How much Water & EMS for yeast starter

I have never made beer before but have spent the last two weeks internet reading and watching youtube videos on the grain brewing process. I feel confident I can go ahead and make the Vinnie Cilurzo's 6 gallon pliny the Elder recipe below as long as I have this message board handy for quick questions and answers. The recipe calls for pitching two packages of yeast or a yeast starter using White Labs WLP001 California Ale Yeast or Wyeast
1056 American Ale Yeast. I have a stir plate and want to make a yeast starter. Can anyone recommend a recipe for the yeast starter? How much water and EMS should I use? Thanks in advanced.

Sam

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Recipe provided by Vinnie Cilurzo
Ingredients
for 6.0 gallons (22.7 L) [Net: 5 gallons (18.9 L) after hop loss]
13.25 lb (6.01 kg) Two-Row pale malt
0.6 lb (272 g) Crystal 45 malt
0.6 lb (272 g) Carapils (Dextrin) Malt
0.75 lb (340 g) Dextrose (corn) sugar
3.50 oz (99 g) Columbus* 13.90% A.A. 90 min.
0.75 oz (21 g) Columbus* 13.90% A.A. 45 min.
1.00 oz (28 g) Simcoe 12.30% A.A. 30 min.
1.00 oz (28 g) Centennial 8.00% A.A. 0 min.
2.50 oz (71 g) Simcoe 12.30% A.A. 0 min.
1.00 oz (28 g) Columbus* 13.90% A.A. Dry Hop (12 to 14 days total)
1.00 oz (28 g) Centennial 9.10% A.A. Dry Hop (12 to 14 days total)
1.00 oz (28 g) Simcoe 12.30% A.A. Dry Hop (12 to 14 days total)
0.25 oz (7 g) Columbus* 13.90% A.A. Dry Hop (5 days to go in dry hop)
0.25 oz (7 g) Centennial 9.10% A.A. Dry Hop (5 days to go in dry hop)
0.25 oz (7 g) Simcoe 12.30% A.A. Dry Hop (5 days to go in dry hop)
*Tomahawk/Zeus can be substituted for Columbus
White Labs WLP001 California Ale Yeast or
Wyeast 1056 American Ale Yeast
Original Gravity: 1.072
Final Gravity: 1.011
Extract Efficiency: 75 percent
IBUs: 90-95 (actual/not calculated)
ABV: 8.2%
SRM: 7

Directions
Mash grains at 151-152° F (66-67° C) for an hour or until starch conversion is complete.
Mash out at 170° F (77° C) and sparge. Collect 8 gallons (30 L) of runoff, stir in dextrose,
and bring to a boil. Add hops as indicated in the recipe. After a 90 minute boil, chill wort
to 67° F (19° C) and transfer to fermenter. Pitch two packages of yeast or a yeast starter
and aerate well. Ferment at 67° F (19° C) until fermentation activity subsides, then rack
to secondary. Add first set of dry hops on top of the racked beer and age 7-9 days, then
add the second set. Age five more days then bottle or keg the beer.

Extract Substitution
Substitute 6.5 lb (3.0 kg) of light dry malt extract for two-row malt. Due to the large
hop bill for this recipe, a full wort boil is recommended. Steep grains in 1 gallon (3.8 L)
of water at 165° F (74° C) for 30 minutes, then remove and rinse grains with hot water.
Stir in dextrose and top up kettle to 8 gallons (30 L), and bring to a boil. Add hops as
indicated in the recipe. After a 90 minute boil, chill wort to 67° F (19° C) and transfer to
fermenter. Pitch two packages of yeast or a yeast starter and aerate well. Ferment at 67°
F (19° C) until fermentation activity subsides, then rack to secondary. Add first set of dry
hops on top of the racked beer and age 7-9 days then add the second set. Age five more
days then bottle or keg the beer.

Since I would imagine that you have made this by now, how much did you use? You can use a free/bought brewing software to calculate the proper start size in the future. Generally you want to go 1 gram of DME to 10 mL of water.

The advice I got from a 20+ year brewer was simple enough. About a cup of water, and two heaping scoops of DME. Works for me.... I do like to keep things simple.

I suppose that's why I'll never be a brewmaster, but that's not really what I'm after. Brewing is a hobbie for me. While the process is important to me, I just try not to over-complicate things. That way the process remains enjoyable.

I try to leave all of my stress and aggravation at the office.

I usually do 2L stirplate starters.... 1600ml water + 1.25 cups dry malt extract.

Boil water with DME for 10 minutes then icebath cool to 70 degrees. Add to sanatized erlenmyer flask with stirbar. Pitch liquid yeast. Let ferment 18-24 hours then cold crash it in the fridge. After another day decant 75% of wort. Raise to room temp, swirl and pitch when needed.