Yeast Starter question

[wxman73]

Ok,

I have been brewing for a few years now but never made a yeast starter. I just smack a wyeast pack and pitch it. I want to improve my fermentation process and pitch the proper amount of yeast, but I have a question. If Mr.Malty or any other yeast calculator tells me I need a 3.4 liter starter, does that mean I mix up 3.4 liters of wort at 1.040 and pitch the proper number of yeast packs into that?

Cheers!

Brian

 

[bobbrews]

Smack the pack a day before you intend to make the yeast starter (or half a day before). It will swell up like a balloon because the yeast are now exposed to sugars/nutrients and are consuming it to make C02.

The original gravity of a starter should be about 1.040. The ratio is 1 cup or 100g of DME per 1 liter water.

What is the OG and batch size of your beer? You will likely only need one pack and well less than 3.4 liters of starter wort for the typical 5 gallon batch. Do you have a stir plate or are you going to rely on intermittent shaking?

Also, when using Mr. Malty, remember to adjust the production date of the yeast. It will likely not be the same day that you brew.

 

[porterpounder]

You should only need the one pack in the 3.4 Ls of wort, not multiple packs and starter. It's either/or.

 

[Gavin C]

That's a big starter. Are you brewing a lager?

if making a starter it is not very important if the smack pack swells as it all gets pitched into a starter where it will have plenty of time to utilize the nutrients in the pack.

I smack it and let it warm primarily to avoid thermal shock to the yeast coming straight from he fridge into the starter at room temp.

1L water: 100g DME is a good ratio to use for a 1.040 starter gravity (close to it)

 

[wxman73]

Thanks everyone.

The OG is 1.060, it is a belgian wit, and it is for 11 gallons of wort.

So on Mr. MAlty, what is the production date? The date on the package of yeast?

I understand the ratio of DME to water to make the 1.040 wort for the starter. I just wanted to make sure I understood how much wort I neeed to make for a starter.

 

[bobbrews]

Yes, it's the date on the package of the yeast. The older the yeast is, the less the viability % will be.

If you rely on intermittent shaking, you will need:

2 smack packs or vials
3.66 liters of starter
458 billion cells

If you rely on a Stir Plate, you will need:

2 smack packs or vials
2.38 liters of starter
458 billion cells

 

[wxman73]

Yes, it's the date on the package of the yeast. The older the yeast is, the less the viability % will be.

If you rely on intermittent shaking, you will need:

2 smack packs
3.66 Liters of Starter
458 billion cells

If you rely on a Stir Plate, you will need:

2 smack packs
2.38 Liters of Starter
458 billion cells

Perfect explanation - thanks! That was what I expected but I just wanted to make sure!

Cheers

 

[rwing7486]

Thanks everyone.

The OG is 1.060, it is a belgian wit, and it is for 11 gallons of wort.

So on Mr. MAlty, what is the production date? The date on the package of yeast?

I understand the ratio of DME to water to make the 1.040 wort for the starter. I just wanted to make sure I understood how much wort I neeed to make for a starter.

Correct - that can be found on the smack pack itself. Enter that date into Mr. Malty. Honestly though I usually dont adjust it as beers can get pricey when using liquid yeast. I have had a 1.065 gravity stout saying I needed two vials of WL yeast based on the date with a 1 liter yeast starter. I went with 1 vial with 1/2 a tsp of yeast nutrient and that yeast went to pound town on my stout. Was ready to keg within 12 days. I pretty much brew with dry yeast these days - more yeast cells, easier to re hydrate, and its half the price of liquid yeast

 

[Mexibilly]

I'm in a similar situation with a high gravity red.
Someone on here led me to this
www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/
I was stressing on having enough yeast to ferment this big boy until I learned about multi stage starters.
You enter your og, the mfr date of your yeast and it will tell you exactly how to make your starter.
Good luck!