Wyeast 2 litre starter - pour off the liquid ?

[roger the dog]

I'm doing a London Pride clone & after using Jim's method to split the Wyeast London ESB 1968 into 5 I've got a two litre starter bubbling away.

I'm thinking that as I don't want 2 litres of unhopped beer to taint the main batch I'll pour off the liquid & add some of the cooled post boil wort to the demijohn to 'swill out' the yeast cake & pitch.

Any thoughts on my method, good/bad etc. ?

Cheers

[subsub]

Sounds like a plan RTD. I generally take the wort from early in the boil as I can check if my starter is still alive pre pitching

[oblivious]

you will want the slurry of a liter starter for the correct amount of yeast


I usually let it ferment and put it some where cool to settle out, i have heard some people putting it in the fridge. them i pour of the excess liquid and pitch.

If you want to save some you could split the starter before its finished one part of the wort the other to re split and saved in the fridge?

[roger the dog]

I generally take the wort from early in the boil as I can check if my starter is still alive pre pitching

I'm actually brewing it today & the starter is bubbling away like a lava lamp so it looks like a go-er

If you want to save some you could split the starter before its finished one part of the wort the other to re split and saved in the fridge?

I've already split the pack into 5 already so I think I'll pitch the whole cake from the 2 starter.

Thanks for the advice chaps

[steve_flack]

I usually make my starters (2L) a week in advance on a stirplate. When they're done. I put them in the fridge until brewday. I then take them out to warm up, decant off the liquid and then add some cooled wort from the boil (after it's been boiled for 10 minutes). This seems much more effective than just decanting and pitching. Since starting to do this I'm getting much better starts. This weekend I brewed 10G of a 1.047 Belgian Single. The airlock was bubbling within three hours of pitching and was pretty much fermented out after just two days (WLP-500 at 20C).

[roger the dog]

I like the sound of a 3 hour lag time Steve, I'll think I'll try your method.

How much liquid do your draw off the boil to add to the yeast cake, 2 litres ?

[steve_flack]

Between 1-1.5L. I draw if off into a separate flask, cover it with foil, give it a little boil on the hob just to make sure the flask is sterile then cool it in the sink. Usually you get a bit of hot/cold break in the flask so I decant the cooled wort off that when I add it to the flask with the yeast in it.

[roger the dog]

Right, my 'flask' will be a medium sized saucepan so I'll give it that additional boil prior to cooling.

Thanks again Steve

[Martin the fish]

I've used the same method as SF and my lag time was a little longer but it's how i would go on every liquid starter now. I like the fact that you are utilising the same wort from the brew you are pitching into. I also find it really easy and simple to do. I need simple mostly.

[roger the dog]

Cheers Martin, fingers crossed I haven't contaminated the yeast during the process

I need simple mostly.

I'm with you there

[mysterio]

I pitch in the whole starter for ale, I only go to the trouble of chilling and decanting for lagers.

One thing to watch out for with that yeast is it drops like a stone and can be hard to shift from the bottom.

[roger the dog]

Cheers M, my plastic paddle is ready & waiting

[roger the dog]

Just to update, there were sign of life in the FV 5 hours after pitching & a nice foamy head this morning (which beats my previous liquid yeast lag time by about 2 1/2 days )