Are Breewing Sugars Usable With A Starter ?

[Jagungal]

I am hanging to do a brew this weekend and need to make a starter. I normally do these with DME, I thought i had some stashed somewhere but just discovered I am out.

I am rural, so the nearest store is over 200 kms away, I have some DME on order but I am not sure when it will arrive. I am hoping tomorrow but as there is a lot of snow on the ground, I am guessing the order will arrive next week.

I do have a bag of coopers brewing sugar which looks to be a mix of Sucrose and Maltodextrin. I also have a satchel of general purpose yeast nutrient .. and a few old dried yeast satchels.

Just after opinions on whether people think that making a starter out of the brewing sugar with additions of yeast nutrient and the packets (boiled) of old yeast would be viable ?

 

[PostModern]

To paraphrase PoL, that "would be like trying to raise your children on sugar and vitamin pills". It may work, but the resultant yeast won't be healthy. What are you brewing? Is there any way you could make the starter with some of the wort of your main brew?

 

[pint of lager]

Jag, I understand how hard it is when you are rural in the cold weather.

As a very last resort, use some nutrient and sugar. Make sure you use the correct amount of nutrient, too much is also toxic to your yeast. You may be risking your whole brew by using badly grown yeast. Low attenuation, funky flavours and slow or stuck ferments would be the end result with poor quality yeast. Before you try this option, do you have any other options?

A few suggestions.

If you have a brew that is currently fermenting, just use some of the wort and add straight to the next brew.

Do you have a brew that is close to bottling? Using some yeast slurry from the bottom of the fermenter would be an easy option.

Do you have an old kit lurking in the back of the cupboard? You could use some of this to make a starter wort. Save the rest in plastic or glass in the fridge and use to make more starters.

Anyone you can ask that is going to your local (200km away) supermarket to pick up a kit? Use that to make starters with.

Any spare grain kicking around? Do a mini mash and make some wort that way.

 

[Jagungal]

Hey Pint, thanks for the reply.


The funny thing is I had previously investigated all of the options you mentioned, no spare grain, no kits at the local supermarket, no current brews with the correct yeast.

Maybe it is one of those try and see things ... might do a slightly bigger than usual starter.

 

[tangent]

do you even need to make a starter?

 

[Enerjex]

your local supermarket should have saunders malt extract, it's more confectionary grade than brewing grade but a small percentage for a starter shouldnt hurt

 

[matti]

As a beginner I made a starter with a kit enhancer.
The yeast almost stalled completely at pitching.
24 hours later
I ended up aerating the wort by tipping it from one fermenter to the other and then back to get it going again.

With a strained back and 12 hour lag, it was going helter skelter.

Can be done but not it's not recomended.
Good Luck

 

[Jagungal]

After speaking to Pint in the chat and having no luck in the supermarket, I am going to just be patient and wait.

Not worth stuffing up a brew and a good fresh yeast with impatience.

 

[tangent]

what's wrong with your yeast now?
OG higher than 1.060?
i never make starters

 

[Jagungal]

what's wrong with your yeast now?
OG higher than 1.060?
i never make starters

There are two reasons I wish to make a starter:

1. It is a new fresh yeast, with these it is not cost effective to put them straight into a brew. They cost around $15 so I usually try to stretch them over a few brews to justify the cost.

2. I am making a lager and will do the fermentation at the suggested temperatures, the recommended pitching rates for the yeast means I need to make a starter.

And .. as this is going to be a bock, the OG is planned to be at least 1068, maybe a little more if I get a high efficiency.

In actual fact, the plan is to make several starters, the first to split off into a few saved yeasts and the second to go into the brew.

 

[tangent]

so do a no chill and use 2L of it for a starter!

 

[devo]

I always use a starter, particularly lagers. The advantages are obvious!

BTW I've only ever made starters w/ DME or fresh wort.