How to Make a Yeast Starter

Step by step instructions for making a yeast starter for homebrewing beer.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• starter
• yeast
• beer
• homebrew
• homebrewing
• polvino
• wort

[mauser98k98]

Man there is no reason to use iodine when you could use 5star.

[JoePolvino]

@mauser98k98 The iodine I use is free. I also use star san in a spray bottle, which doesn't have to be rinsed. I actually prefer the star san!

[Hogo69]

I'm brewing my fourth batch of beer and this is the first time I will do a starter. Have a wyeast american ale liquid yeast pack for the IPA I'm brewing. Should I use this same method for the liquid yeast ?

[JoePolvino]

@Hogo69 Same method for smack packs, vials, and dry yeast.

[MrJkubinski]

Hey Joe.....I'm just starting to get into homebrewing. In fact, I haven't yet brewed my first batch but I'm doing a lot of research and I becoming for fascinated with everything I read or see. So far I think All-Grain is the way I want to go. I have a couple of questions.

1) I understand that you like to use just a primary fermentation. But what is the point of a secondary for those who do that?

2) Is it possible to use a glass container for fermentation?

[JoePolvino]

@MrJkubinski Doing a primary-only method is simple and effective for most beers. Secondary fermentation is really only necessary when you need to ferment for longer times, like when you have a big beer or lager, and you don't want the beer sitting on the yeast too long (and ruin the flavor from autolysis). Some people do secondaries all the time, and there is nothing wrong with that, but there is a small risk of infection. Simpler is betterer.

And yes, a lot of people ferment in glass carboys.

[bull61175]

@Progfan2010 the activator pack is not the dry pack it is a wyeast brand he is talking about

[kaybabe2000]

ummm... im just making bread..

[Progfan2010]

Hi Joe:

I am going to make my first beer soon. I don´t have any yeast the way you do. I´ll pitch with a dry yeast pack. But I didn´t understand what you meant at minute 2:50 about it.

You mean I should have opened the pack and poured it into the liquid?.

Regards

[JoePolvino]

@ryantickle I normally get the yeast "near" the temperature that the wort gets cooled to.