Wyeast starter question

jim_reaper1066 · Mar 21, 2010

Im getting ready to put on a Dogfish head 60 clone with a OG of 1.072, and I'm trying to plan out my starter beforehand. MrMalty and other sources state 240 billion cells should be enough, so a wyeast smack pack in a 2 L starter should give ~240 billion cells. I have never made a large starter like this before and have two questions:

1) Should I smack the wyeast pack and let it expand for 24 hours before pitching to ensure good starter activity? If so would this be similar to making a step starter, 125 ml -> 2 L -> 5 gal.

2)If I plan to make the starter and pitch within 24 hours to ensure active fermentation, do I prepare 17 L of wort and top off with the 2 L starter, or make a full 19 L batch and add the 2 L wort.

I know there are probably a lot of different ways to do this, and would really appreciate some good feedback.

TipsyDragon · Mar 21, 2010

i would smack the pack like the instructions say. then make my 2L starter. once fermentation of the starter is done stick it in the fridge to get the yeast to fall out of suspension. then decant most if not all of the spent starter then add that to the 5 gallons of wort.

ideally you should actively try to oxidize your starter wort. this will help the yeast grow easier and more efficiently. seeing as your starter is approximately 10% of your brew volume that can have a significant impact on your resulting beer if you add all 2L of oxidized beer.

iamopie2 · Mar 21, 2010

I always smack it first and let it activate.

I would also make your regular 19L batch. When i do a big starter, say 2L, once the starter has finished, i put it in the fridge to settle yeast. Then I drain off the excess starter and leave just the yeast. Once the yeast is up to pitching temp, I add some wort, swirl it around then pitch.

This way i have a 2L starters worth of yeast without adding all that extra wort

Nugent · Mar 21, 2010

Here's my two bits:

1) You don't have to smack the pack to make a starter. The manufacturing date should be a very good gauge for viability. Mr. Malty should give you an idea based on the date. Feel free to, though. My understanding of the nutient pack in Wyeast is that it wakes the yeast up, but it's only really there to ensure that the yeast are alive. I don't think that a significant amount of yeast growth is occurring, so IMO it's not like a step starter.

2) This is a harder question that's open to opinion. Here's mine: Palmer says that you can pitch at high krausen in the starter (probably 18-36 hours depending on variables), or after the activity has died down and the yeast has dropped. Personally, I decant a vast majority of the 'wort', leave enough to get a liquidy pour for my pitch. My feeling, similar to that of other HBTers, is that you don't want to mix the starter 'beer' into your wort. Others disagree and say it's fine.

So, I wouldn't factor in the additional 2L of starter wort into your final wort amount.

Hope this helps. This is just the way that I do it and haven't had any problems so far.

jim_reaper1066 · Mar 22, 2010

Thanks for the reply guys, I think I'll take your advice and decant the liquid off the yeast before pitching. After high krausen (18-24 hrs), how long should the starter chill out (haha) in the fridge to precipitate most of the yeast, 2-5 days?