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Author Topic: Cold Crashing Your Yeast Starter  (Read 10560 times)

Offline hopaddicted

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Cold Crashing Your Yeast Starter
« on: July 28, 2010, 12:57:37 pm »
I've seen several mentions of cold crashing your yeast starter to pitch just the yeast and dump the beer. My question is how long does it normally take, as a rule of thumb, to cold crash an ale yeast. I understand that some yeasts probably vary and I am also assuming that lager yeasts will take longer as well (though no clue how much longer). I am just looking for a ballpark estimate for planning purposes.
Primary: Lambic
Secondary: Oktoberfest, German Pilsner, Double IPA,
In Bottles: Lucknow IPA clone, Rough Rider Brown Ale clone,
John Harvard Imperial Stout clone, Hoppy Amber, Witch's Brew (Habanero and Smoked Corn Small Ale), Porter, Dunkleweizen, Dry Stout, Irish Red Ale, American Maple Wheat Ale, Black Wit, Belgian style Wit, Belgian Golden Strong Ale
Kegged: IPA, Saison, Hoppy Brown Ale

Offline bluesman

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Re: Cold Crashing Your Yeast Starter
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2010, 01:01:01 pm »
I typically cold crash my starters overnight in the refrigerator @ 38F.  I would say 24 hrs is a good rule of thumb.
Ron Price

Offline Hokerer

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Re: Cold Crashing Your Yeast Starter
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2010, 01:18:00 pm »
I typically cold crash my starters overnight in the refrigerator @ 38F.  I would say 24 hrs is a good rule of thumb.

+1 overnight usually does the trick
Joe

Offline hopaddicted

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Re: Cold Crashing Your Yeast Starter
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2010, 01:22:12 pm »
That was the initial planning factor I used, I made a starter for US-05 Safale and it barely crashed at all. Not sure of the exact temp of my regular fridge, but must be close. I'll have to keep experimenting I guess. It may have been a little early to try and crash it maybe?!?...
Primary: Lambic
Secondary: Oktoberfest, German Pilsner, Double IPA,
In Bottles: Lucknow IPA clone, Rough Rider Brown Ale clone,
John Harvard Imperial Stout clone, Hoppy Amber, Witch's Brew (Habanero and Smoked Corn Small Ale), Porter, Dunkleweizen, Dry Stout, Irish Red Ale, American Maple Wheat Ale, Black Wit, Belgian style Wit, Belgian Golden Strong Ale
Kegged: IPA, Saison, Hoppy Brown Ale

Offline blatz

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Re: Cold Crashing Your Yeast Starter
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2010, 01:23:01 pm »
I typically cold crash my starters overnight in the refrigerator @ 38F.  I would say 24 hrs is a good rule of thumb.

overnight usually, but sometimes its still hazy so if time permits, I try to let it sit 48 hours to really clear up, but I probably only get 24 3 of every 3 times.
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Offline blatz

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Re: Cold Crashing Your Yeast Starter
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2010, 01:23:21 pm »
That was the initial planning factor I used, I made a starter for US-05 Safale and it barely crashed at all. Not sure of the exact temp of my regular fridge, but must be close. I'll have to keep experimenting I guess. It may have been a little early to try and crash it maybe?!?...

why are you making a starter with dry yeast?
The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

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Offline hopaddicted

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Re: Cold Crashing Your Yeast Starter
« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2010, 01:52:00 pm »
That was the initial planning factor I used, I made a starter for US-05 Safale and it barely crashed at all. Not sure of the exact temp of my regular fridge, but must be close. I'll have to keep experimenting I guess. It may have been a little early to try and crash it maybe?!?...

why are you making a starter with dry yeast?

I actually made the starter for a bad batch of Wyeast (second in a row actually), so I figured I'd might as well us it. I know you can just rehydrate or sprinkle right in, but can't hurt right? Think this is only the second time I've used a dry yeast, first time as the primary yeast (previous time was a second yeast pitch).
Primary: Lambic
Secondary: Oktoberfest, German Pilsner, Double IPA,
In Bottles: Lucknow IPA clone, Rough Rider Brown Ale clone,
John Harvard Imperial Stout clone, Hoppy Amber, Witch's Brew (Habanero and Smoked Corn Small Ale), Porter, Dunkleweizen, Dry Stout, Irish Red Ale, American Maple Wheat Ale, Black Wit, Belgian style Wit, Belgian Golden Strong Ale
Kegged: IPA, Saison, Hoppy Brown Ale

Offline denny

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Re: Cold Crashing Your Yeast Starter
« Reply #7 on: July 29, 2010, 09:39:31 am »
I actually made the starter for a bad batch of Wyeast (second in a row actually), so I figured I'd might as well us it. I know you can just rehydrate or sprinkle right in, but can't hurt right?

Actually, it could hurt.  Dry yeast is manufactured with nutrients "built in" to help it get off to a good start.  By making a starter, you use up those nutrients before the yeast gets into the wort.  Probably not a fatal mistake, but unnecessary and it could be detrimental. 
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Offline bluesman

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Re: Cold Crashing Your Yeast Starter
« Reply #8 on: July 29, 2010, 10:32:06 am »
I actually made the starter for a bad batch of Wyeast (second in a row actually), so I figured I'd might as well us it. I know you can just rehydrate or sprinkle right in, but can't hurt right?

Actually, it could hurt.  Dry yeast is manufactured with nutrients "built in" to help it get off to a good start.  By making a starter, you use up those nutrients before the yeast gets into the wort.  Probably not a fatal mistake, but unnecessary and it could be detrimental. 

+1

Some of the staying power required to go to battle with the wort is depleted while fermenting the starter wort and could adversely affect your beer or beer flavor.
Ron Price

Offline hopaddicted

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Re: Cold Crashing Your Yeast Starter
« Reply #9 on: July 29, 2010, 02:07:49 pm »
Good to know for next time. I did add some yeast nutrient to the boil, so hopefully that helps to make up any depletions. I'm in no rush to finish fermentation, so I'll let it roll and if I need to I'll repitch if it stalls on me. Thanks for the warnings.
Primary: Lambic
Secondary: Oktoberfest, German Pilsner, Double IPA,
In Bottles: Lucknow IPA clone, Rough Rider Brown Ale clone,
John Harvard Imperial Stout clone, Hoppy Amber, Witch's Brew (Habanero and Smoked Corn Small Ale), Porter, Dunkleweizen, Dry Stout, Irish Red Ale, American Maple Wheat Ale, Black Wit, Belgian style Wit, Belgian Golden Strong Ale
Kegged: IPA, Saison, Hoppy Brown Ale