I enjoyed the Youtube video on the AHA main page about making yeast starters – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMQ1L9iVvz4 – but the procedure demonstrated uses dry yeast. I didn’t think making starters with dry yeast was necessary or recommended.
You’re right. Dry yeast and starters are an unnecessary combination, but the video is well done and gets the point across.
For me you replace 2 things at the end and you effectively have how I always used to do my starters before pressure canning.
Namely, liquid yeast and no rutting airlock. The foil is fine and you get better growth!
I’m going to do foil the next time. I am still using airlocks (I don’t know why).
But it’s a well-made video!
or a plastic baggy
Very familiar.
That could have been me in that video except the dry yeast and airlock also.
That’s even the way I mix starsan and sanitize everything with a spray bottle.
Eerie.
Indeed and anyone who follows the instructions in the video will be well served. I’d just tweak a few things cause I’m cranky that way. 
I like the table.
And the brick wall.
and the goggles?
The flask would be new for me, but it’s an affordable process change. I am using a small saucepan and a 1-gallon jar. I also spritz.
i use 1qt canning jars and just leave the lid loose on the top works fine especially for smaller batch beers when i don’t need large volmes. not necessary with dry yeast to make a starter but you can spread out a package that way (if you are very careful) over several batches. i will do the same with whte labs yeast, make a starter out of half the tube, then store the other half.
would you split up the dry yeast? I’m considering a scale that could do that kind of measurement anyway.
I assume the point of the flask is to keep the sanitation chain of custody as limited as possible, reducing contamination points at a particularly crucial stage in the brewing process. though there may be an element of geek factor.
As I understand it, the real point of the flask is to insure that you’ve got a flat enough bottom for a stir bar/stir plate combo to work smoothly. Regular jars, jugs, and whatnot may not have a flat enough bottom.
And yes, there is the geek factor too
You can boil and cool in the flask. It makes for less transfers and exposure to possible contamination. Boiling in the flask also means sanitizing it ahead of time is unnecessary.
I disagree, Drew. The purpose of the video is to promote what we all know is a poor brewing practice…making a starter with dry yeast. I’ve emailed the powers that be asking them to remove it. Cranky? Perhaps.
I disagree, Drew. The purpose of the video is to promote what we all know is a poor brewing practice…making a starter with dry yeast. I’ve emailed the powers that be asking them to remove it. Cranky? Perhaps.
Yeah, but the guy is quite fashionable, nicely dressed (did you not see the goggles?), and there’s a catchy soundtrack; surely you can forgive a little misinformation :
[quote=“kgs, post:11, topic:5507, username:kgs”]
we’ll see how it works. i just brewed (i brew 1 gallonish batches) used about 1/3 of the package, then 1/3 in a cider (again 1gal) the remaining 1/3 i am going to make a starter from and then save this starter as a slurry for the next few batches (probably divide again and make a few batches)
Old laboratory adage:
“A watched flask never boils.”
There. Fixed it for ya!
It’s gotta boil before it will boil-over.