Leaving it too late? Yeast starters...

[Ceejay]

First brewday on Saturday and I'm awaiting delivery of Whitelabs Irish Ale yeast, along with hops and irish moss.

Am I leaving it too late to make up a starter, assuming I receive the yeast tomorrow?

 

[Aleman]

First brewday on Saturday and I'm awaiting delivery of Whitelabs Irish Ale yeast, along with hops and irish moss.

Am I leaving it too late to make up a starter, assuming I receive the yeast tomorrow?

Honest Answer . . . . Yes

Although if you have a really active starter, and you do not mind pitching it completely . . . including the Starter wort into the main batch you can probably get away with it . . . . Especially as you are brewing a Dark Beer (Assumption made as its Irish Ale) . . . I wouldn't want to do it with a pale ale.

What I do with my starters is to allow them to work out completely (5 days or so), and then allow the yeast to settle out. . . . on brewday I decant off the spent wort, and top up with some cooled boiled wort taken from the boiler after about 45 minutes. By the time the wort has finished boiling is cooled and in the FV the yeasties have woken up and are raring to go

 

[Ceejay]

Cheers Aleman; it's an oatmeal stout I'm making. So, next question then - is it worth just pitching the vial of WLP004 straight in, no starter or would this be a waste? Should I use my backup of Safale 04 instead?

The WL website FAQ's say it's not essential to make a starter unless it's a high OG beer or you're using yeast that's past it's best.

 

[dennisking]

I would use the dry yeast now and use the vial to make a starter with the intention of splitting, but maybe I`m a tight arse.

 

[Ceejay]

Hehe! I hear ya! I want to try and make the best job i can of my first brew though - not too worried about the yeast cost

 

[Aleman]

Is it worth just pitching the vial of WLP004 straight in, no starter or would this be a waste? Should I use my backup of Safale 04 instead?

I'd make a starter if it arrives tomorrow . . . .

The WL website FAQ's say it's not essential to make a starter unless it's a high OG beer or you're using yeast that's past it's best.

Think about this for a moment. This yeast has been bottled . . . shipped to an airport . . . put in a plane. . . . flown to the UK . . . Sat in UK customs . . Transported to the Retailer . . . sat with the retailer . . . transported to you . . .Do you really think that you are going to have a fresh yeast at its best :hmm: :hmm:

Having said that I've pitched vials without making a starter and while take off was not particularly quick it did produce beer . . . plus as its an oatmeal stout you are making . . . that'll hide a lot of things as well

 

[Ceejay]

Right-o; as always I'm really grateful for the advice :thumb:

 

[Redbloke]

What I do with my starters is to allow them to work out completely (5 days or so), and then allow the yeast to settle out. . . . on brewday I decant off the spent wort, and top up with some cooled boiled wort taken from the boiler after about 45 minutes. By the time the wort has finished boiling is cooled and in the FV the yeasties have woken up and are raring to go

... excellent tip Aleman, never seen this before. I'm never sure how far in advance to make a starter, I've always thought it should be active.

 

[gurtpint]

Is 5 days enough also when you step up from 1L to 2L starter?

 

[Aleman]

Is 5 days enough also when you step up from 1L to 2L starter?

There is no point in going from 1L to 2L. . . Best practice says step up by 10 times the volume so 1L to 10L.

When Working from slants I take a colony and inoculate 2ml of wort, when that is showing signs of active fermentation, (usually 18-24 hours) I pitch that into 20ml of wort. When the 20ml is showing signs of active fermentation, (usually another 18-24 hours), I pitch that into 200ml . . . When the 200ml is showing signs of active fermentation, (usually another 36-48 hours). That gets pitched into 2L of wort . . . .Which ,for ales, I let work right out, decant off the spent wort and pitch the slurry. (Lagers get another step up only to 10L)

Letting the yeast work right out allows them to build up glycogen reserves so that they will be ready to go to work when pitched into fresh oxygenated wort.

If you are making a starter directly from a tube or a swollen smack pack then you only need to go straight to 5L there is no point doing anything smaller . . . unless you intend to split it out.

Chris Whites book has lots of stuff on starter size and why too many small steps is pointless.

 

[mysterio]

Make the starter today if you get it. Between 1-2 L, when it's active, pitch the lot. If the vial is fresh you may get away with making it tomorrow.

 

[gurtpint]

Cheers once again Aleman. 500g of spraymalt to 5L water? Does it make any difference whether I use an airlock or just cover the vessel with sanitized foil?

 

[Ceejay]

If you are making a starter directly from a tube or a swollen smack pack then you only need to go straight to 5L there is no point doing anything smaller . . . unless you intend to split it out.

I assume that's only if you intend to ferment it out over 5 days, as per your method and just pitch the slurry...I wouldn't want to be pitching over 20% of the brew length in spraymalt solution :hmm:

 

[gurtpint]

So how did this go, Ceejay? Did you make the starter and did it work out alright? I was informed that I can have some unexpected time off this week and would like to make the most of it brewing. Have some bottles of split WL yeast in the fridge but my weekend is already spoken for so the only day I'd have for brewing is Friday. Should I risk it and make the starter today :hmm: ?

 

[Ceejay]

Yep - I made a 1.5l starter in a 2l coke bottle. Within a couple of hours it was fizzing like crazy and I kept having to vent the bottle to stop in 'sploding! It kind of subsided a bit after 2 days, but was still fizzing like Micky Mad McMad. You'll be fine by Friday, if mine was anything to go by. Made cracking beer too! :thumb:

 

[gurtpint]

Cheers pal! I think I'm off to get me a plastic bottle... Legions of Oatmeal Stout, here I come!

 

[Ceejay]

Woohoo! I tell thee, it's a gre't drink, and no mistake :lol:

 

[gurtpint]

Ye brewing gods, look mercifully on me! Did you throw in the whole starter or decant, by the way?

 

[Ceejay]

I just chucked the whole lot in, as the yeast hadn't really settled. I reckon if your settles, decant it, although this was my first ever brew, so please don't quote me on it! :pray:

 

[gurtpint]

Right. I reckon using the whole starter batch won't have much of a taste effect on a dark beer like this. Starter wort boil nearly finished. Chinchillas...