Is it safe to sanatize yeast hydration container with starsan?

[edd101]

So I know it's not generally required, but I am brewing something that is high gravity and would like to rehydrate my yeast. This is probably a dumb question but I read starsan is safe for brewing because it gets neutralized by lower PH wort. Is it safe to use starsan for the yeast hydration container, or should I sanatize by other methods? e.g. boiling, or rinsing very well after starsan.

Thanks!

 

[IslandLizard]

As long as it's a Starsan working solution, yes, it's safe.

The amount of Starsan (working solution) clinging to the inside of the container, after being dunked in it, is minimal compared to the pint or so of water you put into it using to rehydrate the yeast. As long as you don't rehydrate the yeast in Starsan solution.

Are you going to use the manufacturer's instructions to a T? As in sprinkling the granules onto the top of the 90F water, cover, let it sit for 10 minutes, then stir?

Depending on the gravity and volume of the wort, you may need 2 or 3 packs of dry yeast. I would also oxygenate or aerate that wort well, right before pitching the yeast.

One more thing, control your ferm temps, keep them steady, prevent them from dropping. Raise them a few degrees. slowly, toward the end to finish up.

 

[Culinarytracker]

Depending on the gravity and volume of the wort, you may need 2 or 3 packs of dry yeast. I would also oxygenate or aerate that wort well, right before pitching the yeast.

Is this what is meant by a "vitality starter"? Getting the yeast awake and somewhat hydrated so they are ready to start chewing on wort right away, and don't get osmotic shock?

 

[edd101]

As long as it's a Starsan working solution, yes, it's safe.

The amount of Starsan (working solution) clinging to the inside of the container, after being dunked in it, is minimal compared to the pint or so of water you put into it using to rehydrate the yeast. As long as you don't rehydrate the yeast in Starsan solution.

Are you going to use the manufacturer's instructions to a T? As in sprinkling the granules onto the top of the 90F water, cover, let it sit for 10 minutes, then stir?

Depending on the gravity and volume of the wort, you may need 2 or 3 packs of dry yeast. I would also oxygenate or aerate that wort well, right before pitching the yeast.

One more thing, control your ferm temps, keep them steady, prevent them from dropping. Raise them a few degrees. slowly, toward the end to finish up.

Yeah that's the plan! Though my OG is 1.065 and it's a 5 gallon recipie. Think I should pitch multiple?

 

[jrgtr42]

1.065 isn;'t really high gravity - usually we're thinking in the 1.080 and above for that.
The manufacturers say that a pouch of yeast is good for 5 gallons of 1.055 (I think...double check the package to be sure)
Presuming this is the case, it's not 100% ideal, but you're still in the margins of error - you won't ruin your beer by only piching a single pouch. (hint, unless you're forgetting to clean / sanitize, or setting your fermenter next to a roaring fire or in the direct sunlight, it;s really hard to truly ruin beer.)
At most it'll take a bit longer to get going. |As long as your temp control is good, you won't like stress the yeast too much - they're resiliant little buggers.

 

[IslandLizard]

Is this what is meant by a "vitality starter"? Getting the yeast awake and somewhat hydrated so they are ready to start chewing on wort right away, and don't get osmotic shock?

No, this not a vitality starter, that would require pitching yeast into starter wort and agitating it to incorporate oxygen and thus increasing their viability and perhaps cell count.
Here, you're just rehydrating, that may help prevent osmotic shock and such. However, most dry yeast manufacturers have been rescinding those rehydration instructions the past few years. The jury is still out whether that's done to keep it either simple (one step, just pitch dry), or rehydration is truly non-beneficial, or perhaps even detrimental. They claim the yeast is ready to go, pitched dry. There's no indication either that they changed the formulation.

I've always rehydrated dry yeast and never had issues with it, but also nothing to compare to.

 

[Culinarytracker]

No, this not a vitality starter, that would require pitching yeast into starter wort and agitating it to incorporate oxygen and thus increasing their viability and perhaps cell count.
Here, you're just rehydrating, that may help prevent osmotic shock and such. However, most dry yeast manufacturers have been rescinding those rehydration instructions the past few years. The jury is still out whether that's done to keep it either simple (one step, just pitch dry), or rehydration is truly non-beneficial, or perhaps even detrimental. They claim the yeast is ready to go, pitched dry. There's no indication either that they changed the formulation.

I've always rehydrated dry yeast and never had issues with it, but also nothing to compare to.

Ah yea, I have heard some interviews about the recommendations changing about rehydration.

Oddly enough, I've always rehydrated Nottingham, but never US-05.

 

[Nate R]

As long as it's a Starsan working solution, yes, it's safe.

The amount of Starsan (working solution) clinging to the inside of the container, after being dunked in it, is minimal compared to the pint or so of water you put into it using to rehydrate the yeast. As long as you don't rehydrate the yeast in Starsan solution.

Are you going to use the manufacturer's instructions to a T? As in sprinkling the granules onto the top of the 90F water, cover, let it sit for 10 minutes, then stir?

Depending on the gravity and volume of the wort, you may need 2 or 3 packs of dry yeast. I would also oxygenate or aerate that wort well, right before pitching the yeast.

One more thing, control your ferm temps, keep them steady, prevent them from dropping. Raise them a few degrees. slowly, toward the end to finish up.

So... i have recently moved to dry yeasts.. cheaper, easier, etc.
Anyways... i have read some opinions on NOT aerating the wort if using dry yeast. That sounded off to me, but i've seen it a few times. Should one aerate with dry just as with liquid?
Also... if i wanted to use one pack of a dry lager yeast, can i make a 2L starter just as if with liquid?
Thanks

 

[IslandLizard]

i have read some opinions on NOT aerating the wort if using dry yeast. That sounded off to me, but i've seen it a few times.

I've seen them too, but without sufficient reasoning or better, facts, it doesn't sound right to me either.

Back in the days is was thought that an 11.5 gram pouch of dry yeast contained an abundance of cells, as much as 200-300 billion, a royal pitch and much growth was not needed. Even if half of them didn't make it, due to osmotic pressure when sprinkling dry onto the batch's surface, there would still be plenty left. Plus the cells had more than adequate sterol reserves built up before being dried.
That number of cells in a dry yeast pouch has been debunked, 65-90 (?) billion cells seemed to be the average depending on the strain, but the associated need to aerate/oxygenate for replication (budding, needing healthy cell walls) was never addressed, AFAIK.

Should one aerate with dry just as with liquid?

I don't think aeration/oxygenation will hurt, it may even help. I would!
I've always aerated as much as I could (shaking, whisking), and only had one stalled batch. That was a 1.090 Old Ale using 2 packs of rehydrated S-04 in 5 gallons, finishing at 1.030. It wouldn't budge, tried for 2 weeks, nothing fixed it. A small temp drop overnight may have been the culprit, although I'm not sure what the real issue was.

Later I started using pure oxygen, but haven't used dry yeast since then.

Also... if i wanted to use one pack of a dry lager yeast, can i make a 2L starter just as if with liquid?

Yes, why not?
If you want to rehydrate the yeast first, do so in half a liter (?) of 90F water, per the yeast manufacturers instructions, in the starter flask. When rehydrated, add 1.5 liter of, chilled to room temps, 1.053 starter wort to it. That will bring it close to 1.040.

I make starter wort in a stainless pot. Chilled in the sink or tub with cold water.
Don't forget to add a drop of Fermcap.