Starting a Liquid Culture

Some liquid cultures require amplification, that is further growth than is provided with internal starter pouches. In the case of liquid culture with no starter packs (advanced brewing cultures from Wyeast) a starter is required and not just recommended. After starting a fresh pack of liquid culture that has a nutrient pouch, even when grown under optimal conditions, you will still be underpitching. This amount of yeast should be boosted, as the amount of yeast directly relates to the start up time of fermentation, the better your pitching rate the quicker fermentation will get underway thereby reducing the ability for other organisms to possibly contaminate you beer. White Labs Pitchable Cultures do not require amplification, however, making a starter will reduce lag times.

No matter how good your technique is ther will allways ber some degree of contaminants in your wort and given enough time they will take over the fermentation. This means that you want the yeast to get going first and takre hold of the media and effectively outcompete all other organisms.

To Begin Starter:

1. Activate yeast culture by popping internal nutrient pouch. If yeast has no nutrient pouch then go to step #3.

2. Allow yeast to incubate in a warmer place for 24 hours or until pouch is swelled. The longer is not necessarily the better as yeast will go dormant if their food source runs out. It is better not to wait more than 48 hours before going to step 3.

3. Take 5 tablespoons of dry malt extract or 6 tablespoons of syrup malt and dissolve in 16 ounces (1 pint) of water in a saucepan. Do not use sugar as it lacks nutrients that the yeast require.

4. Boil this mix for 15 minutes and then turn off heat and cover pan. let cool for 10 minutes.

5. Into a sanitized 22 ounce or laarger beer bottle that has been heated with hot tap water funnel in mix from pan (funnl should be sanitized as well)

6. Affix airlock and rubber stoppwer. Allow this mix to cool to room temp. (approx. 75-85 degrees)

7. Remove airlock and quickly pour in yeast from pouch.

8. Replace airlock and shake mix vigorously to aerate well.

9. Allow to sit in warmer place (75-85 degrees) for 12-24 hours

10. You will now brew your 5 gallon batch when your starter s ready.

11. To add yeast swirl bottle to resuspend yeast then remove airlock and using a lighter flame opening of bottle to kill any bacteria that may have settled on the lip of the bottle. Now pour contents of bottle into the cool 5 gallon batch and ferment as normal. You should expect about a 12-24 hour start up time for fermentation to be evident.

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09/05/03