Starter temperature

Yeast & Fermentation
1

Yeast have quite specific temperature range reccomendations. Do they apply to the starter as well? I haven’t done many starters since I tried it early on in my brewing and didn’t see any improvement, but I recently had an issue with a finicky saison yeast that I think would have been resolved with a higher pitching rate. Sooooo, what gives on starter temperature? Do I have to hold the starter in the fermentation range for the yeast strain? This would be a pain as I live in Florida (house temp about 79) so most ferments require a second fridge…

2

79F will work just fine. Higher temps work better for propagation. Don’t exceed 90.
Make sure you discard the wort prior to pitching. It will add off flavors.

3

[quote=“MRCCEO”]79F will work just fine. Higher temps work better for propagation. Don’t exceed 90.
Make sure you discard the wort prior to pitching. It will add off flavors.[/quote]

+1. Yeast like warmer temps. And remember you’re just growing yeast and not making beer. Just be sure to cool and decant. Don’t pitch that funky wort!

4

Thanks guys, so the temperature ranges provided are more for proper flavor, not necessarily for where fermentation will occur correct?

5

Yup, yeast love warm! A larger will ferment at ale temps, but you wouldn’t want to drink it. I actually make my larger starters (and all my starters) at room temp. Again, just make sure you dump the spent wort.