23 replies to this topic

[Thirsty]

I just made 1.25 gallons of starter in 2 jugs, with 1# pilsner DME and a vial of wlp500 in each. I have them chilling in my fridge now, so that I can do my usual routine: Decant the starter off the cake before pitching, leaving just enough behind to swirl up the cake. When I decant, I pour the now green beer, right down the kitchen sink. Wondering why I do this? Why don't I decant into a pot, stir in some hop tea for about 25 IBUs, and fill a couple 2 liter soda bottles. Pop on a carbonator cap, carb to 3 vols, and drink? I realize this is not going to be a fantastic beer, but it will be a decent 1.040 blond pilsner with Belgian character, and I will have 2 full bottles of it. Keep it ice cold, and I can have a lawnmower beer. So my thinking now is simply the process of how much hops do I add to how much water to boil a tea to come up with 25 IBUs? I have some leftover perle at about 7%aa that should work. So I was thinking about boiling a .25 oz of Perle in a pot of about 3 qts of water, which will probably boil down to 1-2 pints over 45 minutes, and give me 25-30 IBUs when added back to the gallon. Sound about right?

[djinkc]

I dump mine. Since it's been on a stirplate I assume it's going to be oxidized.

[MtnBrewer]

I tasted a starter once. Never again. *shudders*

[Thirsty]

I took both of these thoughts into account, but first to dj- even though it is stirred with a lot of O2, if I drink it a week or 2 out, there really shouldnt be much presence of oxidation, not sure? second to mtn- I agree from what I have tasted isnt delicious, but what beer is 2 days after ferment? if I wait the week or 2, I may have drinkable not oxidized beer. I am thinking it is at least worth the .25 oz of perle and maybe 15 minutes of work. We'll see.

[denny]

Adding hop tea to disgusting starter wort will make it truly noxious. Are you really that hard up for something to drink???

[RommelMagic]

I see no point in doing so. It's not really even beer. As Denny writes, are you really that thirsty?

[DaBearSox]

Hey people eat snails, seal hearts, eat nasty mushrooms to get messed up....I say go for it!

[ncbeerbrewer]

I would never want to drink a starter it taste nasty. I say no temperature control no reason to drink it.

[Thirsty]

I see no point in doing so. It's not really even beer. As Denny writes, are you really that thirsty?

All good points. I do try to make the absolute best possible beer I can, however pouring 1 (+ sometimes more) of a fermented beverage down the drain seems very wasteful. Looking to see if I can at least produce something drinkable. its not so much that I am hard up, as much as I am trying to be non wasteful. Who knows how it will taste, why not try a batch? As an experiment it is free and if it sucks (more than likely will) then down the drain it goes anyhow.

[denny]

All good points. I do try to make the absolute best possible beer I can, however pouring 1 (+ sometimes more) of a fermented beverage down the drain seems very wasteful. Looking to see if I can at least produce something drinkable. its not so much that I am hard up, as much as I am trying to be non wasteful. Who knows how it will taste, why not try a batch? As an experiment it is free and if it sucks (more than likely will) then down the drain it goes anyhow.

But you're not wasting it...you made a starter. Just because it's fermented doesn't mean you have to drink it. When the OJ in the fridge goes bad and starts fermenting, do you drink that? And hop tea is some of the most vile stuff I've ever put in my mouth. It seems like in an effort to make it "drinkable" you're making it even worse! But, hey, it's your tastebuds....I prefer to enjoy what I drink, not just force it down because it's there.

[Thirsty]

And hop tea is some of the most vile stuff I've ever put in my mouth.

Never tried it. Heard of people doing it for the medicinal "calming" effects, but didnt see it as something to do on its own, I figured that would be the best way to introduce some balance to a sweet unhopped beer. Duely noted, this will more than likely happen just to kill the curiosity factor, but again also more than likely will get dumped.

[davelew]

If you make a starter with the intent of getting yeast, the wort is unlikely to be drinkable.On the other hand, if you make beer, the yeast is likely to be plentiful and usable.Here's an example: In early May of 2009, I brewed a five gallons of a 1.040 red ale, a variation of Company Red #1, using WY1728. In mid May, I brewed five gallons of a 1.100 Russian imperial stout, which I pitched onto all but a cup of the yeast slurry from the red ale. That cup I reserved for the second runnings of the RIS, five gallons of a 1.036 small stout.15 gallons of beer. One Wyeast Activator pack of 1728. Zero starter wort dumped down any drains.

[Thirsty]

This may also not be a bad idea to use to steam mussels with. All the Belgian yeast character and sugar. I just hate waste.

[MyaCullen]

This may also not be a bad idea to use to steam mussels with. All the Belgian yeast character and sugar. I just hate waste.

I hear, you, I tried it, it was vile, very oxidized taste, blechhhh

[3rd party JKor]

I always taste my starters to make sure there are no funky flavors from an infection or something. They always taste bad. I certainly wouldn't want to drink it for enjoyment.

[denny]

This may also not be a bad idea to use to steam mussels with. All the Belgian yeast character and sugar. I just hate waste.

I'm having a hard time coming to terms with the concept of "waste" if you're making a starter with that wort. Just me, I guess...

[Thirsty]

No I hear what you are saying Denny, and I realize what I am doing is for the sole purpose and intent of a large healthy propagation, but whenever I throw something consumable away, I look too see if there is any salvagability. Like marinading a great steak, dumping the marinade is one option, but boiling and seperating the oil off of it, and adding some mushrooms serving it as a sauce is another option. So I agree it can be wasted because it was resourceful and produced my target goal, but what exactly am I throwing away? I guess if I was a pig farmer I would be the one that looks to use everything from the heel to the squeal. I have jars of bacon drippings in my fridge.

[djinkc]

This may also not be a bad idea to use to steam mussels with. All the Belgian yeast character and sugar. I just hate waste.

That's the ticket! Then you can add the hop tea and try it.Hey, if you want to try it ( without the mussels ) , do it. But you better report back

[Slainte]

I prefer to enjoy what I drink, not just force it down because it's there.

Yep, agree. Starter beer is nasty stuff, I would never force myself to drink it, just like I wouldn't force myself to drink a bad batch of beer. I have enough good beer on tap to drink. :)I wouldn't even cook with it. I don't want to taste it in my food.

[davelew]

Fermenting a starter won't get you extra beer, but fermenting a beer will get you extra yeast.Skip the stirplate, increase the volume, add some hops, and you'll get a quite drinkable beer that can be decanted off the yeast.