Making a Yeast Starter

Equipment:

  • Starter vessel – quart size or larger
  • Stopper & Airlock
  • Measuring cups
  • Rubbing Alcohol & Cotton swabs

Starter should be at least 2 cups in size.

Process:

To make a starter medium, use malt extract, dried malt extract, or some unfermented wort from a previous batch. It is important to use malt based sugars, as other sugars do not have sufficient nutrients for healthy yeast growth. Add water to the extract. The best specific gravity for a yeast start is between 1.030 – 1.040.

Starter Volume                 Volume of Extract               Yeast Nutrient                  Hops (optional)

1 cup                                   1 tablespoon                     1/2 teaspoon                    1/2 teaspoon
2 cups                                 2 tablespoons                   1 teaspoon                        1 teaspoon
1 Quart                               1/4 cup                               1 tablespoon                     1 tablespoon

Boil the starter solution for 15-20 minutes and then allow to cool to 70 degrees F. Pour it into sanitized vessel. Before adding the yeast to the container, swab all contact points (pour) with alcohol dipped swab.  Add yeast from pouch or other medium. Shake well and cover with airlock. To save some of the yeast for another starter, place in refrigerator for up to 1 month.   Sterilization is key to this operation.

Carboy harvesting yeast for starter after racking to bottles:

  • Have yeast ready to harvest while racking to secondary or bottling if no secondary racking
  • Alternately, have yeast smack-pack smacked, liquid yeast on hand, or dry yeast re-activated using 90 degree F. sterilized water
  • Have container such as large jug, flask, or other glass container fully sanitized
  • Have sanitized piece of aluminum foil on hand
  • For 1 quart of starter, use 1 quart of water to ¼ cup DME, 1 tablespoon yeast nutrient, and bring to a boil – boil 15-20 mins.
    (or ½ cup DME to 2 qts water + 2 tablespoons yeast nutrient)
  • Once wort completes the boil, chill to 70 degrees F.
  • Sanitize all contact points
  • Transfer chilled wort to glass container
  • Pitch yeast
  • Shake to aerate (vigorously)
  • Airlock
  • After 12-18 hours, the starter should be ready to pitch
  • Pour off the excess wort from the vessel, swirl gently, and pitch
  • Alternately, to keep the yeast do the following:
    • Allow the yeast to do its fermentation process and settle
    • Refrigerate container for up to 1 month
    • When ready to use, remove from fridge and warm to 65-70 degrees F.
    • Carefully pour off the top wort leaving only the yeast cake at bottom and a bit of the wort
    • Pitch contents using sanitized funnel