starter wort shelf life w/o pressure canning

[Pole]

Hi folks! I'll be making a starter later this week, but I'm hoping to cut down the time, particularly around cooling, as I'll have to start the process after work.

Is there any consensus how long I can safely wait to pitch without risking botulism after I've boiled my wort? Would refrigeration of the wort extend the window at all?

Basically I'm wondering about making the starter wort Thursday night, (refrigerate it overnight?) pitching Friday at noon, and then brewing Saturday, pitching the starter around 4:00.

 

[LLBeanJ]

I don't have a direct answer to your question, but are you delaying pitching yeast into your starter wort because you have yet to acquire it, or is there another reason? If you have the yeast, get the starter going as soon as you can boil and cool your wort.

 

[Pole]

Mostly delaying because I won't be able to start boiling until 7-7:30 and I would like to be done for the night by 8:30. Cooling seems to take at least an hour with the flask in an ice bath.

 

[LLBeanJ]

How big of a starter are you making? I pressure can my wort now, so starters take all of about 5 minutes to throw together, but back in the pre-canning days, I could have a 1L starter boiled and cooled in about 30 mins and that was using a cold water bath, no ice. I always used a saucepan to boil the wort, though. Never boiled in the flask.

 

[Howhownow]

What size starter, and how do you make it?
I do 2L starters one at a time with a 10 minute boil of light DME.
Chill in the sink on ice, takes 40 minutes start to pitch.

 

[Pole]

This one is only 1L so that should help with the cooling time I guess.

Eta how:
Boil 1L in a flask on the stove. Add light DME, boil for 15 mins. Transfer the flask to an ice bath in the sink.

 

[LLBeanJ]

Giving your original question some additional thought, I'm sure it would be fine refrigerating and pitching later for the timeframe you're talking (less than 24 hours from boil to pitch).

My starter process...
1. Bring 1L water to boil (3-5 min)
2. Add DME and boil (10 min)
3. Fill sink with cold water from tap. Submerge pot (or flask) in water and intermittently swirl for 10 minutes. Drain water and refill sink with cold water from tap again. Swirl for another 5 minutes.
4. Transfer wort to flask and pitch.

 

[Heine81]

It's a little risky according to this:

https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Clostridium_botulinum_Neurotoxins

15 hours appears to be when you will die.

 

[Hermit]

First, I don't see any reason to delay pitching the yeast into the starter. It doesn't have to be at high krausen when you pitch in the beer. Just let if finish out before sticking it in the fridge. Second, it isn't anymore dangerous than anything else in the fridge. You aren't canning and botulism is a result of anaerobic processes.

 

[Pole]

Thanks! Doesn't seem worth the risk with that replication rate.

 

[Hermit]

Check out no chill brewing as popularized by "The Pol". No relation I'm sure. You are really over thinking this one.