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Author Topic: Late Oktoberfest...steam as a starter?  (Read 6913 times)

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Late Oktoberfest...steam as a starter?
« Reply #15 on: August 08, 2012, 01:06:17 am »
So the proprietor of my lhbs who is very knowledgeable on yeast says ...

To each his own and all that, but this guy sounds like he knows *nothing* about yeast.
I don't know, maybe he sells yeast that whip out tiny knives when the culture gets too dense and they start hacking at each other  . . . "our yeast has more than just bud scars" :)
Tom Schmidlin

Offline mpietropaoli

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Late Oktoberfest...steam as a starter?
« Reply #16 on: August 08, 2012, 07:15:52 am »
There is a state yeast reach where they crowd each other out, I may have exaggerated that they kill each other.   In any event, making a decent sized starter that will chew through the steam somewhat quickly, then racking off it, harvesting 1/2-3/4 of a cup of sediment, cooling to ~40 degrees, then pitching in the cooled o fest seems like my best bet. 

Thanks for the suggestions, and watch out for hostile yeast!
Bubblin': helles
Flowin': IIPA, Doppelbock, Flanders
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Thinkin': wit, more helles

Offline bwana

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Re: Late Oktoberfest...steam as a starter?
« Reply #17 on: August 08, 2012, 07:27:08 am »
I did a California Common and fermented with WLP830 at 62 degrees and was suprised at how clean the beer was. I split a ten gallon batch 1/2 with the 830 and 1/2 with 810. The 830 was cleaner but lacked the hop presence of the 810.

Offline denny

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Re: Late Oktoberfest...steam as a starter?
« Reply #18 on: August 08, 2012, 10:25:48 am »
There is a state yeast reach where they crowd each other out

Could you explain a bit more, please?  I can't recall ever hearing that before.

Dr. Tom, what say you?
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Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Late Oktoberfest...steam as a starter?
« Reply #19 on: August 08, 2012, 12:40:57 pm »
There is a state yeast reach where they crowd each other out

Could you explain a bit more, please?  I can't recall ever hearing that before.

Dr. Tom, what say you?

This may take Tom's insight - certainly the yeast reach a point where there are no simple sugars to metabolize, so they go dormant, but if so much yeast is pitched such that little reproduction occurs, I guess you could call that "crowding out".
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Offline mpietropaoli

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Late Oktoberfest...steam as a starter?
« Reply #20 on: August 08, 2012, 12:43:45 pm »
There's a name for the state they reach if there are too many cells. Real scientifical-sounding.  Can check Chris whites book when I get home.
Bubblin': helles
Flowin': IIPA, Doppelbock, Flanders
Sittin': More Flanders, Braison,
Thinkin': wit, more helles

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Late Oktoberfest...steam as a starter?
« Reply #21 on: August 09, 2012, 12:42:33 am »
Yes, if there is a lot of yeast they will consume all of the sugars and nutrients and there will be little to no growth.

There is quorum sensing in yeast and it can trigger apoptosis.  I don't think it is relevant for our conditions though.

You are probably talking about autolysis, but that has more to do with the environmental conditions and the time the yeast are there than the number of cells present.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline mpietropaoli

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Late Oktoberfest...steam as a starter?
« Reply #22 on: August 09, 2012, 07:09:56 am »
Apoptosis!  That's what he was talking about....
Bubblin': helles
Flowin': IIPA, Doppelbock, Flanders
Sittin': More Flanders, Braison,
Thinkin': wit, more helles

Offline denny

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Re: Late Oktoberfest...steam as a starter?
« Reply #23 on: August 09, 2012, 09:51:04 am »
Thanks, guys.  So now we have a name for it and it sounds like it's not an issue.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Late Oktoberfest...steam as a starter?
« Reply #24 on: August 09, 2012, 10:29:12 am »
That's programmed cell death. the same process that, when not working properly, contributes to cancer.
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