Yeast starter questions

[JoeSTL]

Just bottled my first batch of Caribou Slobber this past weekend. I learned a lot, mostly that I need to improve my setup. I'm planning on brewing a batch of NB's Phat Tyre next weekend. I love the original, so I'm hoping this clone is close! It's another extract kit, but I plan on stepping up my game. I now have a burner, a wort chiller, and will be doing a full boil. I also will be doing a yeast starter.

I'm not so sure about the timing of it all though. How long does it typically take the smack pack to be ready for the starter? How long is 'too long' before it goes bad? It's in the fridge right now, but after I smack it, it should be out of the fridge, right?

So then whenever the yeast is ready, I make the starter and stir it occasionally in my 2L flask. I don't have a stir plate yet, so I plan on swirling it throughout the day. So I do this for 1 day, then I can pour it in my wort when it's time?

So if I'm brewing on Saturday, I'm making the starter on Friday, and smacking the yeast pack Thursday night?

 

[JonM]

You can open the fridge, take the smack pack out, smack it and shake it and pour it directly into the starter. Or smack it and let it sit on the counter while you make the starter wort.

I like to make starters a couple days ahead of time so I have time to cold crash it in the fridge for at least 36 hours. So if I'm brewing Saturday morning, I like to have the finished starter in the fridge on Thursday night.

 

[friarsmith]

There are lots of ways to time this process. Since it looks like you're a planner, here's what I would recommend:

Late Thursday: Activate the smack pack(s). Prepare your starter wort in the flask (1 cup DME per liter of water) and boil it 10 mins. Let the starter cool down a few mins off the stove top, then cover w/ a piece of sanitized foil and rubber band (or airlock) and refrigerate overnight.

Early Friday: Set flask out on kitchen counter for an hour to warm up a bit. Remove cover and shake vigorously to oxygenate, then add yeast. Replace cover and set the flask out in an area you pass by regularly and shake/swirl it often.

Saturday: Swirl yeast up off the bottom of the flask when you're ready to pitch.

You could also make the starter a few days ahead of time which would give the yeast time to settle out. Then just pour out the starter-beer and add yeast only to your fermenter. It's a good idea to taste the starter beer (not directly from the flask ) on the off-chance of infection. I usually keep a pack of Nottingham or US-05 as a backup.

Pro Tip: Never turn your back on a flask on the stovetop. Have oven gloves ready to move off the heat, if necessary. They boil over fast. Once I see some bubbles, I usually turn the heat down to the lowest setting to minimize the foaming.

 

[flars]

Boiling the starter wort on an electric stove with coil elements will very probably shatter your flask because of the uneven heating. Much safer to boil and cool the wort in a kettle then pour into the flask. Cover the flask with sanitized aluminum foil to aerate the wort. Shake until most of the wort in the flask becomes foam before pitching the east.

 

[Kaz]

I'll chime in with what I do...usually make my starter about 24 hours before brewing. Smack your pack before you start heating your water. I make my starter wort in a large sauce pan and transfer to a 2L flask immediately following the boil. Chill the flask in sink full of cold water until it's about room temp and then pitch the yeast. At that point I usually leave it in my stirplate until it it's ready to pitch and then I pitch the whole thing beer and all. The exception for me comes if I'm doing a starter over 1.5L, then I'll try to chill it down and decant off the starter beer in the hopes of keeping off flavors down. But I've often not planned ahead far enough and dumped an entire 2l starter and not noticed anything.

 

[RM-MN]

I'll be the contrarian here. Take the smack pack out of the refrigerator when you start heating the water for your batch of brew. Smack it immediately. When your wort is cooled to pitching temp (mid to low 60's) aerate it well and pitch the smack pack.

Do another batch as soon as you can using the same ingredients and yeast but do a starter on this one. Compare the two beers a month after they have been bottled and see if you can tell any differences.

 

[kh54s10]

I suggest a little longer if you don't have a stirplate. I would let it ferment for 36 to 48 hours. Then 24 to 36 hours in the fridge so you can decant the "beer". Work backward for timing.

There is no need to smack the pack at all, you can add the yeast and the nutrient straight to your starter wort. If you do smack it 3-4 hours is recommended. The pack might not swell. That would not necessarily mean that the yeast is bad, just that it did not create much co2.

 

[JoeSTL]

I suggest a little longer if you don't have a stirplate. I would let it ferment for 36 to 48 hours. Then 24 to 36 hours in the fridge so you can decant the "beer". Work backward for timing.

There is no need to smack the pack at all, you can add the yeast and the nutrient straight to your starter wort. If you do smack it 3-4 hours is recommended. The pack might not swell. That would not necessarily mean that the yeast is bad, just that it did not create much co2.

Thanks for the advice. I ended out creating the starter Wednesday night and mixed it many times for about 36 hours. At that point there was lot's of krausen, so I decided to do the cold crash and stick it in the fridge for the 36 hours, where it is sitting now. It's amazing how much the yeast is separating to the bottom of the flask. I plan on decanting tomorrow before I pitch.

At some point, I will definitely have to get the $42 stir plate. Mixing it by hand wasn't too bad, but just annoying...

 

[kh54s10]

Thanks for the advice. I ended out creating the starter Wednesday night and mixed it many times for about 36 hours. At that point there was lot's of krausen, so I decided to do the cold crash and stick it in the fridge for the 36 hours, where it is sitting now. It's amazing how much the yeast is separating to the bottom of the flask. I plan on decanting tomorrow before I pitch.

At some point, I will definitely have to get the $42 stir plate. Mixing it by hand wasn't too bad, but just annoying...

Search DIY stirplate. Especially if you have an old computer hanging around that you can scavenge the fan and the hard drive from. My stirplate cost me $7.40 for some parts I didn't already have.

 

[RM-MN]

Thanks for the advice. I ended out creating the starter Wednesday night and mixed it many times for about 36 hours. At that point there was lot's of krausen, so I decided to do the cold crash and stick it in the fridge for the 36 hours, where it is sitting now. It's amazing how much the yeast is separating to the bottom of the flask. I plan on decanting tomorrow before I pitch.

At some point, I will definitely have to get the $42 stir plate. Mixing it by hand wasn't too bad, but just annoying...

Consider just dumping in the whole starter. Lots of your yeast will still be suspended in that starter.