Yeast Question

[MFigz]

My yeast was supposed to arrive yesterday which is when I brewed. It did not arrive until today and Beersmith called for a 1.3 liter starter.

After brewing I transferred the wort into a well sanitized/sealed fermenter so there SHOULDN'T Be any contamination. That being said, should I build the starter for 24 hours before pitching and just leave the wort in the sealed fermenter until it's ready, or just under pitch with the pouch of WLP090?

That leads me to my second question which is something I have never understood. I understand that building a starter increases the cell count and increases yeast viability so you are pitching the correct amount of healthy yeast cells for a given wort. Wouldn't the 5.75 gallon batch of wort act as just a large starter? In my thinking the only advantage I can think of for pitching the correct cell count is the beer would probably be finished sooner with the correct pitching rate vs a little less then a billion cells under pitched. I'm far from an expert though and that's why I am asking

Thanks!
Mike

 

[Jag75]

If I were you I'd do the shaken not stirred starter. You can pitch within 15 hours. You need a gallon glass jug . Put your wort in and your yeast . Shake the living crap out of it like you wanna kill it. It should foam up really good . Let it sit for about 20 min then loosen the lid allowing itself to burp out . Let it be for about 12 +hours then pitch. I've pitched as early as 15 hours but most of the time it's been closer to 18 . Works great.

 

[MFigz]

At the moment I have the starter going on a stir plate, I just don't know how comfortable I am letting the wort sit in the fermenter for basically ~36 hours with no yeast...

 

[Jag75]

At the moment I have the starter going on a stir plate, I just don't know how comfortable I am letting the wort sit in the fermenter for basically ~36 hours with no yeast...

Yeah I dont blame you. Look into shakin not stirred . Theres a thread here I believe. I've done it several times with good outcomes

 

[Dland]

While not an answer to your current conundrum, I'd advise brewers to keep a supply of good dry yeast around. Even if the delivery fails, you will still be able to pitch your wort in timely manner.

 

[Franktalk]

If I were you I'd do the shaken not stirred starter. You can pitch within 15 hours. You need a gallon glass jug . Put your wort in and your yeast . Shake the living crap out of it like you wanna kill it. It should foam up really good . Let it sit for about 20 min then loosen the lid allowing itself to burp out . Let it be for about 12 +hours then pitch. I've pitched as early as 15 hours but most of the time it's been closer to 18 . Works great.

I wholeheartedly second the suggestion of the "shaken not stirred starter." 12 hours max, and it works excellently.

 

[archthered]

To address this:

That leads me to my second question which is something I have never understood. I understand that building a starter increases the cell count and increases yeast viability so you are pitching the correct amount of healthy yeast cells for a given wort. Wouldn't the 5.75 gallon batch of wort act as just a large starter? In my thinking the only advantage I can think of for pitching the correct cell count is the beer would probably be finished sooner with the correct pitching rate vs a little less then a billion cells under pitched. I'm far from an expert though and that's why I am asking

My, also non-expert, understanding is that not only will it take longer but by under pitching you also create off flavors because the yeast is more stressed out and when they are stressed they create more compounds we don't want (off flavors). There are several reasons they are stressed out without a starter, to start with your starter usually has a lower gravity that your wort so it is a friendlier environment, starting with less osmotic pressure and ending with less alcohol than your beer. Not only that but usually the starter is at a higher temp than your which the yeast like more than your typical pitching and fermentation temps. Additionally using a starter lets the numbers get larger before the yeast have to switch from aerobic to anaerobic respiration, while they have oxygen they reproduce better and split healthier but when they switch things slow down, if you have fewer cells then the yeast slowly get less healthy and start dying or flocculating quicker and easier. An individual yeast cell can only split so many times and is actually damaged in the process, this is why you can only reuse yeast so many times, in a better environment the damage is less so you lose less yeast, by having more yeast when you start your beer have more good ones when you get to the hard part so the finish better (higher attenuation) and cleaner up better (less diacetyl etc) . There's a bit more to it but I am fuzzy on the details.

Anyone who really knows this stuff correct me if I'm wrong on this, I did not double check this before posting and my memory may be off.

 

[MFigz]

Thanks so much for all of your replies. Archthered, your post makes complete sense when I look at it in those terms. I did go with the starter on the stir plate for probably closer to 18 hours because I already had it started before I read the post about shaken not stirred. If this ever happens again I will definitely try the shaken not stirred method instead. I have a few days left in the fermenter, we'll see how it turns out, hopefully 18 hrs was enough.

As always, thanks for the help!
Mike