Yeast Starters

[Intimnasc]

I have been reading on different yeasts for distilling and a lot of the information is similar to beer yeast in that ferment temperatures are important for the type of yeasts used and not stressing the yeast is also important. My question is I don't see anyone talking about yeast starters. Is there a reason not to run a yeast starter? In my beer brewing experiences I have found that your healthiest most relaxed yeast tends to come from starters. You can also skim the yeast starter and save it to make your next yeast and maybe not have to buy again if you just want to use one yeast strain.

[bellybuster]

lots of guys use starters. Allot more use cheap bakers yeast and starters are not really necessary as you can pitch enough yeast to begin with.

[myles]

I always use a starter, every fermentation.
Until now I haven't bothered saving or propagating yeast though. I mostly use fruit and my usual method involes treating it with pectolitic enzyme for 24 hours before adding the yeast. I just make up a starter in a gallon demijon at the same time as I add in the enzyme Into the fermenter.

[Intimnasc]

Yeah with all my beers I used a 2 liter Erlenmeyer Flask and a stir plate. The flask is a lab grade so you can cook a starter wort in it and drop it right from the burner into a sink full of ice water and cool it to room temp instantly. Then add my yeast and set the stir plate with a small vortex for a day or so. Kind of surprises me you don't read much about this in the distillation forums.

[Medstiller]

I use starters. I got a auction lot of dairy lab gear. I use stirplates and I can do step propigations, from 125ml up to 5L depending on the ferment size. I have a SS airstone for oxygenation and a vent. I use a inline HEPA filter and welding O2 for oxygenation. Has worked very well for me. I autoclave everything but the 3L and 5L flasks in a pressure canner.

[T-Pee]

Please don't use pure O2 for oxygenation. It's a dangerous thing to do.

tp

[Intimnasc]

Actually IU use an aeration stone in my home brew with a filtered air pump to keep impurities out of what I am aerating.