Sounds like an autoclave is a pressure cooker on steroids. I think someone needs to re-write the "uses" section on wikipedia to include homebrewing.carbon wrote:What about autoclaving starter wort in jars in instead of using a pressure cooker? It's basicly the same principle. Has anyone done this? Any reason why it wouldn't work? My wife has full access to an autoclave. She was thinking that we would have to leave the lids loose to allow pressure to escape, but I think it would be the same process as the pressure cooker. (lids tight, wait for them to cool before removing.) Thoughts?
Does the type of DME matter when making a starter?
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Re: Does the type of DME matter when making a starter?
Jon 
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lexuschris
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Re: Does the type of DME matter when making a starter?
Wow, great thread! I'm learning a lot.
For years, I used the dry yeast packs that came with my extract kits, and just mixed them in a tall glass of warm water (after boiling to sterilize) with a tablespoon of priming sugar. By the time my boil was done, and cooled, there was a nice foam at the top of the glass, and it all went into the fermenter.
A few years back, I started buying the liquid yeast starters and just pitched one tube into my 5-gallon batch.
Most recently, I started reading Brew Your Own magazine and am learning about yeast cell counts, pitching rates, etc. etc. So, I can see where I have just been getting lucky with 'winging 'it'.... but I had no idea you would mash actual wort, just to can & keep for a starter. Is that really neccessary? I am a newbie here... just gearing up for an all-grain batch, and have never really made a starter in the way you guys have described.
What is the DME method of making a starter? Scoop some DME into a quart of water, boil for 15 mins, cool and pitch yeast? How long until the starter is ready to pitch?
Thanks for all the feedback guys! You all rock!
--LexusChris
For years, I used the dry yeast packs that came with my extract kits, and just mixed them in a tall glass of warm water (after boiling to sterilize) with a tablespoon of priming sugar. By the time my boil was done, and cooled, there was a nice foam at the top of the glass, and it all went into the fermenter.
A few years back, I started buying the liquid yeast starters and just pitched one tube into my 5-gallon batch.
Most recently, I started reading Brew Your Own magazine and am learning about yeast cell counts, pitching rates, etc. etc. So, I can see where I have just been getting lucky with 'winging 'it'.... but I had no idea you would mash actual wort, just to can & keep for a starter. Is that really neccessary? I am a newbie here... just gearing up for an all-grain batch, and have never really made a starter in the way you guys have described.
What is the DME method of making a starter? Scoop some DME into a quart of water, boil for 15 mins, cool and pitch yeast? How long until the starter is ready to pitch?
Thanks for all the feedback guys! You all rock!
--LexusChris
"A woman drove me to drink, and I hadn't even the courtesy to thank her." – W.C. Fields
Re: Does the type of DME matter when making a starter?
FWIW, I just bought some Light English DME for starters today at the Home, Wine, Beer, and Cheese shop in Woodland Hills. This is what I typically use.
Dan
Dan
Re: Does the type of DME matter when making a starter?
Here is a pretty classic article about yeast starters. The article will describe it all better than I can.
http://www.mrmalty.com/starter_faq.htm
http://www.mrmalty.com/starter_faq.htm
Kevin