Yeast starter - how do I use it?

[teadixon]

Hi all,

First time I've made a proper starter. Last time I did it too late and didn't manage to settle it out properly so I just threw the whole thing in (dme soloution and all), this time I've got a lovely yeast bed at the bottom.

I've poured off my soloution and got it out the fridge to warm so I can pitch it this afternoon (into my first stout, which I'm brewing today for Christmas).

Just wondering how I get it out of my 3litre jar?

Sanitise a spoon and scoop it out? Shake it like hell? Pour in some boiled and cooled water to swirl it out?

Thanks,

Tim

 

[MyQul]

Sanitise something (turkey baster, cup, anything that can hold some wort). Once you've made your wort ready to pitch the yeast, using the sanitised something collect some wort 100ml -200ml or so. Then pour it into the vessel you've got the yeast in. Then swirl/shake the wort around to suspend the yeast in the wort and dislodgle any that's hard packed down. Then pitch

 

[teadixon]

Thanks! Makes sense.

 

[Crystal_Ball]

Or if you are using a FV with a tap use that so no need to sterilise something else.

 

[Leon103]

Can't you just shake the jar and pour

 

[strange-steve]

When I decant the spent wort I leave a little behind and use that to swirl the yeast into suspension then pour.
Also I only crash and decant the starter if it is more than 10% of the volume of the beer, I've found that it really doesn't have any flavour impact. I have pitched a full 2L starter into a 20L batch in the past without any off flavours.

 

[DoctorMick]

When I decant the spent wort I leave a little behind and use that to swirl the yeast into suspension then pour.
Also I only crash and decant the starter if it is more than 10% of the volume of the beer, I've found that it really doesn't have any flavour impact. I have pitched a full 2L starter into a 20L batch in the past without any off flavours.

I pitched 2l in to a batch recently and it didn't make a doffeeence to the taste and that was a pale ale. I much prefer the idea of pitching the starter at high krausen.

 

[strange-steve]

I pitched 2l in to a batch recently and it didn't make a doffeeence to the taste and that was a pale ale. I much prefer the idea of pitching the starter at high krausen.

Agreed, I have heard from people much more clever than I, that pitching the starter at around 12-18 hours reduces lag time and leads to a healthier fermentation. It's enough time for maximum cell density but also the yeast are active at the time of pitching.

 

[trueblue]

10-15 mins into boil pour 1 litre into a sterilized jug and crash cool to the temperature you intend to ferment at. Then pour off the spent wort from the starter and add new wort. This will acclimatise the yeast to the wort it is going to work with. Shake a few time while the boil and cooling are going on and by the time it is ready to pitch it will be active and ready to go. Yeast is our most important tool give it the best start possible. This will also reduce lag time.