Big volume starters: to pitch or not to pitch?

[spiderwrangler]

For your sterilized water, are you using distilled, or are you sterilizing tap water? I'm not sure what the solute molarity of tap water would be, I suppose it may not be too far off from distilled...

[Ozwald]

For your sterilized water, are you using distilled, or are you sterilizing tap water? I'm not sure what the solute molarity of tap water would be, I suppose it may not be too far off from distilled...

I was using tap, which was Bozeman Municipal on the south side of town. The reservoir is fed by snow melt & has some mineral content, but not much to speak of. Not quite as 'clean' as distilled but close. Now that I'm on a well, I'm going R.O. We'll see how that works out.

I'm a metallurgist not a biochemist

[brewindruid]

I feel like storing in distilled water is not necessary, and may be detrimental to yeast health over time. They won't burst, as the cell wall will keep them intact, but it does put osmotic stress on the yeast.

The osmotic pressure is what I was worried about, so, I went back to using boiled tap.
In corresponding with both White labs and Wyeast niether advised against using distilled when asked specifically about it, but that could be also because the push such a short storage time so maybe the impact is low.
I boil my tap water 15 minutes then store in plastic jugs kept at room temp. If I am going to rinse chilled, I will chill the water to match.
Any point to putting servo in storage matirix? Will doing a starter with a harvested and rinsed sample before storing build the sterols enough for a good long "healthy" period?

Spider, considering an Amber with Galaxy and Serache, any thoughts?

Cheers
Scott

[brewindruid]

For your sterilized water, are you using distilled, or are you sterilizing tap water? I'm not sure what the solute molarity of tap water would be, I suppose it may not be too far off from distilled...

I was using tap, which was Bozeman Municipal on the south side of town. The reservoir is fed by snow melt & has some mineral content, but not much to speak of. Not quite as 'clean' as distilled but close. Now that I'm on a well, I'm going R.O. We'll see how that works out.

I'm a metallurgist not a biochemist

Dammit Jim I'm just a homebrewer!

Lee, You must have had a work up on the well water, why go R.O., is it that wacked

I filter municiple, and was considering R.O., but once I realized what I would have to build back in additions I changed my mind. Less is best!!!!

[Ozwald]

The osmotic pressure is what I was worried about, so, I went back to using boiled tap.
In corresponding with both White labs and Wyeast niether advised against using distilled when asked specifically about it, but that could be also because the push such a short storage time so maybe the impact is low.
I boil my tap water 15 minutes then store in plastic jugs kept at room temp. If I am going to rinse chilled, I will chill the water to match.
Any point to putting servo in storage matirix? Will doing a starter with a harvested and rinsed sample before storing build the sterols enough for a good long "healthy" period?t

The difference between water & finished starter beer is minimal enough that osmotic pressure shouldn't be a concern at all. As for storage, I don't add nutrient to that. I harvest, rinse, store, starter (that's where the nutrient comes in to play), then do whatever I need to with it. Sometimes it's rinse/store again, sometimes it's crash/decant/pitch. Without scientific evidence to back me up I just automatically consider harvested yeast to be tired so doing a starter with it (& nutrients - catching a trend here?) before you rinse/store isn't a bad idea. Not absolutely necessary, but it will improve their health overall. I don't do it right away (the harvest, rinse, store portion), but after a few weeks I'll put it through the starter (& NUTRIENTS!) if I plan on storing it longer.

Tip of the day: if it looks at your yeast, it better have some goddamned nutrients!

You must have had a work up on the well water, why go R.O., is it that wacked

I filter municiple, and was considering R.O., but once I realized what I would have to build back in additions I changed my mind. Less is best!!!!

I grabbed a sample during the initial inspection but didn't have a chance to send it in right away. Not long after, the seller hired me to do some work on the property that was required before the loan would go through - hell yeah, getting paid to work on the house I was buying - which ended up being some pretty physically demanding work outside on a fairly hot day. When I went inside & filled up the water bottle I noticed flavors that kicked me in the junk that I hadn't really noticed before. When I took the sample, I just took a small amount & was drinking it to taste. When I was working, I was gulping it down like... water. At that point I knew it was going to be too high in a couple spots & I'd rather just R.O. it instead of cutting it & still having to build other parts back up. I'm going to have an inside brewery, complete with water, floor drain & NG. Why the hell not just stick an R.O. on the water supply coming into the brewery & make life easier. Bozeman Municipal was so close to R.O. on my side of town that by going R.O. will be much closer to what I'm used to anyways. Probably have to adjust the salt additions I've been doing by a gram or 2. Just seemed the logical way to go.

[brewindruid]

I wanted to go that way R.O. to s supply res. builod a base good in general, then customize that base per recipe. I was told storing the water for any great period would be an issue. THe salts needed, based on current profile, municipal, vs. R.O. just made me thinnk the additions would be a factor in flavor..
I am also switching from chalk to pickling lime. GSO water is so incredibly soft it isn't funny. Makes for easy SO4 and Cl adjustment, but hell on hardness.

On another note, just sent the NG guy away yesterday, couldn't afford the line and change of burners.

[Crackin]

I always thought JZ said 10% should be the limit. i.e. 2 liter starter in a 20 liter (5 gallon) batch. Just sayin. Thats what I do, anyway. Seems fine.

[Ozwald]

I always thought JZ said 10% should be the limit. i.e. 2 liter starter in a 20 liter (5 gallon) batch. Just sayin. Thats what I do, anyway. Seems fine.

There's way too many variables to rely on something like that. It may get you in the neighborhood in some cases, but by no means is it a limit.