First time using a commercial starter

[samsbrew101]

I've been brewing for 5 years starting with extract, extract with with specialty grains, and some all grain. I'm a big fan of old style, scotch, and stouts. I began making my own starters about 2 years ago with good results but just recently bought a canned starter, "Fast Pitch" from Northern Brewers. I haven't used it yet..., I'd like any input from anyone who has used this product, Pros & cons. Thanks in advance!

Sam

 

[LLBeanJ]

I haven't used it either, but I'm pretty sure it's just canned high gravity wort that you dilute with water to make 1.040 for starters.

Pros: Convenience, takes the hassle out of preparing starter wort; saves time since you can just crack open the can, add it to your starter flask along with water and yeast and you've got a starter working in a few minutes.

Cons: cost is a little on the high side when compared to using DME or making & canning your own wort.

The end result should be the same whether your wort is DYI or canned. I can pressure can 4 gallons of starter wort in quart & pint mason jars for about $6 worth of 2-row and about 6 hours' time, so I make/can my own from grain. Depending on how much value you place on your time, the Fast Pitch might be a better deal for you than it is for me. Throwing together a canned starter on the fly takes about 5 minutes. I imagine using the Fast Pitch would be similar.

 

[DurtyChemist]

pros: Easier to mix up than boiling DME especially in an erlenmeyer flask. It's easier to store than an opened DME pack or LME pack.

Cons: it costs more.

 

[Wagon_6]

I love the stuff. I can knock out a starter in 5 minutes and move on.

 

[inhousebrew]

I was skeptical at first but I bought a four pack last year and am not looking back. I hated DME and these are ridiculously easy and yield a great end product.

 

[DurtyChemist]

If I could find it locally I'd use it more often. It seems much easier to store and much easier to mix than malt extract. Even when I add dry malt extract directly to my flask without any water around it makes a mess. I don't even have very humid air either and it jut likes to clump together. I bought some for my step father and if he put in another order from anyone selling this I'd tell him to add it on.

 

[BrewinSoldier]

I've been using it for a while now. Each can only makes a one liter starter, and you are looking at $10 for a 4 pack plus shipping. For whatever reason, I always end up with at least a few can that got damaged in transit and feel like they lost the co2 or whatever keeps them fresh.

They make starters super easy and work well, they are just pricey. It takes me two cans so $5 per starter but I much prefer the convenience. I usually wait till they have a 20% off sale and order a bunch so the flat rate shipping gets spread out better.

You really have to break it down though, $5 for a 2 liter starter plus $6.99 for yeast and you could almost just buy 2 packs of yeast to pitch and not even have to deal with a starter.

 

[NTexBrewer]

For me it was a great gateway into doing starters. One less thing to worry about. I'm confident in my process now so I find DME just as easy.

Pros of Fast Pitch. Definitely faster compared to boiling DME.

Cons of Fast Pitch. Seems like I always need a 1.5 liter starter and there is no real good way to do this since it is either make 1L or 2L.

I always decant so it never affected me but Fast Pitch is dark so if you are used to pitching the entire starter you may not want to do this with a light colored beer.

 

[BrewinSoldier]

For me it was a great gateway into doing starters. One less thing to worry about. I'm confident in my process now so I find DME just as easy.

Pros of Fast Pitch. Definitely faster compared to boiling DME.

Cons of Fast Pitch. Seems like I always need a 1.5 liter starter and there is no real good way to do this since it is either make 1L or 2L.

I always decant so it never affected me but Fast Pitch is dark so if you are used to pitching the entire starter you may not want to do this with a light colored beer.

+1..I forgot to add that part..Yeah for 1.5 liter starters you basically have to waste half a can, but I usually just do both anyways because a little more yeast won't hurt.

I always decant as well, I think it's good wort for a starter but I definitely don't want it changing the flavor of my finished beer, which I personally feel it does with smaller(5 gallon) batches.

I decant all my starters though, whether they are canned or from scratch..Just my personal preference. Then I let it warm back to room temp and let her stir a bit to get active before dumping them into the fermenter.

 

[kh54s10]

If you get a pressure canner you can make your own. Take some 2 row. Mash for 1.038 - 1.040 then pour it into pint and quart jars. I made 4 quarts and 6 pints for about $12 of grain.

 

[BrewinSoldier]

If you get a pressure canner you can make your own. Take some 2 row. Mash for 1.038 - 1.040 then pour it into pint and quart jars. I made 4 quarts and 6 pints for about $12 of grain.

Not a bad idea..I wonder if there's is extract or via grain? Next time I use one, I'm going to check the gravity of it prior to diluting it. After mixing 16oz of it with 16 oz of water, the gravity is 1.040 so I'll check what the predilution gravity is.

 

[marc1]

If you get a pressure canner you can make your own. Take some 2 row. Mash for 1.038 - 1.040 then pour it into pint and quart jars. I made 4 quarts and 6 pints for about $12 of grain.

I just did this as well. I got 14 quarts for about $7 in grain and $2 in canning lids. I had been making a little extra wort every few batches to can, but just decided to make a batch on its own.

 

[LLBeanJ]

Not a bad idea..I wonder if there's is extract or via grain? Next time I use one, I'm going to check the gravity of it prior to diluting it. After mixing 16oz of it with 16 oz of water, the gravity is 1.040 so I'll check what the predilution gravity is.

Should be 1.080 if 16 oz of wort + 16 oz water = 1.040

 

[BrewinSoldier]

Should be 1.080 if 16 oz of wort + 16 oz water = 1.040

Very close..I measured the SG of one today and it's 1.073 from this can.