I have been making starters for over a year and rarely do I follow as strict a regiment as I do when I make the full batch. Shame on me but at least I can admit my faults. In the search for a better way, one that is easy to remember and easily repeatable and scaleable I thought I would pose the question to the forum.
So, how do YOU make a starter?
how do YOU make a starter?
Moderator: slothrob
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- Strong Ale
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How I make a starter.
Mike,
Whenever I am ready to brew I usually have a starter already made. What I do is make them ahead of time.
I use 8 pint size canning jars with new lids. While the 8 jars are sitting in a slow boil bath completely covered with water, and with open end up, I make the starter wort.
1.) Use 1/3 cup D.M.E. to every 2 cups of water. In this case 8
Whenever I am ready to brew I usually have a starter already made. What I do is make them ahead of time.
I use 8 pint size canning jars with new lids. While the 8 jars are sitting in a slow boil bath completely covered with water, and with open end up, I make the starter wort.
1.) Use 1/3 cup D.M.E. to every 2 cups of water. In this case 8
BRILLIANT!!!
Thanks,
That is what i was looking for to ease my journey. Good practical common sense approach. How long of a storage life would you estimate for the canning jars of wort?
What about using runnings from the mash tun after I've acheived my boil volume in the kettle. Would this be a viable option for filling the canning jars with wort?
Brew ON!
Mike
That is what i was looking for to ease my journey. Good practical common sense approach. How long of a storage life would you estimate for the canning jars of wort?
What about using runnings from the mash tun after I've acheived my boil volume in the kettle. Would this be a viable option for filling the canning jars with wort?
Brew ON!
Mike
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- Strong Ale
- Posts: 285
- Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2001 10:12 pm
simple method
Here's what I have been doing for the last couple of years -- not elegant, but efficient.
My wife splits her adult beberage time between beer and wine, and so I have a steady supply of the larger (1.5L?) Sutter Home wine bottles. I clean and sanitize as i would a carboy and fill (use a funnel) with a boiled/starting to cool starter that has been made of 1L of water and 1-2 cups of light DME, depending on the OG of the beer I'm making. I add 1tsp of Fermax yeast nutrient, pitch yeast (usually a Wyeast smackpack), aerate, and top with a drilled rubber stopper and a tripple rippel airlock. I cover the bottle with foil and pitch the entire contents into the primary 18-36 hours later. Best of all, since my wife can always be counted on for more bottles, I just chuck the ones that are really crusty with beerstone into the recycle bin
Cheers,
Jim
My wife splits her adult beberage time between beer and wine, and so I have a steady supply of the larger (1.5L?) Sutter Home wine bottles. I clean and sanitize as i would a carboy and fill (use a funnel) with a boiled/starting to cool starter that has been made of 1L of water and 1-2 cups of light DME, depending on the OG of the beer I'm making. I add 1tsp of Fermax yeast nutrient, pitch yeast (usually a Wyeast smackpack), aerate, and top with a drilled rubber stopper and a tripple rippel airlock. I cover the bottle with foil and pitch the entire contents into the primary 18-36 hours later. Best of all, since my wife can always be counted on for more bottles, I just chuck the ones that are really crusty with beerstone into the recycle bin
Cheers,
Jim
apple juice
I have been making my starters with apple juice. t's half the price of DME, and works just as good. Gravity of apple juice is usually in around 1.040.
I use a yeast bank to store yeast for future use. They are excellent kits and cheap. Once pitchng from a smack pack, I store the little bit of remaining yeast from the pack.
I use a yeast bank to store yeast for future use. They are excellent kits and cheap. Once pitchng from a smack pack, I store the little bit of remaining yeast from the pack.
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- Strong Ale
- Posts: 326
- Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2001 1:31 pm
- Location: Greenville SC
- Contact:
Shelf life
Mike,
I have never timed the shelf life but I would guess that it is as good as any other canned produce approximately one year.
As for using your runnings, I would advise strongly against that. The wort has got to be put into the canning jars boiled and hot. Bacteria is a nasty germ, you can not protect your starter with 150-170 runnings. Don't use short cuts on this step. If you liked my procedure follow it exactly and you should have great success OK? It's easier to justify when you are drinking a great homebrew, instead of dumping 5 gallons down the drain because of short cuts.
I used to use dry yeast and took short cuts, and after dumping my third batch in the first 5 years of brewing from it going bad ( I have been brewing 11 years now), I revised my entire procedure and stick to strict guidlines. NO SHORT CUTS ... Good brew every time consistantly.
BTW Ask Santa for a 1 or 2 liter Erlenmyer flask they make great starter vessels ... use them with a stopper and airlock and Bamm ... you've got it ...
Paul.
I have never timed the shelf life but I would guess that it is as good as any other canned produce approximately one year.
As for using your runnings, I would advise strongly against that. The wort has got to be put into the canning jars boiled and hot. Bacteria is a nasty germ, you can not protect your starter with 150-170 runnings. Don't use short cuts on this step. If you liked my procedure follow it exactly and you should have great success OK? It's easier to justify when you are drinking a great homebrew, instead of dumping 5 gallons down the drain because of short cuts.
I used to use dry yeast and took short cuts, and after dumping my third batch in the first 5 years of brewing from it going bad ( I have been brewing 11 years now), I revised my entire procedure and stick to strict guidlines. NO SHORT CUTS ... Good brew every time consistantly.
BTW Ask Santa for a 1 or 2 liter Erlenmyer flask they make great starter vessels ... use them with a stopper and airlock and Bamm ... you've got it ...
Paul.