Yeast starter question

[GrundleCruncher]

I don't want to add all the fluid thats in my starter, should I put it in the fridge to settle out the yeast or should I just let it settle naturally and decant the fluid of of that? Thanks!

 

[Blender]

I would chill it as it seems to separate better and faster.

 

[GrundleCruncher]

Does it make the yeast dormant? Or does that not matter, is the purpose of a starter just to increase the population? I thought part of it was having active multiplying yeast going it.

 

[RadicalEd]

It's true that directly pitching your starter will greatly decrease your lag time, but you will then have a lot of oxygenated beer. While chilling and decanting will have a longer lag time, but add almost no oxygenated beer. Either are perfectly acceptable paths to take, but you do need to chose based on your priorities.

 

[Blender]

The yeast don't need to be active when pitching. I would warm it some though before adding it to the wort.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I have to ask why you don't want to pitch the liquid?

Unless it was fermented at an extremely high temp (80F) then there's nothing to worry about.

The yeast temp should be close to the wort temp at pitching time for a shorter lag time.

 

[GrundleCruncher]

I tasted it last time and it wasn't too good, I figured if it was going to be 1/10th of my final volume it might come through in the end.

 

[homebrewer_99]

OK, understandable, but you'll still need some of it to swirl/mix the yeast off the bottom of the starter container...

 

[GrundleCruncher]

How long should it be chilled before the yeast would sufficiently settle?

 

[Llarian]

Not long at all. It'll drop out almost immediatly when the temp reaches the temp of your fridge. If it feels cold to touch, your yeast is probably out of suspension.

I usually throw mine in the fridge when I start brewing and pull it out and decant when the boil starts, seems to work very well.

-D

 

[Philip1993]

I have to ask why you don't want to pitch the liquid?

IMHO, starter liquid usually smells and tastes like crap. I chill and decant all but enough to swirl the yeast off the bottom.