Yeast StarterNow we finally start to get into it. One to two days prior to brew day, it’s time for the yeast starter. A yeast starter is used to simply increase the population of the yeast prior to pitching into your wort (young beer, or unfermented, non-carbonated beer). Stir plates can be used and generally produce excellent results. A 100 Billion cell smack pack of yeast can be grown to 250-300 Billion cells and really help kick off a solid fermentation. For high original gravity beers (SG above approx. 1.060) a yeast starter is recommended. Click HERE for a parts list and directions on how to build a stir plate. You can always purchase one as well, but that’s just not as fun as building it yourself.
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A yeast starter is really pretty simple. You basically make some wort, or young beer, that the yeast feed off of and get the energy to grow in population.
Items you will need:
Items you will need:
- 1 Cup DME (dry malt extract)
- Yeast (I usually use a Wyeast smack pack, but any brand is fine. You can even “harvest” yeast from commercially produced beers that have been bottle conditioned.)
- 4 Cups Water
- Erlenmeyer Flask, either 1000ml or 2000ml
- Stir Plate
- Stir Stick – at least 1 inch long
Yeast Starter Instructions
Bring 4 cups water to a boil – you can use either a pot on the stove or just boil right in your Erlenmeyer Flask. If you choose to use the flask, be very careful for boil overs once you've added the DME as it can lead to a very sticky situation (Pun intended, boils overs in the kitchen are no fun). I use the pot on stove method but remember to sterilize your flask prior to adding the cooled wort and yeast.
Once water is boiling, turn down heat to prevent a boil over and add 1 cup DME (the ratio is 2 cups water for ½ cup DME)
Stir in and bring back to a boil for 20 min. Watch out for the sticky, unpleasant boil-over.
After 20 min. Cool to approx. 70 degrees F. (Setting the pot in the sink with ice works well)
Break inner smack pack, sterilize top of package, and then empty yeast and nutrients into starter wort.
Carefully slide stir stick in the flask if not already in.
Cover with aluminum foil and set on stir plate for 24-48 hrs.
6-10 hrs before you're set to pitch the yeast into you new brew, let the starter rest. In a cool area with the stir plate turned off the yeast can settle to the bottom leaving the poor tasting "beer" on top.
Before you pitch into your newest batch, you’ll want to decant (pour off) the clear liquid “beer” on top of the yeast cake. It’s a great environment for yeast to be happy, not a great environment for flavors to develop.
A little trick is that I like taking a little wort from the latest batch while transferring to the carboy and putting it in the Erlenmeyer flask so I can swirl it around and mix up the yeast cake making it easier to transfer into the carboy.
Once water is boiling, turn down heat to prevent a boil over and add 1 cup DME (the ratio is 2 cups water for ½ cup DME)
Stir in and bring back to a boil for 20 min. Watch out for the sticky, unpleasant boil-over.
After 20 min. Cool to approx. 70 degrees F. (Setting the pot in the sink with ice works well)
Break inner smack pack, sterilize top of package, and then empty yeast and nutrients into starter wort.
Carefully slide stir stick in the flask if not already in.
Cover with aluminum foil and set on stir plate for 24-48 hrs.
6-10 hrs before you're set to pitch the yeast into you new brew, let the starter rest. In a cool area with the stir plate turned off the yeast can settle to the bottom leaving the poor tasting "beer" on top.
Before you pitch into your newest batch, you’ll want to decant (pour off) the clear liquid “beer” on top of the yeast cake. It’s a great environment for yeast to be happy, not a great environment for flavors to develop.
A little trick is that I like taking a little wort from the latest batch while transferring to the carboy and putting it in the Erlenmeyer flask so I can swirl it around and mix up the yeast cake making it easier to transfer into the carboy.