Yeast starter specifics

[toneyc]

OK, you guys... I've been using starters for my last dozen batches or so, done up in a 22 oz bottle, usually. So I wanted to make up a half gallon starter for tomorrow's brewday. This sounds pretty straight forward, right? I've just been doing this by the seat of my pants, using different amounts of DME each time. So this afternoon, I did a little Google search for yeast starters and came up with about a jillion different starter recipes, seems everybody uses different amounts. So anyway, I was hoping some of you guys might share your starter recipes with me today? What's the *right* amount of DME to use per volume of water and what specific gravity are we trying to hit for a starter? I have heard 1.040, is that right?

:)
Toney.

[Tweek]

I usually do around 1.040, but to tell teh truth it is never an exact science with me. I used to pay attention with my starters, now I just do it.

[Payson]

I'd agree with Tweek. I just approximate and let 'em feed.

[toneyc]

I ended up at John Palmer's HowToBrew page on yeast starters: http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter6-5.html

He says use 1/2 cup DME to 2 cups water to get a 1.040 starter, so I made up a 6-cup starter for tomorrow. One of these days, I need to contribute to that guy's livelihood and buy a copy of his book.

:)
Toney.

[evilredlight]

thats the ratio i use for my starters

[Brownbeard]

Originally posted by toneyc
I ended up at John Palmer's HowToBrew page on yeast starters: http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter6-5.html

He says use 1/2 cup DME to 2 cups water to get a 1.040 starter, so I made up a 6-cup starter for tomorrow. One of these days, I need to contribute to that guy's livelihood and buy a copy of his book.

:)
Toney.

He showed up on the forum at Homebrew.com a couple day ago.

[banjolawyer]

I have a starter that has been in the works for about 48 hours now. Its in a flask on a stirplate, and there's signigicant airlock activity. Is it ready when no more CO2 bubbles through the airlock, or do you just arbitrarily call it ready in 48 or 72 hours? Thanks.

[Tweek]

its ready. 48 hours is a long time. especially with a stir plate.

[HogieWan]

you want to use it when the airlock is going fastest or when its just starting to slow. that way the yeast are fully ready and in EAT mode. When the food rns low, they start napping.

[Grog]

Originally posted by toneyc
I ended up at John Palmer's HowToBrew page on yeast starters: http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter6-5.html

He says use 1/2 cup DME to 2 cups water to get a 1.040 starter, so I made up a 6-cup starter for tomorrow. One of these days, I need to contribute to that guy's livelihood and buy a copy of his book.

:)
Toney.

This is the recipe have been using for the past god-knows-how-many batches with great success.

[c0nsumer]

For what it's worth, I too use the 1/2 Cup DME and 2 Cups Water formula. Typically 24 hours after pitching the yeast into the growler I step it up once again with another 1/2 Cup DME and 2 Cups water, prepared just as was done the first time.

[jstrausss]

So is a yeast starter considered sugar water. I just want to be clear in my head on at what point is a starter considered a starter. So far what I think I got is its the point at which the water is mixed with DME, just before adding the yeast. So if you have DME boiled in a jar - that is concidered the starter - is that correct ?

[HogieWan]

a starter is a mini batch of beer. It is used to *start* the yeast. the yeast in the package is dormant, but in the presence of food, they wake up. The starter wakes them up and gets them to multiply so that they get started on your full batch of beer right away.

[Fast_Eddy]

Originally posted by jstrausss
So is a yeast starter considered sugar water. I just want to be clear in my head on at what point is a starter considered a starter. So far what I think I got is its the point at which the water is mixed with DME, just before adding the yeast. So if you have DME boiled in a jar - that is concidered the starter - is that correct ?

In general, I think starter is just short for "starter wort". After it's pitched and ferments it would be a "starter beer", I guess.

[corkybstewart]

I actually make a mini-mash of the grain bill for the beer I'm making, usually about 2 lbs. of grain for 2 1 liter starters. After the mash and quick sparge I boil the wort and do everything just like on brew day, except I don't use any hops. Usually I split one vial of yeast between the 2 starters since I make 10 gallon batches but I still only have the 5 gallon fermenters.

[jstrausss]

Thanks alot - that definatly clears things up . I think I 'm at that stage where I can start some starters before pitching.

[HogieWan]

I just use the smack packs or dry yeast. I'm too lazy for starters.

[banjolawyer]

I am planning an 11 gallon Kolsh (the extra gallon is just to make sure I get a full 10 gallons) and am referencing the pitching rate calculator at
http://www.mrmalty.com/pitching.php
which tells me I need 4.3L of starter. Now, I know I probably don't need that much, but I'd like to go ahead and do a big starter since I've had a couple recently that finished a little underattenuated.

So my question is about stepping up a starter and keeping it at 1.040 OG.

I have a 2000ml flask currently, and have a 5000ml flask on the way (should be here day after tomorrow)

I'm using Palmer's suggested ratio of water to DME to make an initial starter tonight (Monday) of 1500 ml with an approximate OG of 1.040.

In order to step up to 4.5L of starter, am I correct in my thinking that I should make a new 3L wort (approx 48 hours after making the first one), using the same Palmer ratio, in the big flask and dump the first one into it? I'll end up with a 4.5L starter at around 1.040 OG?