Can an oxygenation kit be used to make a yeast starter?

Imacfrog 2017-02-09 12:05:30 UTC #1

Can an oxygenation kit be used to make a yeast starter? Or is a stir plate or shaking still required?

wilcolandzaat 2017-02-09 12:53:28 UTC #2

Think the goal of the stirplate. To create oxygen for your yeast .if you add oxygen. Only and not the stirplate. You got to shake the flask. My thought stay with the stirplate

voodoo_donut 2017-02-09 12:53:59 UTC #3

I believe an initial shot of oxygen is great/ optimal but from that point supplemental o2's role is done. You need time and agitation. Some brewers use the shake /agitate method every time they walk by, and others use stir plates.

dannyboy58 2017-02-09 21:32:17 UTC #4

Agree with @voodoo_donut

The goal of a stirplate is not really to add oxygen but to kep the yeast in constant contact with the wort. Agitation is the key to speeding up the fermentation.

loopie_beer 2017-02-11 01:31:50 UTC #5

I've been using the shaken not stirred method and have been VERY pleased. Here's all you need:
1). One gallon jug sanitized
2) 100g DME
3) 1L water

Bring your water to boil. Add DME. Boil 15 mins. Cool. Add to jug and shake the living sh!+ out of it. Shake it until it is completely foam. Pitch yeast.

You want to do this 12-18 hours before brewing. Try to pitch at high krausen. There's a very good hypothesis that some people are perceiving off flavors which are actually caused by shear stress on the yeast. I too have become a HUGE believer that this is true.

uncdeo 2017-02-11 02:20:12 UTC #6

Ditto on all of that.

sneezles61 2017-02-11 03:18:58 UTC #7

Just saying, I read your post about this style... It works great for me too! As far as theory, I think its maybe a combo of O2 and suspension .. Sneezles61

dannyboy58 2017-02-11 04:27:16 UTC #8

I like the idea of pitching at high krauesen and I have with 1L starters but if it's a bigger starter for lagers I just feel like it's too much volume to pitch 3-4L.

voodoo_donut 2017-02-11 16:46:04 UTC #9

I just spent the last hour+ reviewing the posts on AHA forum on the "shaken not stirred" method, after reading @loopie_beer 's post.... ...it challenges a lot of assumptions we adhere to, that's for certain. I try to keep an open mind and not be a Luddite so I will be trying this with my next starter. No stirplate, no decanting, no coldcrashing, no building up stepped starters, no shots of pure oxygen. Disclaimer, I never used oxygen trying to avoid that hassle and cost. I use the mixstir in both starter flasks and wort to oxygenate. I also always pitched at high krauesen even with larger starters for lagers even though I shared @dannyboy58 's concerns about Pitching that volume of spent wort. It is a different paradigm to wrap your head around. The GOAL is not to pitch the most yeast, but to pitch about 200 billion cells of prime healthy active yeast that are going to double every 90 minutes.......

voodoo_donut 2017-02-11 16:52:03 UTC #10

A question. I'm picturing using a plastic sanitized one gallon milk jug which would be lightweight, easy to find and replace, and has a handle. Some of the home brewers were still trying to use their erlenmeyers for this method which I think makes no sense! A slippery missile which limits the foam air liquid interface....
A bit of confusion because in some of the posts s.cerevesiae(the proponent of the shaken not stirred method ) kept referring to some type of glass one gallon vessel for this.

flars 2017-02-11 17:18:22 UTC #11

I will often use a one gallon pickle jar for large one step shaken starters. There are also larger canning type jars available. These large ones aren't meant for canning or hot water processing but have the lid and ring for sealing.

I keep the jar close to the body when turning most of the starter wort into foam.

uncdeo 2017-02-11 17:21:05 UTC #12

One gallon carboys work wonderful.....and i have yet experience the lag times i used to experience after pitching....even at lager temps.

loopie_beer 2017-02-11 17:30:05 UTC #13

You can use any vessel as long as you can effectively sanitize it. I use a 5L media bottle for 5gal batches and a 10L media bottle for 10gal batches.

A gallon apple juice works well as well.

voodoo_donut 2017-02-11 18:34:46 UTC #14

Ok, thanks. I'm going to go with a one gallon plastic jug used just for RO water previously. That seems like an ideal vessel for the "Shake it like it owes you money and pitch at high krauesen method".

Just curious, @loopie_beer , why are you using a larger media bottle for 10 gallon batches? I thought the whole point was the irrelevance, within reason, of the pitch size ?

loopie_beer 2017-02-11 18:40:02 UTC #15

From my understanding you want at least a 1:4 ratio of liquid to volume. I do 2L starters for 10gal.

sneezles61 2017-02-11 22:22:35 UTC #16

I've had very good results with a growler too. I can very easily shake the living bejesus into it, and not slobber or lose hold of it. Sneezles61

voodoo_donut 2017-02-11 23:58:28 UTC #17

Yes, please try to keep the slobbering to a minimum, this is a respectable place

voodoo_donut 2017-02-26 21:59:48 UTC #18

Ok, here goes nothin' ! Pitched my 'shaken not stirred' yeast starter into 5G of 1.060 wort......from using a fancy stir plate and a pair of Erlenmeyers to a plastic jug and foil!

I was able to convert the starter wort into a cloud of foam with this vessel.

Smelled great and very active appearing starter. Now we wait.......

loopie_beer 2017-02-27 00:51:05 UTC #19

I think you'll be surprised. Let us know how it turns out.

sneezles61 2017-02-27 11:03:03 UTC #20

I do enjoy the ease of this method! Sneezles61