Basics Of Making And Using A Yeast Starter

[Cocko]

In a smack pack..

Is the bit you smack, the nutrient or the yeast?

So, if you don't pop the bag, is that the yeast?

 

[GuyQLD]

the bag is the nutrient Cocko - you can split it without popping the internal bag. But if you're pitching it to a starter why wouldn't you smack it anyway?

 

[Cocko]

the bag is the nutrient Cocko - you can split it without popping the internal bag. But if you're pitching it to a starter why wouldn't you smack it anyway?

Good news..

It was swelling, and now have a flask and stir plate... due to swelling, couldn't smack the Biarch.. not sure why it was swelled but it was 2 years old..

So opened it and tipped the non satchel bit into a starter.

So I have done good...


On a side note, I thought, feck it, in case this little bag of shizen is the yeast I better put it in...


So I SMACK IT.


Pretty sure I will be cleaning it off the roof, floor and myself for the next 3 days.....


Anyways, seems the **** that is on the stir plate is yeast - so Hoo Rah!

Cheers Guy.

 

[Camo6]

Heehee, thanks for the laugh.

2 years old? Where'd you find that?

 

[einnebcj]

Put a starter down on Friday morning with the intention of pitching it tonight (Sunday) after brewing on sat night. Saturday night didn't happen so now I won't get another stab at it until next Friday night. What should I do with the starter. Just leave it out? Stick it in the fridge? If I leave it out....do I keep giving it a swirl?

It seems to have done all the right things so far with slurry settling on the bottom, small foamy head which ramps up with a swirl...ie - plenty of carbonation. Just wondering where I go from here?

 

[mikec]

Put it in the fridge. Yeast will settle at the bottom.
When you're ready to pitch, decant off most of the liquid, then wait for the yeast to reach room temp, then pitch.

 

[wbosher]

Looking forward to giving this a shot myself in my next brew. I'm finally making the jump to liquid and Mr Malty (and Beersmith) recommend a 1.8L starter for a new wyeast pack for a 23L brew.

Love your tutorials Wolfy, bloody brilliant!

 

[Wilkensone]

I didn't want to create a new thread so just continuing on from here..

I made my first starter with US-05 and pitched it to a brew on Thursday afternoon, its gone from about 1.040 - 1.010 already, having not used US-05 or a starter before is this normal and has the fermentation finished? Also; should I still leave it for a bit for the yeast to 'cleanup' and if so how long for, also when CC'ing is 1 day enough in the fermenter or should it be longer?

Thanks folks

 

[TidalPete]

That's very fast even for US-05. Did you use temp control? If not what was fermentation temp?.

I would take FG again just to be sure & if ok leave for another 7 days & then cc for 5 days.
If adding gelatine or Polyclar, Gelatine at least 24 hours before adding the Polyclar.

 

[Wilkensone]

That's very fast even for US-05. Did you use temp control? If not what was fermentation temp?.

I would take FG again just to be sure & if ok leave for another 7 days & then cc for 5 days.
If adding gelatine or Polyclar, Gelatine at least 24 hours before adding the Polyclar.

I am using the pretty poor coopers hydrometer.. probably not helping.
Yup it was no chilled then fermenting at 18 degrees in my fridge, I will take another reading for sure but just wanted to ask.
Is 7 and 5 days the standard for leaving fermentation and CC?

Thanks Pete

 

[TidalPete]

Fermentation is judged complete when FG is the same over three consecutive days although most allow the yeast another seven days to clean up.
CC'ing is a matter for the brewer's judgement, although personally I would hesitate letting the beer sit on the yeast more than three weeks.

 

[verysupple]

I didn't want to create a new thread so just continuing on from here..

I made my first starter with US-05 and pitched it to a brew on Thursday afternoon, its gone from about 1.040 - 1.010 already, having not used US-05 or a starter before is this normal and has the fermentation finished? Also; should I still leave it for a bit for the yeast to 'cleanup' and if so how long for, also when CC'ing is 1 day enough in the fermenter or should it be longer?

Thanks folks

That sounds completely normal, I wouldn't say it's fast. A 1.040 wort can easily ferment out in 3 days if you pitch a good amount of healthy yeast, which you did.

The yeast only need a couple of days to clean up after themselves, not a week, if it was a good healthy ferment, which yours sounds to be. If it was a poor/unhealthy ferment it may take longer.

The duration of the CC is up to you. One or two days will see most of the yeast and other things drop out and should give you a relatively clear beer. You can go longer and it might give a bit better clarity, but it's up to you.

Is 7 and 5 days the standard for leaving fermentation and CC?

It's a bad idea to have timings set in stone. It's finished fermenting when it's finished fermenting, not after x number of days. It doesn't matter if your hydrometer is cheap or not calibrated because you're looking for a change in gravity, not the absolute value. As others have said, it's done when the gravity is stable (and at least in the ball park of your expected FG).

Out of curiosity, how big was your starter and was it stirred, shaken etc? How long inbetween pitching yeast into the starter and then pitching into your main batch?

 

[Wilkensone]

That sounds completely normal, I wouldn't say it's fast. A 1.040 wort can easily ferment out in 3 days if you pitch a good amount of healthy yeast, which you did.

The yeast only need a couple of days to clean up after themselves, not a week, if it was a good healthy ferment, which yours sounds to be. If it was a poor/unhealthy ferment it may take longer.

The duration of the CC is up to you. One or two days will see most of the yeast and other things drop out and should give you a relatively clear beer. You can go longer and it might give a bit better clarity, but it's up to you.



It's a bad idea to have timings set in stone. It's finished fermenting when it's finished fermenting, not after x number of days. It doesn't matter if your hydrometer is cheap or not calibrated because you're looking for a change in gravity, not the absolute value. As others have said, it's done when the gravity is stable (and at least in the ball park of your expected FG).

Out of curiosity, how big was your starter and was it stirred, shaken etc? How long inbetween pitching yeast into the starter and then pitching into your main batch?

Thanks for the info, when I was asking about times I was more referring to after fermentation has finished, how long should the cleanup of yeast take which you said should be a couple of days. I about 250ml of light DME to about 500ml of water and sat on a stirplate for.. about 1.5 days. I've read a lot about all the different ways of preparing yeast and have no idea which is best so I thought I would just give it a whirl h34r: at the end of the stir I let it cool a bit, poured off the top of the wort so there was maybe 250ml left and pitched that into the wort.

Bit :icon_offtopic: but as this is my 2nd AG my estimated preboil gravity and post boil gravity were 1.037 + 1.049, but I hit 1.032 + 1.037.. I thought I would have gained some more gravity points from a 90 minute boil, what am I doing wrong? :angry:

 

[Yob]

I've had a continuous starter going the last few days, I had 2 brews but only one vial of yeast, put 1/3 into a starter then bunged the rest in brew 1, fast forward 24hrs, new starter got 250ml from the 2lt starter, 500ml into brew 1 and the remaining into brew 2, the starter on the plate now is for the yeast library do in theory,I'll get 5 tubes to freeze + the 2 brews it's in... Not bad from a single vial

 

[TidalPete]

I about 250ml of light DME to about 500ml of water and sat on a stirplate for.. about 1

And the light bulb goes on! You were referring to fermentation of your STARTER? Correct?

There is no need to add Safale (dry yeast) US-05 to a starter so just re-hydrate as per the instructions & all's good unless of course you are using the liquid yeast equivalent (Wyeast 1056) or perhaps the White Labs equivalent whatever it is?

Of course, if you're a tightarse like myself. you CAN farm the results from the original 1056 dry yeast pitching to get generation one in liquid yeast form but that's something I rarely do.

If using liquid yeast, add to stir plate in multiples of 100 & build up to your desired volume until krausen is noticed (Might not be noticeable at lower volumes but look for condensation forming, usually 24 hours whatever) then turn off stir plate & let sit until finished.

Crash chill for a few days so you can get rid of most of the (fermented) wort before adding to fermenter.

Too easy!

There will be quite a few differences of opinion here I'm sure.

PS ---- Just saw your contribution after posting Yob.

 

[wynnum1]

What about using Weetbix as a nutrient in a starter and some phosporic acid for PH maybe small amount of star san and Epson salts for magnesium and some dextrose .

 

[QldKev]

What about using Weetbix as a nutrient in a starter and some phosporic acid for PH maybe small amount of star san and Epson salts for magnesium and some dextrose .

Without knowing what you are brewing or the starting water chemistry, I would not be able to tell you.

 

[TidalPete]

Not bad from a single vial

Vial size as in a White Labs vial Yob? Just curious?
I was going by 10ml or so from a split Wyeast pack or farmed yeast.

PS --- Nor me?

 

[Yob]

What about using Weetbix as a nutrient in a starter and some phosporic acid for PH maybe small amount of star san and Epson salts for magnesium and some dextrose .

:blink: why not a dab of yeast nutrient? You seem to be making thing overly complicated.. No dextrose should ever go near a starter...

Vial size as in a White Labs vial Yob? Just curious?
I was going by 10ml or so from a split Wyeast pack or farmed yeast.

PS --- Nor me?

Yep the one mentioned above was/is a WLP099

 

[Wilkensone]

I've had a continuous starter going the last few days, I had 2 brews but only one vial of yeast, put 1/3 into a starter then bunged the rest in brew 1, fast forward 24hrs, new starter got 250ml from the 2lt starter, 500ml into brew 1 and the remaining into brew 2, the starter on the plate now is for the yeast library do in theory,I'll get 5 tubes to freeze + the 2 brews it's in... Not bad from a single vial

Hey Yob, just because I'm a bit slow apparently..
You put 2/3 into your brew 1 wort,
1/3 into a 2l starter
which you split 250ml from to make another starter
added 500ml to the brew which already had 2/3
then 1250ml into brew 2?
while still having a 250ml starter on the plate?