I just watched a couple videos about yeast starters. Sounds like a good idea, I think that will be my next DIY project. But I have a question, how do you know how much yeast you will need for what beer? And how do you know what your yeast population is after a day? Or if you re-run the yeast starter procedure and add a second batch of boiled extract to grow more yeast. How would you know how much yeast was in there without using some type of spectroscopy and taking a density reading. And, could you re-use the yeast from a primary? Like if you rack the beer out of your bucket / carboy, could you take a sample from the bottom and re-grow a starter from the yeast at the bottom?
There are other good ones, but I started with this one and like the results. http://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/ The brewing calculator that Vikeman developed has a calculator built in to BrewCipher.
thanks @scurvy311 Ya, I don't have MS office at home. So I can't use brew cipher here. This is a great tool though thanks. Can you re-use yeast from batch to batch?
You can but it comes with its own +/-. Storage time and sanitation mostly. I tried it but found it more convenient to just do starters with fresh yeast. I tend to not do recipes that beer the same yeast.
You can use Brewcipher with OpenOffice (free to download and use). Yes, you can reuse yeast...but you have to know what you're doing, and be anal about your sanitation.
Yep, this has been going on since the Mesopotamians discovered beer. Here's a decent tutorial: http://homebrewacademy.com/yeast-washing Here's an even easier way to make an oversized starter and store the excess: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/yeast-harvesting-novel-approach.html
