No DME for starter...thoughts?

[noeldundas]

Hi,

I need to make some starters and my LHBS doesn't carry DME of any kind. In fact no where around here (vancouver, bc) does. Aside - If you know of somewhere please tell me!

Conventional wisdom seems to be to use Light Dried Extract, and the lightest coloured thing he's got is liquid wheat extract.Is there any reason this won't work well for starters?

I will pour off most of the wort and just pitch the yeast slurry, so I don't anticipate any discernible wheat character making it into my brew.

Similarly would liquid Pale Malt Extract (10 SRM) be any worse/better? If it matters, I'm all-grain.

Thanks!
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[Nate Diggler]

You can buy small amounts of the liquid malt extract syrup at a healthfood store... it's usually in the alternative sweetener section.

[ApresSkiBrewer]

I would say periodically put in an order with Northern Brewer or More Beer for things that you can't get at your LHBS. That being said...

I would go with the Liquid Pale Malt extract first, if time is of the essence. Otherwise, if you brew frequently enough, you could boost up one of your AG batches, and run off some extra wort for a starter. Even if you brew a week later... run of some extra wort, boil and pitch your starter... and since you are going to chill and decant anyway, you can pitch that starter anytime over the next 3-14 days.

[Bugeater]

Before I started pressure canning large batches of starter wort, I would just make up a small all grain starter. I would put a pound of crushed grain in a half gallon drink cooler with a couple quarts of 150° water and let it mash for 45 minutes or so. This is followed by dumping it into a strainer and pouring a couple cups of hot water over it to sparge. I did this for a couple years because I am too cheap to buy DME.

Wayne

[noeldundas]

I looked at northern and more beer, but shipping charges to canada are a bitch so I am waiting until I can tack it on to my next piece of equipment that I order. For instance, a $70 order with 10lbs of DME and some grains (which I'm only getting to justify the shipping anyway!) is $50 USD in shipping (UPS charges a brokerage to Canada). Which doesn't really seem worth if I can pay $5 for liquid malt extract when I need it, you know?

[Mills]

I know that it is not ideal, but I would take a stab at some of the dried yeasts out there, especially if you are making some beer with a lot of character. Pitching rates are easy to hit with dry yeast and you can brew most american and british styles with them.

Makes me feel fortunate to have a great LHBS!

[ApresSkiBrewer]

I looked at northern and more beer, but shipping charges to canada are a bitch so I am waiting until I can tack it on to my next piece of equipment that I order. For instance, a $70 order with 10lbs of DME and some grains (which I'm only getting to justify the shipping anyway!) is $50 USD in shipping (UPS charges a brokerage to Canada). Which doesn't really seem worth if I can pay $5 for liquid malt extract when I need it, you know?

The brewsaver shipping through Northern Brewer isn't extended to canada? Bummer. Maybe I should start running DME across the border!

[noeldundas]

Otherwise, if you brew frequently enough, you could boost up one of your AG batches, and run off some extra wort for a starter. Even if you brew a week later... run of some extra wort, boil and pitch your starter... and since you are going to chill and decant anyway, you can pitch that starter anytime over the next 3-14 days.

As for this... I like it. Few questions though.
I usually brew once a week. So, if I run off and collect enough wort for a starter you're saying that I can make the starter right away (i.e. put the yeast in there) and keep it for up to 14 days before I pitch it into my brew?

Can I run-off extra wort and freeze it, and then boil it closer to brew day and make the starter then? That seems more flexible to me, being that I often don't know what yeast I will require for next brew day. It would also allow me to make a very neutral beer and save some of it for a while.

Thanks.