thedude00

Recipes 

I been reading a lot about yeast starters everyone talks about stir plate. What does it do for the starter and do i need to use one .

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neovox

Recipes 

I've done them successfully with out using one. I believe idea is simply to keep more yeast in suspension, but someone more experienced may want to chime in on that.

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CFuggles

Recipes 

Like neovox said not absolutely necessary. By continuously stir on a plate, you can build a culture with a higher yeast count than a starter that isn't on a stir plate. Stiring also removes the CO2 produced by the yeast from suspension and also keeps the yeast in contact with nutrients.
Here is a good source for more information

http://www.maltosefalcons.com/tech/MB_Raines_Guide_to_Yeast_Culturing.php

CFuggles

Recipes 

sorry here is the article

http://www.maltosefalcons.com/tech/yeast-propagation-and-maintenance-principles-and-practices

Revvy

Recipes 

You don't need to use one. Millions of yeast starters have been made without them. And there is some debate as to whether or not they make much of a difference, but they are cool.

Basically the stirplate creates a vortex and spins whatever liguid is in it, the theory with using them for starters is that they keep the yeasties in suspension and in contact with the starter wort. It also helps to keep plenty of oxygen in the wort to aid in yeast reproduction.

If you are a diyer, the it is fun to make one, or if you have access to one cheap or free it's a good tool. I'm lucky i work in a medschool, and whenever a researcher leaves that stuff tends to get discarded, since new researchers coming in usually either have their own stuff, or a getting grants to get new gear, so I've been lucky enough to have been given two of them, one of them with a heater.

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wyzazz

Recipes 

Go to http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html and check out the difference in cell count that using a stir-plate makes. I've made starters with and without a stir-plate and I can notice a difference in the amount of slurry in the bottom of my jar.

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lowlife

Recipes 

I've done it both ways as well. It appeared to produce significantly more yeast with a stir plate. Plus its kind of fun to make and use. Mine cost less than ten dollars to make. I had all the parts except an enclosure laying around already.

Homercidal

Recipes 

I made mine from an old printer switch box and a Computer fan with HDD magnets. Pretty easy to make and easy to use. If you can find a few parts and like to tinker, why not make one? The most expensive part for me was the stir bar. It cost like $7 or something. Oh, and the flask to go with it, but you could use a glass jar or something. The flask just looks cooler.

uechikid

Recipes 

Just another gadget that you don't need to spend your money on. I've never had one and always do starters that get my primaries going very quickly.

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wyzazz

Recipes 

Definitely not necessary, however very nice to have! Kind of like an autosiphon, or airlock, or even a wine thief.

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