yeast starter

[beermonster1985]

wwhen is agood time to make yeast starter before brewing,is it possible to make it on the same day or should it be 2-3days.

 

[tamoore]

For my last batch, I boiled the DME and cooled it the day before, pitched yeast to the starter the morning of brew day (6:00 AM), and it was ready to go by the afternoon when I pitched to my cooled wort (3:00 PM or so).

Got airlock activity in just a few hours.

 

[osagedr]

I shoot for 18 hours; less if using washed yeast. Pitching at high krausen appeals to me. I use a stir plate so that might move me along faster. If I were doing a really big starter for (say) a lager and needed to decant I might go a lot further ahead of brew day.

 

[BigB]

wwhen is agood time to make yeast starter before brewing,is it possible to make it on the same day or should it be 2-3days.

I'm sure you don't want to hear this, but there are lots and lots of threads on this topic and it is hotly debated. In fact, to hopefully curb a firestorm, I won't even tell you which side I agree with. Some say 12-24 hours and pitch at high krausen. Others say let it ferment out completely, refrigerate for a couple days to let the yeast drop out of suspension, and then decant the water off the top.

 

[hal2814]

To stir up the debate a little, I no chill so I just grab some wort from the boil kettle the day I brew. While the 5 gallons is cooling naturally, I can cool off the starter wort in an ice bath and get it going. I pitch at high krausen since I don't decant. All of my starter goes in the fermenter. That system works well for me. Others have their own ideas. As long as you're still consistently getting good beer in the end, there really is no right or wrong.

 

[kingmatt]

I pitch at high krausen, about 18-24 hrs after I make the starter. I only make 1 liter starters for my 5 gallon brews so I just pitch the whole thing.

 

[beermonster1985]

thanks everyone, its my first with a starter and after 2 days its been bubbling for 1 day solid which i never had b4, my other beers were crap and this looks to be the 1st good one, glad i bothered to learn to make starter

 

[bootney]

kingmatt,

do you use this method with lagers?