Cost of Yeast Starters? Alternatives to DME?

[aamcle]

Cost of Yeast Starters? Alternatives to DME?

Generally I try to use dry yeast and no starter but today I have a 4litre starter bubbling away, I'm over building so I have extra yeast to store.

But the cost of DmE can be £7.50 for 500g so it's a considerable contribution to the cost of a batch.

I the past I have tried H+B liquid malt extract when it was on 2 for 1 and even 50% sucrose to get the cost down, both worked.

Unfortunately I don't have space to store the second runnings from a batch so that's out.

What alternatives to DME can you recomend?

Atb.

 

[samale]

Recently I Have been saving back a litre of wort from my previous brew. Freeze it, when needed defrost and reboil for your starter.

 

[samale]

Also I will plan brews so that I can get a run out of the one yeast. For example I am about to keg my bitter using WLP 023. I will use part of this yeast cake to ferment my porter. No need for a starter

 

[aamcle]

Sadly not organised enough to brew follow on batches using the yeast cake.

 

[Agentgonzo]

If you are happy re-using the yeast from one batch in a subsequent one, then collect, rinse and store the yeast. It's like creating a 23L starter.
It'll store happily in the fridge for a couple of months. But it does require you to use the same yeast, which isn't always ideal

 

[Agentgonzo]

Sadly not organised enough to brew follow on batches using the yeast cake.

- just beat me to that message!

 

[samale]

Sadly not organised enough to brew follow on batches using the yeast cake.

What styles do you normally brew

 

[Agentgonzo]

You can collect various parts of you previous brew though. Generally the last 2L from the boil kettle have a bunch of sludge (break) in it, and it just gets chucked away. But you can let it settle out, decant if off the sludge and freeze it. Then you just need to boil it to sterilise it when it comes to making your starter. I think @foxy mentioned it on a thread a while ago.

 

[aamcle]

Next up is a reiterating mash, the first runnings I will ferment but it depends on the SG of the second if it's good starter material.

Sadly I have very little space to store frozen sort.

 

[samale]

Next up is a reiterating mash, the first runnings I will ferment but it depends on the SG of the second if it's good starter material.

Sadly I have very little space to store frozen sort.

Try using zip lock bags

 

[An Ankoù]

I've got an old Woodford wherry kit that's years out of date. When I run out of malt extract I'll open one of the tins and pour it into jars for storage.
edit:
I was going to recommend buying a cheap bitter or lager kit (1.5Kg) and using that. It's decades since I've used a kit and I can't believe the price today. best stick with extract! (with or without cod liver oil).