[dzlater]

I know a little better planning and forethought should have went into this but...
For xmas I was given an erlenmeyer flask for doing starters.
I had to play with it even though I wasn't planning to brew anytime soon.
So I took a bit of yeast I had in a jar from another batch and made about 800ml starter
let it ferment out and stuck it in the fridge. In the mean time I built me a stirplate, so of course I had to test it out, so I decanted the wort out of the flask poured in 1000ml of wort and stuck it on the stirplate last night.
I probably won't brew till one day next week, so I am wondering what is my best course of action?
I figured to leave it on the stir plate another day and then stick it in the fridge. Sound good?

[Hokerer]

I know a little better planning and forethought should have went into this but...
For xmas I was given an erlenmeyer flask for doing starters.
I had to play with it even though I wasn't planning to brew anytime soon.
So I took a bit of yeast I had in a jar from another batch and made about 800ml starter
let it ferment out and stuck it in the fridge. In the mean time I built me a stirplate, so of course I had to test it out, so I decanted the wort out of the flask poured in 1000ml of wort and stuck it on the stirplate last night.
I probably won't brew till one day next week, so I am wondering what is my best course of action?
I figured to leave it on the stir plate another day and then stick it in the fridge. Sound good?

24 hours usually seems to be enough for 1 liter although, since you are using yeast from the fridge, you might want to give it some extra time to "wake up".  If you're not brewing til next week, I'd just let it keep going and then stick it in the fridge 24-48 hours before you're going to need it.

[tomsawyer]

I'd let it go until it uses up most of the sugar in the wort, that may take a few days.  You'll know by the krausen.  Then refrigerate until use.  You can decant and use it, or if you really want a fast start you can decant theday before and add some more wort, then pitch the entire thing as its actively going the next day.  Not sure it matters but its something I've been doing lately.

[Thirsty_Monk]

I also fully ferment on the stirplate till the yeast drops out.
Then fridge, decant and pitch.

[richardt]

If you're looking for more concrete answers...

I'd say 3 days for a 1.040 starter wort gravity to ferment out completely,
then minimum of 48 hours at 33F to chill and drop out the yeast before decanting and pitching.

It puzzles me why people say "a day or two" for yeast starters before brew day.  That doesn't jive with my experience.

Me thinks they don't chill and decant (what I actually do most of the time) OR they don't really have much experience doing such.

Purely my opinion.  Take it for what it is worth.

[dzlater]

Thanks for all the responses.
I let it go for 3 days and stuck it in the fridge.
A couple days later I got bored again and decided to see
if my stir plate would work with a gallon growler. (it does)
So I stepped the starter up to 2 liters.
I am thinking of letting it ferment out, chilling, and then transffering it to some mason jars
so I can measure it when I pitch, and save the extra.
Afraid I might be pushing my luck with this and am a little concerned about having it get contaminated from messing with it so much.

[tomsawyer]

If you're looking for more concrete answers...

I'd say 3 days for a 1.040 starter wort gravity to ferment out completely,
then minimum of 48 hours at 33F to chill and drop out the yeast before decanting and pitching.

It puzzles me why people say "a day or two" for yeast starters before brew day.  That doesn't jive with my experience.

Me thinks they don't chill and decant (what I actually do most of the time) OR they don't really have much experience doing such.

Purely my opinion.  Take it for what it is worth.

hen you consider that most of the cell growth occurs early in the cycle, I think its not a big deal if you don't let the yeast ferment out all the sugar in the starter.  Does seem like a lot of people pitch the whole starter, without decanting.  and pitching a starter at full krausen also seems to have a bit of an advantage although all the regular methods seem to work fine.  So I don't think the advice is indicative of someone not knowing what they're doing, they're just doing it a bit differently.

DZ while every time you open a fermentor/starter to the open air does increase the chance of contamination, its not a high likelihood event to begin with.  So I think you'll be fine with stepping up as you are doing.  Try and do your transfers quickly and in an area without a lot of drafts, this will minimize the amount of dust floating around in the air.

[dzlater]

If you're looking for more concrete answers...

I'd say 3 days for a 1.040 starter wort gravity to ferment out completely,
then minimum of 48 hours at 33F to chill and drop out the yeast before decanting and pitching.

It puzzles me why people say "a day or two" for yeast starters before brew day.  That doesn't jive with my experience.

Me thinks they don't chill and decant (what I actually do most of the time) OR they don't really have much experience doing such.

Purely my opinion.  Take it for what it is worth.

hen you consider that most of the cell growth occurs early in the cycle, I think its not a big deal if you don't let the yeast ferment out all the sugar in the starter.  Does seem like a lot of people pitch the whole starter, without decanting.  and pitching a starter at full krausen also seems to have a bit of an advantage although all the regular methods seem to work fine.  So I don't think the advice is indicative of someone not knowing what they're doing, they're just doing it a bit differently.

DZ while every time you open a fermentor/starter to the open air does increase the chance of contamination, its not a high likelihood event to begin with.  So I think you'll be fine with stepping up as you are doing.  Try and do your transfers quickly and in an area without a lot of drafts, this will minimize the amount of dust floating around in the air.

The one time I made a starter the morning of the day I brewed, it was the fastest fermentation has ever started for me. The yeast was going to town about an hour after pitching.
 And as far as my contamination worries you can all get ready for my "would you use this yeast" post complete with pictures.