Yeast starter with no yeast

[instinct2]

I have a kit that was suppose to be brewed today, but has been delayed in shipment over the weekend. The plan is to brew tomorrow evening. My thought is to get my yeast starter wort going tonight, so I can come home during lunch and pitch the yeast. This will give the yeast a solid 8-9 hour head start. Is this a bad idea?

 

[libeerty]

Nope. Practice good sanitation and it will be fine. Some people like to make starters only 6-8 hours before.

 

[bennie1986]

If that's how you want to do it then do it! Great beer will likely result! Better than no starter at all and sounds like some people even prefer to do starts that way. I do mine 24hrs ahead but that's how I was taught so I think some research is in order!

 

[kh54s10]

Have you got the yeast yet. If yes, get the starter going asap. If not you can make the wort, cool and pitch as soon as you get the yeast.
Assuming you are talking or using liquid yeast. 8-9 hours is much better than none but 18-24 hours (on a stirplate) is best. If it is dry yeast, re-hydrating is better than a starter and quicker.

 

[instinct2]

The yeast is being shipped in the box. Obviously it has bee at 80 degrees all weekend sitting in a warehouse or a truck

Thanks for the input. It'll be in a stir plate for the entire time.

 

[bennie1986]

The yeast is being shipped in the box. Obviously it has bee at 80 degrees all weekend sitting in a warehouse or a truck

Thanks for the input. It'll be in a stir plate for the entire time.

Don't stress it will be fine! The key is do all you can do to make good beer and don't stress what you can't control! That beer will be great regardless and if it sucks send it to me lol!

 

[bennie1986]

I did a mash experiment that went south this weekend and I still pitched yeast on the half assed wort it produced. I tried a cereal mash with raw wheat and got no grav points with it so I added some 2row and mashed again and got some points then pitched yeast I got of a yeast cake I didn't do much to protect and am fermenting at about 82f. My point is I bet it will still turn out ok even though it didn't have the best chance at swellness!

 

[jakegreen58]

You should get the starter ready ASAP, don't worry about how long the yeast has been going. As long as they are active and happily churning out beer your fermentation will be all the better for it.

That said I have to stress that there is good research about how and when to pitch yeast. Professional brewers use this information to be as efficient and consistent as possible. So unless this is a beer for a competition or something, don't fret the small stuff.

And with that said, The reference point to have a 1L starter going is 18-24hrs (25C) before pitching. This is when yeast should be in the exponential growth phase.