Yeast starter idea taken from hooch brewing

[feedthebear]

An idea so crazy, it just might work...

When I made my hooch, I was using turbinado and bread yeast and fermentation started in 15 minutes.

When I made the starter for my Grand Cru, I used DME and Belgain Abby yeast and fermentation started in 19 hours.

My idea: making starters with sugar instead of DME. I was thinking about using Belgain Candi instead of turbinado. If I use only 4.5 oz for a 1 liter starter, it shouldn't effect the flavor or mouthfeel much and I'll get my starters going faster.

 

[DeathBrewer]

i don't really remember what the exact reason is, but i believe that you use dme so the yeast gets accustomed to the kind of sugars it will be converting in the fermentation.

you may have a shorter time to get your starter going, but it seems like you would have a longer lag time in the fermenter if you just used sugar.

 

[the_bird]

You definately do not want to use simple sugars for your starters. I can't remember if the reason is as simple as the yeast that reproduce are those best suited for consuming simple sugars (not those best suited for consuming maltose) or if there's a more-complicated factor, but it's a definate no-no.

 

[feedthebear]

It took a while, but I managed to find a brew365 article on yeast starters that agrees with you both. Its talking about table sugar, but it says the yeast gets too accustomed to the simple sugars and the fermentation gets stuck when they try to do the more complex ones.

Candi is a little more complex than straight table sugar, but it would probably have the same result. Too bad.

 

[Moonpile]

Also, doesn't malt have nutrients that are essential for yeast growth that sugar probably lacks?

 

[Ivan Lendl]

Just use a DME starter and it should start fermenting in 5-8 hours.

 

[FlyGuy]

Also, doesn't malt have nutrients that are essential for yeast growth that sugar probably lacks?

Yes, this is correct. Refined sugar contains little or no yeast nutrients, such as free amino nitrogen compounds or lipids that are present in wort.

Also, yeast will preferentially consume monosaccharide sugars (e.g., many refined sugars) first, followed by more complex sugars like maltose (i.e., sugar in wort). If you feed yeast a refined sugar solution, or even a wort high in simple sugars, the yeast will spend all of their time working on the simplest sugars first. At some point, they will become physiologically stressed (particularly as the alcohol concentration rises), and they won't be able to synthesize the proteins and enzymes required to switch to metabolizing more complex sugars, such as maltose. In fact, the presence of even low concentrations of glucose inhibit the enzyme, maltase (breaks down maltose sugar). Anyways, if there is maltose present or even subsequently added to the yeast, they will have difficulty uptaking it.

Anyways, there is lots of good information on the topic out there. This is a great starting place:
http://consumer.lallemand.com/danstar-lalvin/fortnightyeast.html