Why do you need a yeast starter?

[Newton]

I know why you need one when using a smack pack = you need to cultivate enough yeast cells to ferment your batch. What I've been doing is yeast washing and saving about half to a third of a yeast cake (in the fridge) and pitching that directly into a batch of beer. My understanding is that this amount of yeast will be more than enough to handle my batch. So in this situation, why would I need a yeast starter?

 

[Revvy]

So you won't be starting an "is my yeast dead" thread in a couple of days.

Making a starter first insures that your yeast is still alive and viable before you dump it in your beer. You will be less likely to start one of those "is my yeast dead?" threads that are on here every day.

You already know that it will also ensure that you have enough yeast usually the tubes and smack packs are a lot less yeast that you really should use for healthy fermentation.

Making a starter also usually means your beer will take off sooner, because the first thing that the little buggers do in the presence of wort (whether in a flask or in a fermenter) is have an orgy to reproduce enough cells to do the job...They will wake up from the dormancy of your fridge. So it won't take such a long time in the fermenter since they started doing it in the flask.

Additionally it is better for the yeast to consume and reproduce incrementally rather than just dumping them into the fermenter...The yeast will be less stressed out than if you just dump them in.

So making a starter proves your yeast is still healthy, allows you to grow enough yeast to do the job, cuts down on lag time, and ensures that you will not get off flavors or stuck ferementations from stressed out yeast.

So reproduction is only a part of the deal.

 

[Newton]

Thanks for the tips Revvy. Yep I'm a noob, and I've repitched portions of the yeast cake a few times with no starter--and the fermentation went like gangbusters. But what you said makes alot of sense. I'll definitely make a starter next time. Do you recommend pitching the starter at high krausen, or after the yeast has settled out? Thanks,

Ben

 

[Newton]

Also, another question. The yeast I want to use next was harvested from a batch of 1.064 OG. I know that when you repitch yeast into a new batch you want to move from lower OG to higher and not the other way. So in the case of a starter, would I need to make it with atleast a 1.064 OG? In other words, does my starter OG need to be similar to the new batch OG? Thanks,

Ben

 

[Revvy]

Thanks for the tips Revvy. Yep I'm a noob, and I've repitched portions of the yeast cake a few times with no starter--and the fermentation went like gangbusters. But what you said makes alot of sense. I'll definitely make a starter next time. Do you recommend pitching the starter at high krausen, or after the yeast has settled out? Thanks,

Ben

Well I've only been lucky enough to have a starter at high krausen @ pitching time once. If you got it pitch it, if not don't sweat it.

 

[Malticulous]

Repitching from slurry is may favorite method. I use it about 66% of the time. No starters are needed if it's reasonably fresh. 1/2 to 1 cup unwashed slurry is usually plenty for average beers.

 

[Revvy]

Also, another question. The yeast I want to use next was harvested from a batch of 1.064 OG. I know that when you repitch yeast into a new batch you want to move from lower OG to higher and not the other way. So in the case of a starter, would I need to make it with atleast a 1.064 OG? In other words, does my starter OG need to be similar to the new batch OG? Thanks,

Ben

I never worry about that stuff. I make a standard starter wort of iirc 1/2 cup of dme to 2 cups of water regardless of the og of the beer or the washed yeast, though I do aim to pitch the right sized starter for my new OG based on mr. malty's pitch rate calculator....that is if I remember to use that. Most of the time I'll step up a starter based on how many days ahead I began. If I have my yeast on a wednesday and am brewing on a Sunday I'll probably feed it Friday and maybe again on saturday night. Often I only get time for one additional feeding.

Just like it's not crucial to wait for your smack pack to inflate before pitching it into your starter wort, for average day to day brewing of the typical abv beers we brew, making ANY sized starter is better than not making a starter at all.

There's many ways to brew, and I'm not anal or overly scientific about making sure that I have the right amount of cells to the billionth degree, for basic beers. I just want to make sure my yeasties are awake, healthy and happy at pitch time.

For high grav beers I may be a little more precise. But those aren't my day to day beers.

The biggest concern is not for me what you talk about above, as much as not pitching a lighter beer onto a yeast from darker more carmally/roasted malt bill. Unless I've washed the yeast thoroughly and had it sitting for a long time in my fridges. If I am shooting for a really mild or clean beer like a cream ale I really don't want the yeast from my imperial chocolate coffee bourbon Stout, because at least in my way of thinking no matter how clean the yeast may be there has to be some bleed through on all those dark malts.

Others will have different answers I'm sure, but this my way of brewing and It's worked for me.

 

[Revvy]

Repitching from slurry is may favorite method. I use it about 66% of the time. No starters are needed if it's reasonably fresh. 1/2 to 1 cup unwashed slurry is usually plenty for average beers.

I agree. And I tend to pitch on fresh yeast cakes.

But my harvested and washed yeast in mason jars in the fridge may be upwards of a year old, and that long in the cold, a starter is a could idea. It wakes them up from that long hibernation.

 

[Brocster]

+1 on the replies here..........

Revvy is a good one to listen to as well.

Starters are a great idea, and I really noticed a difference in the quality of beers once I started doing them. I also don't think you need to be too scientific about it. I washed 1056 from a 1.065 stout and used on a 1.054 ESB, and it is fantastic.

Basically, you get better quality beer, less lag time (for decreased chance of infection), less off-products from fermentation, and....it is a big savings on $. I figure I save $12-$20 a 10 gallon batch, depending on what I am using.

I am in Minnesota as well. If you are in the Cities, both LHBS have everything you need and people who can help you out. I would be more than willing to point you in the right direction for "stuff" too.

Cheers

 

[Newton]

+1 on the replies here..........

Revvy is a good one to listen to as well.

Starters are a great idea, and I really noticed a difference in the quality of beers once I started doing them. I also don't think you need to be too scientific about it. I washed 1056 from a 1.065 stout and used on a 1.054 ESB, and it is fantastic.

Basically, you get better quality beer, less lag time (for decreased chance of infection), less off-products from fermentation, and....it is a big savings on $. I figure I save $12-$20 a 10 gallon batch, depending on what I am using.

I am in Minnesota as well. If you are in the Cities, both LHBS have everything you need and people who can help you out. I would be more than willing to point you in the right direction for "stuff" too.

Cheers

Hey thanks for the response! I live down in Chanhassen and have been buying my stuff at Midwest Supplies. They seem to be quite abit cheaper than Nothern Brewer--and closer to my house.