yeast starter

[robd]

how do you do a yeast starter

 

[The Pol]

I do what I call "Real Wort Starters"

I take one quart of my actual beer and make a starter, I pitch it 24 hours later.

You can use DME and make a 1.040 starter, about a quart, and pitch your yeast in that.

I use a 1 gallon carboy with some foil over the top, make the starter 24 hours prior to pitching. Works very well.

 

[Lou]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/how-make-yeast-starter-pictorial-76101/

Yeast Starters - Home Brewing Wiki

 

[drayman86]

Here's my tips on yeast starters:

1. They are VERY necessary for every beer in order to ensure not only a quick start, but optimum attenutation.

2. ACTIVE aeration of the starter wort is best, and by active I mean using an aquarium pump with an in-line filter. Boiling removes nearly all the dissolved oxygen from the wort. Aerate the starter wort for 30 minutes.

3. Don't forget to add a yeast nutrient.

4. Don't use an airlock; use aluminum foil instead. We're looking for rapid yeast growth, which is greatest during aerobic phase.

5. I'd let the starter go for at least 48 hours prior to pitching.

 

[Snafu]

Here's my tips on yeast starters:

1. They are VERY necessary for every beer in order to ensure not only a quick start, but optimum attenutation.

3. Don't forget to add a yeast nutrient.

You would do this even for liquid yeast? I've always just let it go to room temp and pitched it. It always has started within 48 hrs. Would I see any benefits from doing a starter?

 

[Tonedef131]

You would do this even for liquid yeast? I've always just let it go to room temp and pitched it. It always has started within 48 hrs. Would I see any benefits from doing a starter?

What he was writing applies ONLY to liquid yeast. Dry yeast needs to only be rehydrated and pitched. It's so easy that I recommend all new homebrewers start out with dry yeasts, after all there is so many great strains available these days.

But I agree that if you aren't making starters...you shouldn't be using liquid yeast.

 

[double_e5]

2. ACTIVE aeration of the starter wort is best, and by active I mean using an aquarium pump with an in-line filter. Boiling removes nearly all the dissolved oxygen from the wort. Aerate the starter wort for 30 minutes.

No way would I use an aquarium pump and a filter to aerate a starter. If you don't have a stir plate, just shake it. Shaking it will get the same amount of O2 as an aquarium pump and is much easier. Were only talking about 1-2 liters instead of 5 gallons.

 

[Schnitzengiggle]

You would do this even for liquid yeast? I've always just let it go to room temp and pitched it. It always has started within 48 hrs. Would I see any benefits from doing a starter?

I have only used liquid yeast. The only time I didn't make a starter was my very first brew, and that is because I didn't know what I was doing, and I had yet to discover HBT. My last brew I made a 1L starter and pitched it about 20 or so hours later and had my airlock bubbling away in about 3 hours. Remember a starter is to reduce lag time and promote healthy yeast for a more active/healthy fermentation. I just started tracking my apparent attenuation also and I got 71% on my last brew WLP004 Irish Ale Yeast, I think now I need to concentrate on better oxygenation of the wort to increas attenuation, but thats a horse of a different color.

Make starters with liquid yeast, use mrmalty.com and (this calculator can be useful) Homebrew Starter Wort Calculator, search how to make a yeast starter on HBT.

 

[drayman86]

No way would I use an aquarium pump and a filter to aerate a starter. If you don't have a stir plate, just shake it. Shaking it will get the same amount of O2 as an aquarium pump and is much easier. Were only talking about 1-2 liters instead of 5 gallons.

Why not use an aquarium pump? We're not looking for sterile conditions, just sanitary.

Aeration: another sorely overlooked point in the brewing process. You would have to shake that starter wort for a long, long time to get the amount of O2 into it that you can get with an aquarium pump.

Aerate the wort with an aquarium pump, too. I aerate my wort for 30 minutes, pitch the starter, and then aerate for another 30 minutes. The result? Lag times of less than 4-5 hours, complete fermentation in about 4-5 days, and attenuation rates that are at the top of the published ranges.

 

[drayman86]

I just started tracking my apparent attenuation also and I got 71% on my last brew WLP004 Irish Ale Yeast, I think now I need to concentrate on better oxygenation of the wort to increas attenuation, but thats a horse of a different color.

, but.....

+1 on on the oxygenation. Once I started to actively oxygenate my wort, my attenuation picked up at LEAST 5 percentage points or more.

 

[CharlosCarlies]

Aerate the wort with an aquarium pump, too. I aerate my wort for 30 minutes, pitch the starter, and then aerate for another 30 minutes. The result? Lag times of less than 4-5 hours, complete fermentation in about 4-5 days, and attenuation rates that are at the top of the published ranges.

Meh...I use mostly dry yeast whenever possible (w/o even re-hydrating) and my beers start in a few hours and ferment out quickly as well. I just use a strainer when running off from my kettle and it's worked perfectly fine for me. I'm not saying actively aerating the wort might not help, but to me it's just one extra thing to clean/sanitize.

 

[double_e5]

Why not use an aquarium pump? We're not looking for sterile conditions, just sanitary.

Aeration: another sorely overlooked point in the brewing process. You would have to shake that starter wort for a long, long time to get the amount of O2 into it that you can get with an aquarium pump.

Aerate the wort with an aquarium pump, too. I aerate my wort for 30 minutes, pitch the starter, and then aerate for another 30 minutes. The result? Lag times of less than 4-5 hours, complete fermentation in about 4-5 days, and attenuation rates that are at the top of the published ranges.

When did I say anything about sterile conditions or not being sanitary.

You can only get so much O2 into your starter from using the air from the atmosphere. How are you going to get any more O2 in a 1-2 liter starter by using an aquarium pump than I am by shaking it?

And when did I ever say to overlook aeration? I the only thing I said was it was a waste of time to use an aquarium pump in a starter. I agree it may be easier to aerate 5 gallons of wort with a pump. I myself use an O2 bottle with a stone. Way easier and I don't have to aerate with an aquarium pump and wait for 30 minutes to an hour.

 

[drayman86]

When did I say anything about sterile conditions or not being sanitary.

You can only get so much O2 into your starter from using the air from the atmosphere. How are you going to get any more O2 in a 1-2 liter starter by using an aquarium pump than I am by shaking it?

And when did I ever say to overlook aeration? I the only thing I said was it was a waste of time to use an aquarium pump in a starter. I agree it may be easier to aerate 5 gallons of wort with a pump. I myself use an O2 bottle with a stone. Way easier and I don't have to aerate with an aquarium pump and wait for 30 minutes to an hour.

Everyone has a preference for their particular technique. I'm kinda' cheap and don't like to buy O2 bottles, and aerating for a bit longer doesn't bother me....more time to enjoy another beer. As well, Chris White recommends the 30 minute aeration after pitching for two reasons: to further oxygenate the wort, and also to thoroughly mix the yeast into the wort.

THIS study takes a look at various aeration methods. Although you could argue some of the finer points, the graphical conclusions are interesting none the less.

 

[drayman86]

Another publication on aeration. This one has better methods, appears to be more tightly controlled, and yields some very interesting results.

Publication Link

 

[The Pol]

For what it is worth, I did a 1 quart "real wort starter", pitched after 24 hours into 5.5 gallons, and had fermentation in 5.5 hours.

 

[Schnitzengiggle]

Shake, shake, shake...shake, shake, shake...shake yer star-ter...shake yer star-ter!

 

[yournotpeter]

Good thread and good read - I'll continue the discussion by asking this:

My starter is in the fridge allowing all the yeast to settle because I wish to pitch just the yeast and will be decanting the beer. I assume my yeast should be at room temp when pitching, so I need to take it out of the fridge the morning of brew day. Do I take it out of the fridge, decant right away, and let just the yeast sit? Or do I let the whole thing sit and decant right before pitching?

 

[optimatored]

Sorry semi-hijack...

Last night around 10pm est i made my first starter... kolsch white labs, 1-2 pints of water and gravity up to about 1.040... Sanitized everything with star-san (first time using this stuff). Its now almost 7pm and nothing! No activity... no sediment. I was planning on brewing my all grain kolsch tonight but doesn’t seem it will happen... thoughts?

 

[Yooper]

Sorry semi-hijack...

Last night around 10pm est i made my first starter... kolsch white labs, 1-2 pints of water and gravity up to about 1.040... Sanitized everything with star-san (first time using this stuff). Its now almost 7pm and nothing! No activity... no sediment. I was planning on brewing my all grain kolsch tonight but doesn’t seem it will happen... thoughts?

Well, sometimes it takes longer than 24 hours. But sometimes it ferments out and you don't even notice it. If there isn't any yeast laying on the bottom of the starter vessel, though, it sounds like it didn't start.

I usually make my starters a couple of days in advance, if I have time, just to ensure it ferments out. The books I've read suggest pitching the starter at high krausen, but I always seem to miss it, and I wait until it's finished.

In your case, I guess I'd go ahead and brew and pitch the yeast when it's time and cross my fingers.

 

[optimatored]

Well, sometimes it takes longer than 24 hours. But sometimes it ferments out and you don't even notice it. If there isn't any yeast laying on the bottom of the starter vessel, though, it sounds like it didn't start.

I usually make my starters a couple of days in advance, if I have time, just to ensure it ferments out. The books I've read suggest pitching the starter at high krausen, but I always seem to miss it, and I wait until it's finished.

In your case, I guess I'd go ahead and brew and pitch the yeast when it's time and cross my fingers.

I will hope the yeast fairy pays a visit overnight so I can brew tomorrow... worst case is I pitch safale s-04.. but my brew wont be a true kolcsh. but it will be beer!!

 

[polecreek]

How necessary is a stir plate? I have some washed hefe yeast I plan on bringing back to life in a few weeks. Can I just shake a container of it when I remember? Bovarian Hefe has become an addiction.

 

[Yooper]

How necessary is a stir plate? I have some washed hefe yeast I plan on bringing back to life in a few weeks. Can I just shake a container of it when I remember? Bovarian Hefe has become an addiction.

I don't have a stir plate. So, I guess it's not necessary. But, do I want one? Oh, hells yeah!

 

[killian]

shake up your starter as often as possible. A stir plate would be nice but they are expensive.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

how do you do a yeast starter

I think this has been a very impressive and informative thread considering the lack of apparent lack of social grace and reluctance to search this forum by the OP

 

[BigNastyBrew]

If you have a stir plate, you are completely wasting your time aerating a starter wort. Sorry.

When you aerate, you are ONLY exchanging the surface area of the wort over and over again to introduce oxygen. You are not "planting" oxygen into the beer somehow.

The motion from the stir bar accomplishes this surface area exchange on a consistent basis, thereby actively aerating the starter wort until you turn the plate off.

If you don't have a stir plate, we could argue all day and night about shaking versus aerating.

 

[pizzaman]

Dry Yeast Rules!!!

I think this has been a very impressive and informative thread considering the apparent lack of social grace and reluctance to search this forum by the OP

If you look real closely you may see a pattern here...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/braverian-hefe-yeast-113869/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/bavarian-hefe-secondary-114057/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/irish-red-no-reaction-yeast-114466/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/re-pitch-114671/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/priming-sugar-115406/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/fermenting-temp-115985/

 

[BigNastyBrew]

the lack of apparent lack of social grace

So does that mean he DOES have social grace?

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Here's a good place to start.

Note that making starters that are too small (like 1/2 qt.) may actually be detrimental. Also note the importance of yeast health in the article.

I never pitch at high-krausen either. For me it's just much simpler to start it 2 or even 3 days before brewday and just decant the liquid.

Also, I don't have a stirplate (yet) so I just shake it whenever I can. But when I pitch the yeast...I shake the carboy every 30 minutes or so until evidence of fermentation (which can take several hours). This may be excessive but...whatever. I do it to add more O2 into solution while the yeast are still in the aerobic phase...they've already 'breathed' most of the O2 in solution and by shaking it I add a little more.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Oh yea:

Bovarian Hefe has become an addiction.

Now that's just funny...unless you're a cow.

 

[cactusgarrett]

If you have a stir plate, you are completely wasting your time aerating a starter wort. Sorry.

When you aerate, you are ONLY exchanging the surface area of the wort over and over again to introduce oxygen. You are not "planting" oxygen into the beer somehow.

The motion from the stir bar accomplishes this surface area exchange on a consistent basis, thereby actively aerating the starter wort until you turn the plate off.

This is the thinking i've been following for months, now. Recently i picked up an aquarium pump & stone to aerate my starters. i don't expect my starters to increase in effectiveness, or however you wanna put it, but what i figured is this:

In the past, i have prepared the starter (usually 2 quarts in a gallon jug) utilizing shaking, as i don't have means for a stirplate. I mean shaking the piss out of it. But i kept dwelling on the notion that once fermentation started, shaking/swirling wasn't doing any good, because i wasn't getting any additional air/oxygen into the system due to the blanket of CO2 continuously present in the jug. With a pump, at the very LEAST i'll be able to replace that CO2 blanket with air, by which swirlling every so often will be more beneficial, if nothing else for the surface area exchange Nasty mentions.

Now, the only thing i'm trying to figure out is whether to continously aerate (for mixing & CO2 replacement) or only hit the starters with blasts every now and then. I still haven't figured out the "growth vs fermentation" thing with regards to continuous air supplies.