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Yeast Starters

PostPosted: Sat Jun 01, 2013 8:29 pm
by Urrazeb
Hi fellas, how do you do your starters?
Whats the most economical way of using yeast for a recipe that has been multiplied for a 200L wash?

I regularly put down 200L washes and usually use a tin of lowans, kicked off with some LME, inverted sugar and tiny bit of multi vitamin, but unsure if I am wasting yeast, could I get away with half that? :-?

Not too sure on the rate of reproduction for yeast :smile:


Edit: Usually a whiskey wash, I dont use lme for rum or tpw

Re: Yeast Starters

PostPosted: Sat Jun 01, 2013 8:39 pm
by kiwikeg
I use 200l fermenter for my bwko I start with 50l first gen, add more grain, and double the batch to 100l for the 2nd gen then double again to 200l for 3rd gen go about 8-12 gens then start again. Cheap on the yeast and keeps product semi consistant...

Yeast Starters

PostPosted: Sat Jun 01, 2013 9:03 pm
by Dominator
Do you add yeast to your second and third gens or just use the yeast bed and let them multiply?

Re: Yeast Starters

PostPosted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 3:17 am
by kiwikeg
just let them multiply no need to add more

Re: Yeast Starters

PostPosted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 6:21 pm
by Urrazeb
Yeah thats a good method kk. Just on starting off a 200L wash would ya think that a tin of lowans is too much?

Re: Yeast Starters

PostPosted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 7:01 pm
by Cane Toad
how can it be too much? All it means is that the yeast reach a happy medium quicker than if you dumped 100gms in,in other words,they are spending less time rooting/multiplying and more time doing what they are supposed to be,namely,peeing out lovely booze for us to enjoy :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Re: Yeast Starters

PostPosted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 7:15 pm
by kiwikeg
sorry I don't know what size lowans tins are its not available here. Edit posting at same time- what he said :text-imwithstupid:

Re: Yeast Starters

PostPosted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 7:17 pm
by bcg1976
Lowans are 280gms to memory...

Re: Yeast Starters

PostPosted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:47 pm
by Urrazeb
I'm hearing ya pinto :-? but I do a fuck load of washes and if I can cut the yeast input then it'll be more economical. Do you do a starter? Afaik the point of the starter is to multiply the yeast so its strong enough to tackle the amount of sugar with minimal input within a acceptable time frame.

I'm trying to find out what the minimal amount is needed to kick a 200L wash

Re: Yeast Starters

PostPosted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 9:59 pm
by kiwikeg
Sorry I am not sure id guess 100grams would be safe for a 200l wash? I am kind of past measuring ingrediants in my UJSM/BWKO.
I guess how clean your gear is comes into the equation too -

Clean gear+more yeast = faster takeoff= less chance for nastys to take over

yeast is probily the cheapest part of a wash so I would tend add more to be safe if worried.
Consider hitting up a local baker for some fresh yeast if you want to cut costs- I mean a baker must pay f-all for his bulk yeast?

Re: Yeast Starters

PostPosted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 10:22 pm
by MacStill
At what point does cost cutting become unviable?

You're already making great booze at 10% of the cost of a bottle of store bought, I mean FMD if you gotta worry bout $4 yeast for a 200L wash you got more important financial concerns to pay attention too.

I get the whole cheap thing, but geez :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead: :angry-banghead:

Yeast Starters

PostPosted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 7:02 am
by Dominator
I gotta agree with Mac. Especially if your running multiple gens and reusing your yeast bed. $4 in yeast over 5 gens of 200L wash makes the cost negligible.
If your collecting at 10% drinking stock per L of wash, your yeast is costing you $4 for 100L of hooch. Or 4c per Ltr. Is it really worth trying to cut that down.

Re: Yeast Starters

PostPosted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 10:40 am
by Urrazeb
Not so much the cost but more so wastage, and I am planning on using speacialty strains, just dont want to waste what I dont have to :smile:

I hear alot of guys saying just use a starter, but no actual recipes for it in distilling, whats the point of doing a starter if your overusing from the start.

Cost is not the issue, honing the hobby to be as economical as possible is. Water costs fuck all but I'm not gonna chuck the hose down the drain just because it's cheap. :?

Re: Yeast Starters

PostPosted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 1:02 pm
by Linno
gday Urra

I am on my eighth Gen BWKO and havent bought yeast since the second gen after i accidently roasted the first gen with hotslops :violence-smack: doesnt get any cheaper than that mate.

i dont see a need to put it in every gen if you look after it.

Re: Yeast Starters

PostPosted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 1:03 pm
by MacStill
Just do a simple starter mate, you could get a 200L wash going using as little as you like....

bit of warm water, sugar, teaspoon of yeast a few hours before you're ready to pitch (bit rough but will work) :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Yeast Starters

PostPosted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 1:25 pm
by Dominator
Yeah, good point. No point using 200g of yeast when 100g is enough.

From my reading by boiling yeast it breaks the cell walls down and creates nutrients for the fresh yeast. Cannibalistic little fuckers aren't they? I don't know for grain washes but for rum starters have yeast, molasses, vitamin b and water.

Re: Yeast Starters

PostPosted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 1:59 pm
by Urrazeb
Linno wrote:gday Urra

I am on my eighth Gen BWKO and havent bought yeast since the second gen after i accidently roasted the first gen with hotslops :violence-smack: doesnt get any cheaper than that mate.

i dont see a need to put it in every gen if you look after it.

Sorry linno, misunderstanding, I dont put any extra yeast in my subsequent washes if continuing gens, only the first

Just got 10g of ec1118 and considering starting a new wash, just wondering what the largest fermenter I could start with this little yeast :)