1st Yeast Starter

[Tom Wrinkles]

I am trying my first yeast starter today. I boiled one quart of water with half a cup of light DME for 15 minutes, let it cool and poured it into a sanitized gallon jug. When i opened up my brand new WLP013 vial after shaking it well, it erupted. I am guessing I lost about a quarter of my yeast. Will I still have enough yeast to pitch tomorrow on top of a 1.071 wort or will I have to make another starter?

[Michael Erwin]

What volume? 5 gallons or 10?

Here's what I use: http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html.

[Tom Wrinkles]

5 gallon. This was the first time I ever opened up a white labs vial. I lost a lot of yeast on the counter top. It acted as if it was carbonated or maybe I shook it too much.

[Don]

Sorry I just reread the post. I thought you were using a stir plate.
That's the big difference in getting O2 into the starter
1.071 w/5.25 gal you will need @ 256 Billion yeast cells.
1 pack (1 month old yeast) with @ 2 lt. of wort in a stir plate will take care of a 1.071

But
Without a stir plate (Simple shaking) you will need 1 tube with a 3 qt starter.
This is calculated using 1 month old, healthy yeast,




You learned the same lesson as the rest of us. If you shake up a white labs tube let it sit a while and open it real slow.

[sirgiovanni]

Hey bud,
Two things;
If you have never made a starter before but pitched direct, this will put you ahead of where you were before so don't sweat it.

Second,
If you want to reach the correct pitch on this, let it work for 36 hours and put it in the fridge for two days. Then decant off the liquid from the top and use the yeast cake in the bottom to step up into a second starter. Only problem is you will have to delay brewing until next week.

If you have anymore questions or need some equipment, you're welcome to drop by sometime.

[Michael Erwin]

I've had that experience without shaking the vial, just having it come up to room temp. Anyway, I'm with Jimmy, if you just go with what you have, you are gonna notice an improvement in your beer. And, you're already setting the stage for even better yeast health in the future as you improve your process.

[Tom Wrinkles]

Thanks for the help everyone. I have to brew today or the next chance I have is next weekend. I am brewing another foreign extra stout with intentions of entering in the brewers cup and big turkey. Don, maybe with your help I can win the coveted Big Turkey Stein!

[Don]

Thanks for the help everyone. Don, maybe with your help I can win the coveted Big Turkey Stein!

My secret for Big Turkey, Is don't add any yeast. It will be a real sweat beer then.
Good luck.

[Tom Wrinkles]

I hit my gravity at 1.071. It is already bubbling just two and a half hours after pitching.

[Tom Wrinkles]

[quote="Don"] It will be a real sweat beer then.
quote]

Would that be a sour beer then?

[Don]

Have to ask Dwayne, he likes that sour stuff.

[sirgiovanni]

Tom,

Don lobbys thousands of dollars through the local judges. You don't have a chance even though your beer is better.

[Tom Wrinkles]

Tom,

Don lobbys thousands of dollars through the local judges. You don't have a chance even though your beer is better.

Don makes some great beer!

[Don]

What the hell..o this have anything to do with "1st Yeast Starter"
This should all be posted In private messages, so we don't give anyone else any ideas.

JMO>>


I have way too much invested to give away all my secrets, and Jimmy is now cut out of my will..

[Don]

I hit my gravity at 1.071. It is already bubbling just two and a half hours after pitching.

Tom
How did it finish out?
Did you get near the OG at the finish you wanted?