Making Starter Wort From Kit 'goo'

[notung]

I have been boiling up a can of 'home brand' draught goo to use as yeast starter wort. As a general rule I have been using 1 part goo to 10 parts water, but now when I think about it I'm not sure where I got this from! I would appreciate feedback on quantities for making a nice starter wort (IE/ not exceeding SG1.042 as they say). I'm also hoping that the 'hops' in the kit shouldn't pose my yeasties a problem? Cheers.

 

[boingk]

Sounds fine to me. Should come out at around 1.030-1.035SG, which is pretty much on the money. As long as you keep the tin sealed and sanitary after opening (or use straight away in the brew?) I don't see any problems.

- boingk

 

[BoilerBoy]

I have been boiling up a can of 'home brand' draught goo to use as yeast starter wort. As a general rule I have been using 1 part goo to 10 parts water, but now when I think about it I'm not sure where I got this from! I would appreciate feedback on quantities for making a nice starter wort (IE/ not exceeding SG1.042 as they say). I'm also hoping that the 'hops' in the kit shouldn't pose my yeasties a problem? Cheers.

I have been doing this for a couple of years now, but I still use my hydrometer to aim for around 1.035 - 1.040 OG and can't recall exact ratios.

The important thing is to let as little of this extract as possible in your resultant brew.

Refridgerate a minimum of 24 hours or at least overnight prior to brew day, the yeast will settle out and after doughing in take it out and pour off as much as possible.

Let it warm up while your brew progresses and then after chilling your new wort add a litre.

High activity usually occurs in 4-6 hrs then pitch.

Cheers.
BB

 

[white.grant]

You may be interested in the brewstrong podcast in which they discuss making starters. You can find it here . They mention the impact of hops on yeast specifically at one point, I just can't remember what it was.

cheers

grant

 

[Bribie G]

Presumably as you are using just a bit of the goop at a time, how are you storing the rest of the stuff between brews? I was toying with the idea of doing something similar but it sounds a bit messy to me and I've decided to go the light dried malt extract instead.

On the question of the goop itself, one part goo and ten parts of water gives about the same concentration as the typical wort from a kit n kilo, or maybe a wee tad stronger, so seems about right. Hop extract in the goo shouldn't worry the yeast. I don't think that a more highly concentrated wort is going to kick the yeast along any quicker than a normal strength one, in fact pitching yeast into a concentrated sugary solution might cause more cell rupture as the yeast rehydrates? As long as the yeast has something to feed on it will breed up.

 

[Fourstar]

I'm also hoping that the 'hops' in the kit shouldn't pose my yeasties a problem? Cheers.

the only 'issue' with using a hopped starter is if its not identical to the base beer you are likly to either throw out the IBU count or damage the hop profile with some kit twang if you dump the whole thing into you're fermenter. Especially if its something like a 2L lager starter in a 20L batch.

My preference would be to buy a kg bag of DME, and work with the ratio of 1:10 or 100g of DME to 1L of water boil, seperate into pet bottles and freeze. when it comes to making you're starter simply defrost, aerate and pitch.

Personally, i just make up my starter on the day, chill in the sink with a 3L frozen juice bottle, aerate and pitch as per normal.

Just my 2 cents.

Edit:Splenig

 

[notung]

Presumably as you are using just a bit of the goop at a time, how are you storing the rest of the stuff between brews? I was toying with the idea of doing something similar but it sounds a bit messy to me and I've decided to go the light dried malt extract instead.

Thanks for the help everyone. About the goo, I refridgerate it still in the can, with one of those plastic airtight can covers over the top. I'm pretty happy with the way it has been keeping. The can is 'lined' so as not to become rusty too easily (like the dog food tins).

 

[notung]

You may be interested in the brewstrong podcast in which they discuss making starters. You can find it here.

Thanks, I will check this out. In the meantime I have boiled and begun cooling 1.5L of wort for a Wyeast 1728 Scottish Ale starter.

 

[muckanic]

Far from being a problem, any starter should be hopped to deter bacteria. Extract can be low in nitrogen, so some nutrient might not go astray.