http://www.woodlandbrew.com/2015/02/yeast-starters-stirred-vs-not.html

 

[estricklin]

Your plastic bucket is safe for well above the boiliing point of water so don't bother chilling the starter wort first, just sanitize the bucket and dump it in. Tests done by one of the brewers on here have shown that there is little difference in the amount of yeast produced between stirred and not stirred. Without the stirring it just takes longer to grow as many yeast cell.

That was...going to be my post!