mosto
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 10/1/12
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Hi all,
Just after a bit of advice re my yeast starter. I've got a 6 month old Wyeast 2001 smack pack. I smacked it last Friday, and it took a couple of days to swell. On Sunday I boiled up 100g of LDME in 1L of water (I read that this should give a SG of 1040). When it cooled to room temp, I poured it into a clean, sanitised 2L juice bottle along with the 2001. I don't have a stir plate so just sat it on the fridge and gave it a shake when I went passed. I just sat the cap on just loose enough to let CO2 escape, tightening it properly to shake. By Monday night it was letting an almighty hiss out when loosening the cap after shaking. The only thing is it didn't really froth up much on it's own like my only other starter, which was re-cultured Coopers yeast. I'm assuming maybe because this is a lager strain?
Anyway, it's not letting a hiss out at all now and the frothing is dying off after I shake much more quickly than a day or so ago. I was a little worried that it hadn't worked so I took a gravity reading and it was 1016, so the yeast has obviously been active. My plan now is to boil up another litre of wort and step it up to 2L and pitch on the weekend.
So is the lack of visible activity, compared to the Coopers, mainly due to it being a lager strain? Sorry if this seems a bit obvious, but it's only my second starter and I'm still working out what I need to look for.
Also, I've plugged the figures into a couple of calculators, and it seems, even with the starter, I may be under-pitching a bit, but haven't really got the equipment to step it up over 2L. I'm thinking I should have gone maybe 500ml->1L->2L. Does this seem reasonable? Any other advice appreciated.
Cheers,
Just after a bit of advice re my yeast starter. I've got a 6 month old Wyeast 2001 smack pack. I smacked it last Friday, and it took a couple of days to swell. On Sunday I boiled up 100g of LDME in 1L of water (I read that this should give a SG of 1040). When it cooled to room temp, I poured it into a clean, sanitised 2L juice bottle along with the 2001. I don't have a stir plate so just sat it on the fridge and gave it a shake when I went passed. I just sat the cap on just loose enough to let CO2 escape, tightening it properly to shake. By Monday night it was letting an almighty hiss out when loosening the cap after shaking. The only thing is it didn't really froth up much on it's own like my only other starter, which was re-cultured Coopers yeast. I'm assuming maybe because this is a lager strain?
Anyway, it's not letting a hiss out at all now and the frothing is dying off after I shake much more quickly than a day or so ago. I was a little worried that it hadn't worked so I took a gravity reading and it was 1016, so the yeast has obviously been active. My plan now is to boil up another litre of wort and step it up to 2L and pitch on the weekend.
So is the lack of visible activity, compared to the Coopers, mainly due to it being a lager strain? Sorry if this seems a bit obvious, but it's only my second starter and I'm still working out what I need to look for.
Also, I've plugged the figures into a couple of calculators, and it seems, even with the starter, I may be under-pitching a bit, but haven't really got the equipment to step it up over 2L. I'm thinking I should have gone maybe 500ml->1L->2L. Does this seem reasonable? Any other advice appreciated.
Cheers,