Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Regarding yeast starters...  (Read 3815 times)

Offline Pinski

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1943
  • Portland, Oregon
Regarding yeast starters...
« on: May 31, 2011, 09:01:31 pm »
Just wondering about folk's preference. When you prepare a starter do you pitch the entire volume to your wort or do you pour off the starter beer and just pitch the slurry? I've been pitching the whole thing worried that if I dump the beer much of the slurry will end up stuck to the side of the flask instead of in the wort.  I appreciate your points/counterpoints as always.
Steve Carper
Green Dragon Brewers
Clubs: Oregon Brew Crew & Strange Brew
BJCP Certified

Offline Will's Swill

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 359
  • Secretly likes wine...
Re: Regarding yeast starters...
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2011, 11:43:27 pm »
I think you'll find that the standard advice is to pour off most of the starter fluid, but retain enough to swirl the slurry loose and pour that into your wort.  But I go ahead and dump the whole thing since I typically make the starter with a small mash of the same base malt in my brew.  But I'm sure I'm gonna read why that's a bad idea now.   ;)
Is that a counter-pressure bottle filler in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

Offline tygo

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2622
  • Sterling, VA
Re: Regarding yeast starters...
« Reply #2 on: June 01, 2011, 04:44:31 am »
I usually chill and decant, especially if it's more than a 1L starter.  That starter beer was not fermented under ideal conditions and usually doesn't taste very good so I'd rather keep a large amount of it out of my batch. 
Clint
Wort Hogs

Offline gogreen437

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 45
Re: Regarding yeast starters...
« Reply #3 on: June 01, 2011, 08:46:10 am »
I usually like to pitch at high krauesen, so I pitch the whole thing.  But, I usually make 1 liter starters. 

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27070
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Regarding yeast starters...
« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2011, 09:29:50 am »
2-3 qt. starters, always crashed and decanted.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline Hokerer

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2654
  • Manassas, VA
Re: Regarding yeast starters...
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2011, 09:32:00 am »
Chilled and decanted here, too.  Don't want that nasty oxidized spent wort in my beer.
Joe

Offline thomasbarnes

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 415
Re: Regarding yeast starters...
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2011, 12:39:34 pm »
What about decanting off all the starter wort and rinsing out the slurry using sterilized water just before pitching?

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27070
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Regarding yeast starters...
« Reply #7 on: June 01, 2011, 12:59:06 pm »
What about decanting off all the starter wort and rinsing out the slurry using sterilized water just before pitching?

I don't see anything wrong with that.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline Hokerer

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2654
  • Manassas, VA
Re: Regarding yeast starters...
« Reply #8 on: June 01, 2011, 01:12:44 pm »
What about decanting off all the starter wort and rinsing out the slurry using sterilized water just before pitching?

If you're going to do that, seems like you might as well use some of your just made wort instead of water.  Like the hydrometer sample, for instance.
Joe

Offline Pinski

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1943
  • Portland, Oregon
Re: Regarding yeast starters...
« Reply #9 on: June 01, 2011, 01:29:30 pm »
What about decanting off all the starter wort and rinsing out the slurry using sterilized water just before pitching?

If you're going to do that, seems like you might as well use some of your just made wort instead of water.  Like the hydrometer sample, for instance.

Hmm... I don't know if it would be the best practice, perhaps just a bit risky, but I like this idea.
Steve Carper
Green Dragon Brewers
Clubs: Oregon Brew Crew & Strange Brew
BJCP Certified

Offline Hokerer

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2654
  • Manassas, VA
Re: Regarding yeast starters...
« Reply #10 on: June 01, 2011, 01:38:20 pm »
Hmm... I don't know if it would be the best practice, perhaps just a bit risky, but I like this idea.

Hasn't been risky for me.  I've been re-using hydrometer samples for various purposes for forty-some batches now with nary a single problem.
Joe

Offline morticaixavier

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7781
  • Underhill VT
    • The Best Artist in the WORLD!!!!!
Re: Regarding yeast starters...
« Reply #11 on: June 01, 2011, 02:38:43 pm »
Hmm... I don't know if it would be the best practice, perhaps just a bit risky, but I like this idea.

Hasn't been risky for me.  I've been re-using hydrometer samples for various purposes for forty-some batches now with nary a single problem.

As long as you are sanitizing flask and hydro no worries. Personally I reuse my hydrometer sample only for one thing. tasting.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline mabrungard

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2901
  • Water matters!
    • Bru'n Water
Re: Regarding yeast starters...
« Reply #12 on: June 01, 2011, 03:25:24 pm »
I noticed the mention of pouring off the spent wort (its not really beer due to the amount of aeration I provide) from the sedimented yeast.  I find that pouring doesn't work well.  I siphon off the spent wort after the yeast has sedimented from a crash cooling.  I can't really get all the wort off the yeast, but I get a lot off.  To rouse the yeast, I add a slug of the freshly chilled wort from my batch into the starter flask and put it back on the stirrer.  That is a happy bunch of yeast when its added to the rest of the wort in an hour or so.
Martin B
Carmel, IN

BJCP National
Foam Blowers of Indiana (FBI)

Brewing Water Information at:
https://www.brunwater.com/

Like Bru'n Water on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/Brun-Water-464551136933908/?ref=bookmarks

Offline Hokerer

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2654
  • Manassas, VA
Re: Regarding yeast starters...
« Reply #13 on: June 01, 2011, 05:40:23 pm »
+1 @Martin

We were discussing this very thing in this other thread http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=7718.0

My last several batches have had pretty long lag times.  I don't know if it was my allowing the starter to warm for a few hours before pitching or the hydrometer sample full of fresh wort I added to the starter (and put on the stir plate) but, my most recent batch was pitched late Sunday night and come Monday morning I already had blowoff.  Yeast seemed much happier.
Joe

Offline Pinski

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1943
  • Portland, Oregon
Re: Regarding yeast starters...
« Reply #14 on: June 01, 2011, 07:01:51 pm »
I swear, everyday is like a workshop in this forum. I love it. Thanks for all the comments, keep 'em coming!
Steve Carper
Green Dragon Brewers
Clubs: Oregon Brew Crew & Strange Brew
BJCP Certified