Have you ever had a problem with stuck fermentation? Have off- flavors in your beer? Wait days before your air lock bubbles? Do you think that liquid yeast is too much money? Want to stretch your liquid yeast dollars? This article will help you by giving you directions to start a yeast starter culture.

Why have a yeast starter culture? Liquid yeast costs about $5/packet. That's expensive. If that one packet could work for five batches, that would be about $1/batch. That's much less expensive. If that one batch would start fermenting in less than 12 hours, the beer would have less off-flavors and ferment faster. And, a faster fermentation means less chance for a stuck fermentation.

Here's where to begin. Save up your plastic resealable seltzer bottles and caps, one liter bottles are good, two liters are even better. Other plastic, food grade, resealable bottles will do, also. I like seltzer bottles. They are cheap and easy to find.

Pop your liquid yeast packet and wait for the packet to swell two inches wide. The key here is clean and sterilize all your equipment so be extra diligent in the preparation process and make sure to remove all traces of cleaning solution.

Boil about two quarts of cold water and add about one cup of dry malt extract. Boil the mixture for about 15 minutes. Add about ¼ ounce of hops, if you wish. Cool the wort to about 80F and add to the sterilized soda bottle. Fill each bottle about ½ full.

Make sure to clean and dry the outside of the yeast packet before opening. Open the packet and add the yeast to the bottle. If you have two bottles, split the yeast between both. Fill the rest of your bottles and cap all immediately.

Place the bottles in the refrigerator that do not have yeast added. The bottles that have yeast added, cap tightly and shake vigorously for about one minute. Cover with a towel and place in a dark 75F location for incubation.

Check on the bottles for fermentation by squeezing the outside. When the bottles are hard, carefully release the pressure by opening the cap slightly and re-tighten. The culture is usually ready in two or three days.

When ready to pitch the yeast, release the pressure and re-tighten. Shake slightly and release the pressure as it builds up. Continue this process for about three minutes. Pitch yeast as usual. Fermentation should begin in less than 12 hours.

If using two liter bottles, pitch about ¾ of the bottle and save the rest. Add more sterile wort and make more starter. Starters can usually be stored for several weeks in the refrigerator after a two day incubation period.