Yeast Starter

[Islandboy85]

I'm making a starter for my Austin Homebrew American Barley Wine. I'm using Wyeasts American Ale 1056. I've started it in a 1 qt starter. According to John Palmer's How to Brew, I need between e85 and 340 billion cells. That means. Need at least a 4 qt starter. When I step it up to a larger starter volume, am I supposed to decant the old starter beer and then add the new volume of wort? Or, do you just top up to the desired wort starter volume?

 

[KAMMEE]

Either way works, but I would just add it until you reach the full 4 qt mark and then cold crash and decant before pitching.

 

[Islandboy85]

That's what I thought. Just wanted to be sure. Thanks again. Oh, do you wash the trub from the yeast before pitching or just pitch the whole mess? (Sorry for all the obvious questions, but it's my first batch with liquid yeast)

 

[KAMMEE]

Personally, I decant until there's about a 3/8" layer of white stuff at the bottom, then swirl and dump into the fermenter.

 

[KAMMEE]

But you'll probably have more than 3/8" as you're making a really big starter.

 

[Islandboy85]

So, if the lighter part of the yeast cake is the yeast and is on top; and the trub is darker and on the bottom, why is mine the opposite? Lots of slightly darker material on top and a very thin layer of lighter on the bottom. Is it because I made the starter with LDME?

 

[Islandboy85]

Well, that was a mistake to think I could make a 4 qt starter in a 1 gal jug. I should have drained off the second and third qt before I added the fourth qt of wort. I ended up having to put a blowoff hose in the stopper. Thwre was about a 1/4 inch of sediment in the beer bottle I'm using with the blow off tube. I hope it's only trub, and that I didn't just burb out a whole bunch of my yeast.