Wash it or create a fresh starter????

[RIC0]

Ok today I went and bought 12 - 8 oz canning jars.

I can either wash the yeast from a nut brown ale and fill jars?

or

Go buy some DME, yeast and create a batch of starter jars?

This will be my first batch of starters so I'd like to do what ever is most efficient. I know it's possible to not fill all 12 jars but if i'm going to do the work I'd like to go ahead and get as many as I can in the fridge and ready for the upcoming batches of brew.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated...

 

[W0rthog]

Using fresh yeast, I think you can better predict how much your starting with. Therefore, likely to know the yield.

 

[overdbus]

Do half n half ,then compare how the beers turn out in a side by side taste test
I have and do both.

 

[RIC0]

So is there a good all around yeast to use for making a batch of starters?? The beers I brew are all over the chart so I'm not sure if I need several types of yeast or if one general type can be used.

 

[RIC0]

Nobody makes a batch of starters with one type of yeast and DME???

is it not a good idea to make a batch??

 

[RIC0]

bueler ??

 

[WoodlandBrew]

Just save the yeast from the nut brown.

You don't need to "wash" it. Washing the yeast might remove some of the hop particles to make it look pretty, but cell counts indicate that the dead yeast and proteins remain. Estimating cell count by volume can be off by an enormous amount. The only way to really know is with a cell count.

Get your yeast tested for free:
http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/p/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html


More on yeast washing:
http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/2012/12/yeast-washing-exposed.html

If you want to ball park your cell count 1 Billion cells per milliliter is pretty typical.
Variation in cell density:
http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/2012/11/counting-cells.html

The only advantage I see to a starter is that it builds up the sterol reserves. For high gravity beets this can be very beneficial especially if you don't have a oxygen tank. If you just want to get cell count right you may as well just pitch the volume of cells required.

An alternative to starters:
http://woodlandbrew.blogspot.com/2012/12/no-more-wasteful-yeast-starters.html

 

[RIC0]

Woodland thanks for the reply buddy greatly appreciated.

 

[RIC0]

Also the alternative to starters post is really cool. I usually have an extra primary sitting around so next week I will be making up a belgian white and stout. I will try this on the belgian.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Everybody has their take on the process, here's mine:

I do a starter, cold crash 24-48 hours, decant, pour half the slurrey into sanitized collection jars, step the starter, cold crash, decant, then decant the collection jars and top off with added slurrey, and pitch the remainder into the beer. That means that the yeast I am harvesting and propogating have only seen light DME. No dark grains, no hops, thus minimumizing flavor movemtn between dissimilar beer styles.

 

[Phunhog]

Everybody has their take on the process, here's mine:

I do a starter, cold crash 24-48 hours, decant, pour half the slurrey into sanitized collection jars, step the starter, cold crash, decant, then decant the collection jars and top off with added slurrey, and pitch the remainder into the beer. That means that the yeast I am harvesting and propogating have only seen light DME. No dark grains, no hops, thus minimumizing flavor movemtn between dissimilar beer styles.

I do something very similar!!:rockin: I believe it is a better way to go for the above reasons plus no chance of stressed yeast from a full blown beer fermentation.