Yeast Starter via Stir Plate

[latham]

Hi guys

New user from the Wheatbelt in Western Australia. Baby sitting 2 x 5yr olds & 1 x 7 yr old. All Grain brewing for 3 months. 1st Stir Plate Starter happening as I speak! After 24 hous krausen? Seems to have stopped and wort is still being circulated. Where am I at ? Seems like I am just circulating wort with no action now.
Was planning on leaving starter for 48hours before crashing,draining and adding another 2ltr of wort to to re start yeast .
Made 2 x 2ltr starters with 250gr of DME in each + Smack pack in each.Added some nutrient to initial 4ltr of wort as well. Planning on crashing at 48 hours and the repitching new starters. After another 48 hours hoping to pitch to a Burton Special Bitter.

[Afterlab]

You have the right idea by doing a yeast starter on a stir plate but I think you are putting in a lot more work than you need to for this batch. Two things to consider:

Since you aren't actually fully fermenting a beer when you do a yeast starter, you won't see a ton of activity aside from some krausening. Once the yeast is done waking up and building its cell walls and reserves, there isn't much more for it to do in starter wort. There isn't an abundant amount of sugar left for it to consume so you won't see a sustained amount of activity.

I can't speak for what your grain bill or original gravity is but it sounds like it might be brewing a lower gravity session beer? If this is the case you really shouldn't need to step up your starter, your initial yeast growth from your first starter should be plenty. If you were doing a 10% Barleywine or a Doppelbock you may want to do a step starter, but it seems unnecessary for an English Bitter. Not to mention you run the risk of yeast infection (yeah I said it) if you manipulate your starter too much.

[latham]

Thanks for replying to my question. That's exactly why I have joined the forum. Gave you wrong info last night when baby sitting (and Having a beer!!). I am am intending to brew a Burton Pale Ale (Extra Special/Strong Bitter). Est ABV 6.0%. Would like to knock that back a bit though to about 4.5% if possible. Does your advice still stand for a 6.0% beer and then at what sought of ABV do I need to step up my starter. I intend to leave starter for 48 hours and then either crash and renew or jut hold till I Brew.

[brewinhard]

24 hours is usually more than enough time to ferment out a 2L starter on a stirplate. Cold crash it for 24-48 hours, decant most of the clear oxidized wort above the yeast layer, then pitch just the yeast into your chilled wort.

[gwk453]

I agree with Afterlab that there is no need to over complicate by stepping up for a bitter. A 2 liter stirplate starter will be kickass. I stir 24 hrs usually, 30 hr for some english yeast. Then chill let settle a couple of days then decant. I steal some a liter of wort per starter from the boil kettle after hot break and BEFORE any hop additions. Chill the liter to pitching temp and allow the decanted yeast slurry to warm to pitching temp. Combine them and place on the stir plate while your finishing your boil. By the time you get the main wort chilled, your starter will be working like a buzz saw. I normally see active fermentation within 4 hrs. of an oxygenated wort. Be prepared to run a blow out tube. I just stick a hose over the stack of a 3 piece bubbler to a bucket of water. After blowout is contained after a few days, I am now pulling out the blow out bubbler and replacing it with a one piece S airlock. Step up recently expired yeast, or lager yeast, but for ales within it's useby date (unless your brewing a monster high alcohol beer) don't worry! Enjoy

[spiderwrangler]

Are you covering your starter with foil? I go until I don't see any more bubbles rising up through the starter.

[latham]

You guys hve blown me away with your replies.!! I am going to crash my starter which has been going 48 hours and I am going to pitch after I have decanted the excess wort. I did make the mistake of not identifying my brew which is going to be a Burton Extra Special Bitter. I got the recipe off of Beer Smith however I am going to pull the Brown Sugar to knock down the ABV and I am not sure where that will fit with styles but hopefully I get a good tasting beer. At this stage of my learning curve the yeast & fermentation i s more important than the beer. You guys have been awesome for trying to help!!

[latham]

Thanks for all the info guys. I have posted replies earlier but as I am new to this forum thing God knows where they went!! I got my info incorrect and the beer I am going to brew is a Burtons Extra Special Strong Bitter which is a English Pale Ale with a ABV approx 6%. I have crashed my yeast after 48 hours on the stir plate and will decant the wort and add to my brew. I have also decided to pull out the 1kg of Brown Sugar in the recipe because I want to dropp the ABV. So it won't be a Burton's at all. All the brews I have done so far have been around 5-6% and I need something I can enjoy and have a couple more and still interact with my family!! I am using Thames Valley Ale Wyeast 1275. What do you think fella's go ahead or before I brew do you suggest another recipe/style. Thanks for all the advice. It's raining here in the Western Australian wheatbelt and the farmers crops have been planted. No hops here though(unfortunately).
Cheers