What do you make your starters in?

[iamthefly]

I've only done a starter once in a 2L Pepsi Max bottle with lots of shaking periodically. I thought I could leave the loud only half on a as a kind of airlock, but I must of forgotten to loosen it after shaking. Blew gunge everywhere when I released the lid, like half my fungus. Felt like I needed more headroom.

I'm not against a stir plate, but would need a flat bottomed bottle. Don't really want to shell out for a 2L Erlenmeyer flask.

Cheers

 

[IainM]

I use a cheap home-made stir plate and 2L Erlenmeyer now. However, before that I used 5L plastic water bottles with frequent shaking - plenty of headroom there. Good thing about plastic bottles is you can squeeze out the CO2 and draw in fresh air between shakes.

 

[MyQul]

I use a 5L demijon for my starters but dont use a sirplate so a flat bottom isnt an issue

 

[gazjcollins]

I just couldn't get my starters going as well as I wanted until I made my stir-plate and got me an Erlenmeyer. Haven't looked back since...

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[iamthefly]

Making a stir plate does look fun...

 

[Personal91]

I use a cheap home-made stir plate and 2L Erlenmeyer now. However, before that I used 5L plastic water bottles with frequent shaking - plenty of headroom there. Good thing about plastic bottles is you can squeeze out the CO2 and draw in fresh air between shakes.

What do you mix the yeast with as a starter solution?

 

[IainM]

What do you mix the yeast with as a starter solution?

100g extra-light DME per litre, made up to whatever volume needed.

 

[Personal91]

100g extra-light DME per litre, made up to whatever volume needed.

Could I use malt extract e.g. Holland and Barrett or Rayners malt extract ?

 

[Druncan]

I just couldn't get my starters going as well as I wanted until I made my stir-plate and got me an Erlenmeyer. Haven't looked back since...

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Yup, similar for me! But, Fresh, fresh yeast = mega Krausen after 6hrs. :thumb:

The Elym flask was Money well spent IMHO.

I will be gutted when I eventually drop it though,,,,

 

[Pawlo7671]

Just depends what i'm cooking up really, tomato soup I do in a pan ( secret is chuck in a hand full of rice to add body ) then blend.

 

[Pawlo7671]

Just depends what i'm cooking up really, tomato soup I do in a pan ( secret is chuck in a hand full of rice to add body ) then blend.

Ahhh you where talking about yeast starters. lol woopsies

 

[blawford]

Just about to buy a 2ltr erlenmeyer flask, best price I've found it is here, less than �£13 including shipping. Just in case anyone is interested...

 

[IainM]

Could I use malt extract e.g. Holland and Barrett or Rayners malt extract ?

Absolutely, just make sure the starter wort is between 1.030 and 1.040.

 

[Personal91]

Absolutely, just make sure the starter wort is between 1.030 and 1.040.

Thank you, will be giving this a go :)

 

[Personal91]

Absolutely, just make sure the starter wort is between 1.030 and 1.040.

How long should I have a starter going for + how often should i burp the bottle to get it fresh air, or can I leave the cap off ?

 

[IainM]

How long should I have a starter going for + how often should i burp the bottle to get it fresh air, or can I leave the cap off ?

It depends. If it is a litre or so in a full batch normally I keep it around 22C and pitch the whole lot at high krausen, after about 12-18 hours, when most the starter wort is spent and it is at the height of activity. If it is a big starter for a big beer, or if it is a delicate beer where there is nowhere to hide the taste of the spent starter wort, then I'd leave it 1-2 days to consume all the sugars, crash it in the fridge, decant off the spent wort and then bring it slowly up to pitching temp before using it.

 

[Personal91]

It depends. If it is a litre or so in a full batch normally I keep it around 22C and pitch the whole lot at high krausen, after about 12-18 hours, when most the starter wort is spent and it is at the height of activity. If it is a big starter for a big beer, or if it is a delicate beer where there is nowhere to hide the taste of the spent starter wort, then I'd leave it 1-2 days to consume all the sugars, crash it in the fridge, decant off the spent wort and then bring it slowly up to pitching temp before using it.

If using champagne yeast will 1.030-40 be okay or should I give it some more

+ thank you for all the advice and help :)

 

[IainM]

how often should i burp the bottle to get it fresh air, or can I leave the cap off ?

Ah, missed this bit. A starter with 1.030 wort will produce about 20 times its own volume of CO2, so if your container is half full with starter, then as a rule of thumb it will take about an hour to produce enough CO2 to fill the other half of the container. Before I got the stir plate I did occasionally leave it overnight and got decent fermentation, but if I was working from home I'd give it a shake, vent the CO2 and draw in fresh air about once every half hour, though this may be overkill.

 

[IainM]

If using champagne yeast will 1.030-40 be okay or should I give it some more

+ thank you for all the advice and help :)

No, 1.030-1.040 is perfect. The point of a starter is not just to grow the number of cells, but also to maximise yeast health, so I wouldn't go higher than 1.040.

 

[Personal91]

No, 1.030-1.040 is perfect. The point of a starter is not just to grow the number of cells, but also to maximise yeast health, so I wouldn't go higher than 1.040.

Nearly my final question - promise

I plan to do a few brews, how much yeast should I start off with in each of my 2 litre starters ( the bottle will be 2 litre at least and I think about a litre inside or don't I need as much ) ?