yeast starter

[amishland]

Is there any way to make a yeast starter without DME?

I have all my gear and ingredients and want to brew this weekend, but forgot some DME.
Recipe kit has LME 6.2 lbs of it.

Is there anything I can do or do I need to suck it up and drive to LHBS (Closest is 30min each way to get the DME or I can try a new one and it takes about an hour), which is not a problem I like browsing the HBS.

 

[Yooper]

You can just use a little of your LME, like maybe 2/3 cup.

 

[riored4v]

sorry to hijack, but i've seen these abbreviations in another thread as well and didn't understand.

What does DME and LME stand for?

 

[SuperiorBrew]

Dried Malt Extract, Liquid Malt Extract

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Abbreviations

 

[riored4v]

Dried Malt Extract, Liquid Malt Extract

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Abbreviations

thank you.. and thanks for the link

 

[amishland]

well i made the drive to the LHBS and asked for DME for making a yeast starter and was handed a package of yeast starter.

it is a powder pouch. 2.0 oz and says sufficient for 5-10 gallons of beer. packaged by L.D.Carlson Kent Ohio.

What is this and how am I supposed to use it. The guy at the store was hard to talk too, I prob will not go back to this store again.

 

[Kim]

well i made the drive to the LHBS and asked for DME for making a yeast starter and was handed a package of yeast starter.

it is a powder pouch. 2.0 oz and says sufficient for 5-10 gallons of beer. packaged by L.D.Carlson Kent Ohio.

What is this and how am I supposed to use it. The guy at the store was hard to talk too, I prob will not go back to this store again.

Sounds to me you possibly got handed a packet of freeze dried yeast?

But without knowing for sure...your recipe kit probably already came with yeast. I would just do like yooper said and use the diluted LME to start the yeast the recipe came with. It'll feed the yeast just dandy.

 

[Scimmia]

My first guess from that description would be yeast nutrient. It can be useful, but it's not a substitute for DME in a starter.

 

[Warped04]

You you didn't end up with any DME from your trip?

I'd use the LME like yoop said then do a mail order of like a pound of DME from an online store, just to keep around. It's what I do.

 

[Scimmia]

This is why I just tell the people at the store what I need, not why I need it. Too often store clerks don't have a clue as to what they're doing, and I'm not just talking about homebrew stores.

 

[amishland]

This is what I got. Please advise I would like to start the starter so I can brew first thing monday morning.

Also note I paid $4 for two packages of this stuff, figuring I would need one for each batch.

Thanks everyone for the advice...

 

[amishland]

I just called the LHBS and they said nope it should just be DME labeled as yeast starter.


Does my packet in the above pick look like DME?
Some DME I have seen online looks white this was light brown.

 

[Scimmia]

it does look like DME, sounds like you ended up alright. Much cheaper to buy it by the pound, though.

 

[amishland]

Welp here is a picture of my starter sitting out on the counter till monday morning.

Does this look right? Do I need to do anything else besides wait?

 

[amishland]

I have followed the directions found on the wiki.

Should I be shaking this every time i walk by it or just let it be?

And should I decant or pitch the entire jar?


Prepare Yeast

* Allow yeast to come to room temperature. If it is a smack pack, smack it first.

[edit] Boil

* Bring one pint of water to a boil in a two quart saucepan on the stove top.
* Reduce the heat, add one half cup of Dry Malt Extract (DME) to the water, and mix it thoroughly.
* Gently boil the wort for ten minutes.

[edit] Cool

* Remove the saucepan from the stove top, and cool it to room temperature, ~75ºF (~24ºC).
* Put the cool wort into an approximately half gallon (~2L) container.
* Cover and aerate thoroughly.

[edit] Pitch Yeast

* Pour the contents of the yeast vial or smack pack into the container.
* Shake to mix the yeast into the wort.
* Cover the container with a piece of foil or a loose-fitting cap.

[edit] Wait

* There will be very little sign of activity, but the starter should be ready in one to three days.
* You may step up the starter by adding additional wort over a period of days.

[edit] Pitch Yeast Starter

* After you have brewed your full batch, you may either:
o Shake the entire mixture again and pitch it into the wort

OR

* Chill the mixture a day before pitching
* Decant off the top layer of liquid before pitching just the yeast into the wort

 

[SuperiorBrew]

I would shake it & decant the wort off the top before you pitch