Starting with starters

[Minbari]

It is usually too small to tell. I always decanted the beer off anyway.

 

[Dornbox]

I can't wait to try the difference between a DME kit beer and an all-grain.

As for the DME starter I did wonder that. If I was to pitch the starter created with DME would it not alter the flavour slightly? Or is it too small and insignificant to notice?

I don’t think you’ll notice it at all but like @Minbari does, you can start a few days before you brew and cold crash your starter in the fridge and pour off the liquor. This will leave you with a nice slurry. I pitch 2-3 liters in 6-12 gallons and do not notice the flavor.

you’ll love all grain brewing!

 

[Kgbow]

I don’t think you’ll notice it at all but like @Minbari does, you can start a few days before you brew and cold crash your starter in the fridge and pour off the liquor. This will leave you with a nice slurry. I pitch 2-3 liters in 6-12 gallons and do not notice the flavor.

you’ll love all grain brewing!

Thats the plan! Is it good practise to make a starter for every beer you brew? I mean it pretty much guarantees a good start right?

I CANT WAIT! hehe

 

[Pricelessbrewing]

Thats the plan! Is it good practise to make a starter for every beer you brew? I mean it pretty much guarantees a good start right?

I CANT WAIT! hehe

I recommend it, unless you're making small batches.

Personally, I make a starter every batch because I always try to harvest some yeast and keep a bank going of 20-50mL of dense yeast slurry so I don't have to keep buying the same yeast over and over again, instead I just start over once a year or so with the once that I use regularly.

I try to keep an english yeast, a saison, a belgian (trappist), and a kveik in the bank at all times.

 

[Kgbow]

I recommend it, unless you're making small batches.

Personally, I make a starter every batch because I always try to harvest some yeast and keep a bank going of 20-50mL of dense yeast slurry so I don't have to keep buying the same yeast over and over again, instead I just start over once a year or so with the once that I use regularly.

I try to keep an english yeast, a saison, a belgian (trappist), and a kveik in the bank at all times.

Thank you! Will eventually start harvesting yeast, seen a lot on it on you tube! right now I'm going to just focus on the starter then harvest in a couple brews time. There's a lot to take in!

 

[Donoroto]

Starters are easier than they appear. Basically you are fast-fermenting a mild beer with no consideration of what it will taste like. So temperatures can be higher, more oxygen available, and times much shorter... all with the single goal of producing more yeast.

While a starter is useful, it is not mandatory. Exception: when you have waaay too little yeast, or if you are not sure the yeast is still alive.

Just remember: a starter's worth of yeast, as with liquid yeast, needs oxygen at pitching to get going. Dry yeast does not.

 

[Kgbow]

Starters are easier than they appear. Basically you are fast-fermenting a mild beer with no consideration of what it will taste like. So temperatures can be higher, more oxygen available, and times much shorter... all with the single goal of producing more yeast.

While a starter is useful, it is not mandatory. Exception: when you have waaay too little yeast, or if you are not sure the yeast is still alive.

Just remember: a starter's worth of yeast, as with liquid yeast, needs oxygen at pitching to get going. Dry yeast does not.

Yes thats more or less along the lines of what I was thinking. I love the idea of making starters and pitching them, knowing with full confidence I've given my beer the best chance possible at a healthy start.

 

[KevinJ]

I haven't seen anyone mention Brewer's Friend's calculator, but I like bigger beers so I've been using it. I use White Labs liquid yeast so I can look up when it was packaged and plug in the date to give me an estimate of how many cells are available, and how much starter I need to make.

That being said, it's probably overkill for your first all-grain run, but it's there when you're ready.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/

 

[Kgbow]

I haven't seen anyone mention Brewer's Friend's calculator, but I like bigger beers so I've been using it. I use White Labs liquid yeast so I can look up when it was packaged and plug in the date to give me an estimate of how many cells are available, and how much starter I need to make.

That being said, it's probably overkill for your first all-grain run, but it's there when you're ready.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/

Thank you so much! I'll tab that

 

[Tim Bulin]

All of the above and keep a good all purpose dry yeast on hand just in case…one of the usual suspects(Notty, US/05, M54 etc).

 

[Sandy Feet]

I don't use a starter, but I also don't reuse my yeast and often overpitch. If you use liquids, make sure to check the date. The advice about having an extra dry pack for back-up is sound.
I had one issue with expired yeast, but I had another brew store 20 minutes up the road, so it wasn't a big deal for me.
I saw one of the other comments about using dry yeast until you get comfortable. I also agree with that.
My first few all grain beers were Cascade and S-05. It helped me learn what different malts did to different styles.
S-04 and S-05 are great all-around yeast strains to learn with.

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

I use both liquid and dry yeast. When using liquid, I'll make a starter of the yeast is older (hard to tell now days) or if the OG is over 1.060. If I'm just making a 1-2 liter starter I'll dump the whole thing in. If it's a 3+ liter starter I'll cold-crash and decant. Yeast pitch rate has such a large fudge factor you just need to be in the ballpark (or on the pitch).

 

[Daniel Parshley]

I don't use a starter, but I also don't reuse my yeast and often overpitch. If you use liquids, make sure to check the date. The advice about having an extra dry pack for back-up is sound.
I had one issue with expired yeast, but I had another brew store 20 minutes up the road, so it wasn't a big deal for me.
I saw one of the other comments about using dry yeast until you get comfortable. I also agree with that.
My first few all grain beers were Cascade and S-05. It helped me learn what different malts did to different styles.
S-04 and S-05 are great all-around yeast strains to learn with.

Agree, S-04 and S-05 are great. My ventures into using other yeasts have not been successful. After 55 batches, all the different yeasts still makes my head spin.

 

[Sandy Feet]

Agree, S-04 and S-05 are great. My ventures into using other yeasts have not been successful. After 55 batches, all the different yeasts still makes my head spin.

I glad I did start playing with other things. I just made an ESB with WLP002 that I absolutely LOVE. It is probably the best thing that I ever made. I also like the White Labs Irish Ale yeast for a Porter. I have been trying to experiment with a couple than go back and do something I have done before but make it better. The second time around I have been successful all but once. I might be making another Pumpkin for Christmas.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

Agree, S-04 and S-05 are great. My ventures into using other yeasts have not been successful. After 55 batches, all the different yeasts still makes my head spin.

There is really no need to have a bunch of yeasts for brewing. the more I brew, the fewer yeasts I brew with. I brew mostly lagers and haven't found any yeasts that can produce consistently good beer like Wyeast 2124 and 34/70 (dry). Of all the ale yeasts, I only use S04, WLP007 and occasionally Wyeast 1007 and 1318.

Every time I try a new yeast I'm usually disappointed and return to my old favorites. After 300-500 batches, I stopped chasing yeasts, especially Kviek.

 

[come_n_brew_it]

I just did my first step up starter. I'm doing a 10 gallon batch and only could find one liquid yeast packet - and it arrived at over 80F. I need a ~6L starter. I had a 2L flask, but I didn't want to do n * 2L to get me there so i decided to get a 5L flask and do a 4L starter and then step up another 3L. It also smelt of sulfur, but I've read certain yeast strains do that.

IDK if there is a moral to my story. I bought the minimum I thought I'd use to pitch. Now I need to pitch more so I need more, but I still couldn't have done it without 2 flasks. I wish you good luck on your starter!

 

[Sandy Feet]

There is really no need to have a bunch of yeasts for brewing. the more I brew, the fewer yeasts I brew with. I brew mostly lagers and haven't found any yeasts that can produce consistently good beer like Wyeast 2124 and 34/70 (dry). Of all the ale yeasts, I only use S04, WLP007 and occasionally Wyeast 1007 and 1318.

Every time I try a new yeast I'm usually disappointed and return to my old favorites. After 300-500 batches, I stopped chasing yeasts, especially Kviek.

I think it depends where we are in our evolution. If I had gone 300-500 batches, I might be the same way. I think I still have some learning to do, so I kind of do chase a few things. I am starting to learn that I like traditional beers along with my love for light, hoppier beers. Traditional beers have traditional yeast strains, and I still want to taste, well what things are supposed to taste like. Thus, the new love for WLP 004 and WLP 002. I think if I get some more batches under by belt, I might get to a few gotos as well.
I really don't have any interest in the Kviek either. Those that I have tasted don't have much of a character. It is great they can finish really fast, but it seems like you can't really use a complex grain bill with them. Want to make a Bud substitute, great. Want to make something with some character, no.

 

[Zambi]

Biggest advantage to me is that the kveik yeasts can handle high temperatures. The speed is not very important to me. I have found that kveik does improve if you give it time

 

[GFHomebrew]

I think it depends where we are in our evolution. If I had gone 300-500 batches, I might be the same way. I think I still have some learning to do, so I kind of do chase a few things. I am starting to learn that I like traditional beers along with my love for light, hoppier beers. Traditional beers have traditional yeast strains, and I still want to taste, well what things are supposed to taste like. Thus, the new love for WLP 004 and WLP 002. I think if I get some more batches under by belt, I might get to a few gotos as well.
I really don't have any interest in the Kviek either. Those that I have tasted don't have much of a character. It is great they can finish really fast, but it seems like you can't really use a complex grain bill with them. Want to make a Bud substitute, great. Want to make something with some character, no.

Wlp002 now is that English ale?
Maybe you and HVM share a common yeast bond.

Hey being new to brewing you wanna try all the malts all the yeasts and all the hops.

Later on you've worked your way through a small inventory of likes n dislikes that narrows down your choices.

I'm always trying to be an open book I've always got lots to learn

 

[Sandy Feet]

Wlp002 now is that English ale?
Maybe you and HVM share a common yeast bond.

Hey being new to brewing you wanna try all the malts all the yeasts and all the hops.

Later on you've worked your way through a small inventory of likes n dislikes that narrows down your choices.

I'm always trying to be an open book I've always got lots to learn

Oh yeah, WLP 002 is the Fullers Strain. It doesn't attenuate very well, but it has a wonderful character. I actually added a little bit of brown sugar to hit my numbers. WLP 004 I believe is the Guiness Strain. I had a Porter recipe that I played around with, and that yeast was the final step in making it really good.