Cedar Rapids Brewing Society

Got my stir plate to working last weekend (2 trips to Radio Shack later). So, I started using it for the first time with a yeast starter last night for tomorrow's brew day. Do you run it continuously until you pitch it? Or, is there some "rest time" where you should stop stirring before you pitch?

I don't think it will matter too much either way, but stirring is sort of the ideal situation for the yeast (maximum dispersal throughout the starter), so I'd just let it stir away.

-Jim

On Fri, Feb 11, 2011 at 1:41 PM, tony b <brew-tech@crbeernuts.org (brew-tech@crbeernuts.org)> wrote:

Got my stir plate to working last weekend (2 trips to Radio Shack later). So, I started using it for the first time with a yeast starter last night for tomorrow's brew day. Do you run it continuously until you pitch it? Or, is there some "rest time" where you should stop stirring before you pitch?

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tony b wrote:Got my stir plate to working last weekend (2 trips to Radio Shack later). So, I started using it for the first time with a yeast starter last night for tomorrow's brew day. Do you run it continuously until you pitch it? Or, is there some "rest time" where you should stop stirring before you pitch?

depends on the size, ideally or actually I should say personally, I like to cold crash it prior to pitching, decant the wort, then bring to room temp to pitch yeast to fermenters. That way you are not pitching all that wort and affecting the flavor of the beer you are making. Which is quite important when you are making a larger starter.

tony b wrote:Got my stir plate to working last weekend (2 trips to Radio Shack later). So, I started using it for the first time with a yeast starter last night for tomorrow's brew day. Do you run it continuously until you pitch it? Or, is there some "rest time" where you should stop stirring before you pitch?

If I'm making an ale starter (typically 2L or less), I just pitch the whole thing and try to time it out so the starter is at peak activity once it goes in. I refrain from cold crashing b/c of the thermal shock to the yeast. I can't scientifically prove this influences the flavor of my beer, but I've read multiple times (from sources I trust) that you want your yeast to experience as small of a thermal shift as possible when you pitch them. Pitching an 85F starter into 66F wort can cause cause off-flavors associated with a sluggish fermentation. Alternatively, pitching a 40F starter into 66F wort can kill some of the yeast, thereby reducing the value of the starter and producing similar off-flavors. Again, I haven't done any rigorous tests to confirm this, but it seems to be working so far. I even try to make sure dried yeast are rehydrated in water close to the temp of the wort.

If I'm making a lager starter (typically 3-4L), I will let the starter run for longer to ensure maximum growth, cool the wort, and decant most of the liquid. I will then let the starter sit in the fermentation chamber next to the wort while both of them stabilize around 48F until I can pitch. This typically takes 6-12 hrs.

I try to make my starter far enough ahead of time to finish out. I let it settle overnight, decant most of the liquid, and then pitch into the kettle at the end of my whirlpool chilling. I pitch in the kettle as this was the only way I could figure out how to evenly distribute the yeast between 2 fermenters.

Oh, and be sure to use the Mr Malty Pitching Rate Calculator
http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html
If it says to use more than 1 yeast packet check into steppping up your starter.

I find I get the shortest lag times by pitching an active starter. I usually try to make my starter 24-48 hours before brewing. I never chill them, unless the brew day gets canceled.

I use the mrmalty calculator and make the yeast starter per his directions which are 12-18 hours before pitching and then pitch the whole thing. Mine are usually still active when I pitch and I usually have an active fermentation going within hours after pitching. I brewed a Hefeweizen last Sunday night (yes I am brewing again) and in the morning I had a yeast bomb all over the place fermenting 10 gallons in a sanke keg. The Hefe yeast is really active.