[Phil_M]

With NB selling out to the evil 800-lb gorilla in the room, my source of premade wort for starters has disappeared. Does anyone know of any alternatives? I could can my own starters, sure, but I'm willing to pay a little for convenience. I do also plan to start repitching slurry, as I've finally nailed down some favorite strains, but I need a stopgap in the meantime.

I've heard of folks using Goya Malta for starters. Malta is really dark though, not sure how it would work with the SNS starter method.

[Stevie]

Get a pressure cooker and make your own?

[Phil_M]

Get a pressure cooker and make your own?

I've got a pressure cooker, and have done this in the past. Time is something I don't have a lot of these days though, so I'm ok with paying a bit more for convenience. If all else fails though, yes, that's the plan.

[Stevie]

I've not seen other sources. Looks like you've got two options.

[Bob357]

Why would you sacrifice your convenience because of a change in ownership? While there is always the  possibility that AB Inbev may do something to piss off the home brewing community, there is no reason to assume that.

Why do so many assume that they are buying up successful businesses in order to undermine the craft brewing and home brewing communities? Could it be that they are simply investing in their future? I'm sure that their powers that be are aware that we won't generate any profits for them if they attempt to screw us.

Personally, the only experience I've had with companies they have bought out was with 10 Barrel Brewing in Bend, OR. The only change I've seen since AB bought them out is they no longer have a full bar. Don't know about you, but I generally don't go to a brewery to drink hard liquor.

While I have never been a fan of AB products, I will still go to 10 Barrel when in Bend because I like their food, beer and the atmosphere. I just don't like to cut off my nose to spite my face.

[Stevie]

Gospel of Bob. I'm with you buddy.

[tommymorris]

I collect 1-1.5L of wort from the current batch and make a shaken not stirred starter. I then pitch that starter (every last drop) into the remainder of the batch the next morning.  I am very happy with the results on ales and lagers.

No need for canned starter wort.

[Phil_M]

If AB changes their stance on homebrewing, I won't have any issues buying from them. Meanwhile, I'd honestly just rather support small businesses as best I can. I certainly won't rag on anyone for buying from NB, but I've made a personal decision not to.

[The Beerery]

I collect 1-1.5L of wort from the current batch and make a shaken not stirred starter. I then pitch that starter (every last drop) into the remainder of the batch the next morning.  I am very happy with the results on ales and lagers.

No need for canned starter wort.

Just as a side note, as I used to do the same. Those employing low oxygen methods, this will not work. You will notice flavor reduction due to oxidation from letting the wort sit for extended periods.

[Stevie]

If AB changes their stance on homebrewing, I won't have any issues buying from them. Meanwhile, I'd honestly just rather support small businesses as best I can. I certainly won't rag on anyone for buying from NB, but I've made a personal decision not to.

What is their stance on homebrewing? I've seen them lobby against laws that benefit small breweries, but never seen anything against homebrewers.

[riceral]

I collect 1-1.5L of wort from the current batch and make a shaken not stirred starter. I then pitch that starter (every last drop) into the remainder of the batch the next morning.  I am very happy with the results on ales and lagers.

No need for canned starter wort.

I do the same thing. No longer make a starter from DME.

Works well for me too.

[natebrews]

Lately, I have been taking some of the wort while I'm running it off and putting it in my erlenmeyer flask, about 1L of it.  I then boil that quickly on the stove for 10 minutes or so and chill it and pitch the yeast in there.  This happens while the wort is collecting in the kettle, so then it sits and the yeast get active and happy while the rest of my brew day happens.  Generally, once everything is done and the wort is ready to be pitched into, the stuff is up and going. 

This is really just to get things awake active before pitching, I doubt I'm getting a ton of growth during that 4 or 5 hours.

Sometimes I'll do that same thing but I'll freeze the wort that I run off and then I can use that later for starters.  Or I just use some DME.

[Philbrew]

This is really just to get things awake active before pitching, I doubt I'm getting a ton of growth during that 4 or 5 hours.

I remember Mark (S. cerv) posting that, at around 77*F, yeast doubles every 90 minutes.  In 4-1/2 hours yeast should increase by a factor of 8.  If you are pitching an activated smack pack into the starter, the yeast is already awake.  Don't know the wake-up time for dry yeast or slurry but I'll bet it's not more than 2 hours.

[klickitat jim]

This is really just to get things awake active before pitching, I doubt I'm getting a ton of growth during that 4 or 5 hours.

I remember Mark (S. cerv) posting that, at around 77*F, yeast doubles every 90 minutes.  In 4-1/2 hours yeast should increase by a factor of 8.  If you are pitching an activated smack pack into the starter, the yeast is already awake.  Don't know the wake-up time for dry yeast or slurry but I'll bet it's not more than 2 hours.

This lead me to my current methodology that all I really care about is pitching yeast that are in that exponential phase, rather than worrying about cell count. It has not failed me yet.

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[brewinhard]

I collect 1-1.5L of wort from the current batch and make a shaken not stirred starter. I then pitch that starter (every last drop) into the remainder of the batch the next morning.  I am very happy with the results on ales and lagers.

No need for canned starter wort.

Just as a side note, as I used to do the same. Those employing low oxygen methods, this will not work. You will notice flavor reduction due to oxidation from letting the wort sit for extended periods.

So, for that first initial pitch made with a starter from a fresh pack(s), are you just crashing then decanting the majority of spent wort on top?