First Marzen, looking for yeast feedback

[Kiwifirst]

Drama over. I shook it a few times. Shook it some more, then some more, wrapped it in a towel and went or bed. Activity this morning

 

[Kiwifirst]

1. If a pack of yeast containing sufficient cells to innoculate a 20L batch is pitched to 2L of wort.......... do you think it is going to multiply?????????

2. If a pack of yeast containing sufficient cells to innoculate a 20L batch is pitched to 2L of wort.......... how long do you think it will take to ferment out??????????????

Take a gravity reading and have a think!

Screwy

I have a 4l starter prepared.

So not being that experienced at making starters I'll answer your questions and perhaps you can tell me the fault in my thinking.

1. Is a smack pack going to multiply when tossed in a starter? Yes, I always assumed it would by consuming what ever extract I had in my starter.

2. How long? Maybe 2 days? Given that it would need some time to get going.


SG: 1.051 when I emailed this asking for help.

Was the multiple use of question marks supposed to make me feel stupid?

 

[going down a hill]

Drama over. I shook it a few times. Shook it some more, then some more, wrapped it in a towel and went or bed. Activity this morning

Just make sure you taste and smell the starter before pitching the yeast. If it doesn't have a sweet malt flavour in there, or it is sour, ditch it. If it is good it still wont taste like beer because there's no hops in it. Just sweet and estery. Check out Mr Malty for yeast calculations / correct pitching rates.

Btw has anyone else noticed Yeast calc seems to have fallen off the internet. Breaks my heart to see such a good calculator slip away.

 

[Screwtop]

I have a 4l starter prepared.

So not being that experienced at making starters I'll answer your questions and perhaps you can tell me the fault in my thinking.

1. Is a smack pack going to multiply when tossed in a starter? Yes, I always assumed it would by consuming what ever extract I had in my starter.

2. How long? Maybe 2 days? Given that it would need some time to get going.


SG: 1.051 when I emailed this asking for help.

Was the multiple use of question marks supposed to make me feel stupid?

No, multiple use of quotations is me being a cranky old prick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I also use multiple exclamation marks.

Hmmmm...... 1.051 is up there for a starter. Is it from your Marzen?

Read up as much as you can re yeast, fermentation is the most important aspect of brewing. Very basically - yeast cells bud/multiply depending upon how much work there is to be done. Not much to be done when pitching a full smack pack to 4L so not much growth will occur.

Are you trying to grow yeast or make a starter? A starter is a small active fermentation it should be pitched when 'active'.

Some let the wort ferment out, tip off the beer and pitch 'yeast slurry' this is not pitching 'a starter'

Pitching a small cell count to say 4L of wort will result in multiplication, after the wort has fermented out tip off the beer and you will have more yeast cells than you started with as 'yeast slurry'

 

[Kiwifirst]

Thanks Mike, I am going yo pitch the whole starter in there and not run off. My 90 minute boil left me a bit short on volume so adding 4l brings me back up to where I want it to be.

In fact this has been a real tough brew. Out of my APA comfort zone, I have struggled and made some cock ups with this. I tried a rest step at 55c and didn't calculate or realise just how much I'd need in raising the temp to 66 for the second step. So I needed up with nearly all my sparse in the esky, then pulling it and reheating it to try to get the initial up to 66c.

Then I forgot to pre chill water to try out my new fish pump, I had ice, but a couple of blocks that helped lower from 30 to 20, but by then the kids wanted a trip to the park and I'd been at it for hours, all a learning curve I suppose

I have no idea what this Oktoberfest will come out line, but it had plenty of rests between 55 and 66.

 

[Screwtop]

Thanks Mike, I am going yo pitch the whole starter in there and not run off. My 90 minute boil left me a bit short on volume so adding 4l brings me back up to where I want it to be.

In fact this has been a real tough brew. Out of my APA comfort zone, I have struggled and made some cock ups with this. I tried a rest step at 55c and didn't calculate or realise just how much I'd need in raising the temp to 66 for the second step. So I needed up with nearly all my sparse in the esky, then pulling it and reheating it to try to get the initial up to 66c.

Then I forgot to pre chill water to try out my new fish pump, I had ice, but a couple of blocks that helped lower from 30 to 20, but by then the kids wanted a trip to the park and I'd been at it for hours, all a learning curve I suppose

I have no idea what this Oktoberfest will come out line, but it had plenty of rests between 55 and 66.

Don't stress sometimes those brews are the greatest. Then try to replicate

Screwy

 

[Kiwifirst]

I bet I love it and then I'll have no idea how I made it. Still waiting patiently for the thing to chill enough to pitch. It is at 18 and the starter is at about 12. So I might wait till 16 and then let it start whilst cooling slowly to 12 to brew.