Labels:text | font | paper | black and white | document OCR: great as the varying flavors obtained The Yeast Starter with two different malt extracts. Know- A yeast starter is a nutrient broth into ing the impact a particular yeast strain which inactive liquid yeast (dry yeasts can make on flavor, commercial brew- do not need a starter) is placed two days ers try many strains in test brews before before brewing, giving the yeast a choosing a yeast suitable for their beer. chance to become active and reproduce Restricting a brewer to one or two yeast before being added to the wort, assuring strains is like limiting a chef to one or the fast start of fermentation. It is ad- two spices. vantageous to have fermentation start as The new liquid yeast cultures offer an soon as possible, as the unfermented expanded yeast selection to the home beer is vulnerable to contamination be- brewer at minimal expense, especially if fore fermentation starts, being a very at- the yeast is collected and reused for the tractive and nutritious broth for next batch. Though there are many com- airborne bacteria. Fermentation pro- plex methods outlined in books for sav- duces bacteria-suffocating CO2 gas ing and culturing yeast, the advent of blanketing the beer because CO2 is the $3.00 laboratory culture has made heavier than air. them less than necessary (although, Before starting, remember that bacte- unlike dry yeasts, liquid yeast cultures rial infection in the yeast starter will must be started a day or two in advance grow faster than the yeast and ruin your of brewing). I just plan to brew two or beer; sterilize fastidiously and divert three batches within a week of each your bacteria-laden breath from the other and save a cupful (sterilize the cup work area. thoroughly before use and cover with To prepare, use the yeast starter mix aluminum foil) of yeast from the bottom included with the liquid yeast or add 1 of the fermenter (if the ferment was tablespoon of syrup malt extract (or 2 ta- clean and not infected) which can then blespoons of dry malt extract) to 10 oz. of be stored for up to a week in a refrigera- water, boil for 20 minutes to sterilize. tor to start the next batch. Providing the and pour boiling hot into a sterilized cold beer still tastes good, the yeast from the water-jacketed champagne bottle. next batch can be collected and used for Cover the bottle loosely with a bottle cap, one more final batch. It is generally not a let cool to 85 degrees F ., add liquid or good idea to grow the yeast for more dry yeast, and replace the bottle cap than 3 batches, as wild yeast and bacte- loosely on top of the bottle. When fer- ria will slowly infect the yeast, leading to mentation-produced bubbles rise in the off-flavors in the beer unless you brew bottle (wait 2 to 4 days) pour the starter under laboratory-sterile conditions. into your freshly-cooled wort to start The use of the new liquid yeast cul- fermentation. tures can greatly expand the flavor range of your beers with minimal added effort. Different strains of lager or ale yeast can improve the flavor as well as the aroma of beer, lending spicy or sweet flavor overtones and sweet aromas, as well as sedimenting out of the beer fas- ter after fermentation. If your best lag- er's flavor could be cleaner, or your finest ale effort lacks the smooth smoky aftertaste of your favorite import, trying a new pure yeast strain may amaze you, adding sparkle to your lager and giving a smooth complexity to your most refined ale. William's Brewing P.O. Box 2195 San Leandro, CA 94577
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