Yeast Starter Ratio

libirm · Dec 19, 2013

Going to make a yeast start tomorrow for my beer brewing event on Saturday.
I have had and see allot on different ratios on how DME to water.
My local Brew Store- says 1 cup DME to 2 cups water
YouTube says-Beer nation- 1/2 cup DME to 2 cups water
White Labs says- To brew a high gravity beer: 2 pints (with 1/2 cup DME)

Which is best? does it matter that much?
What have you found successful?
Thanks- Cheers

eluterio · Dec 19, 2013

These are good website to help you. Both are good and have been used by millions of home brewers.

http://www.mrmalty.com/

http://yeastcalc.com/

beergolf · Dec 19, 2013

better off to do it by weight. 10-1 ratio.

So a 1 L starter would use 100 g of DME. A 1.5 L starter would use 150g DME. etc.

LovesIPA · Dec 19, 2013

beergolf said:
better off to do it by weight. 10-1 ratio.

So a 1 L starter would use 100 g of DME. A 1.5 L starter would use 150g DME. etc.

This is the way I do it as well.

libirm · Dec 19, 2013

Thanks Beer Golf
I don't have a scale yet but i found this conversion 7/8 cup=100 grams
So one liter of water + 7/8 ( or 1 cup) boil for 15 minutes and pitch yeast and place on stir plate?
Does that sound right?
For a 5 gallon brew?
Thanks again

duboman · Dec 19, 2013

libirm said:
Thanks Beer Golf
I don't have a scale yet but i found this conversion 7/8 cup=100 grams
So one liter of water + 7/8 ( or 1 cup) boil for 15 minutes and pitch yeast and place on stir plate?
Does that sound right?
For a 5 gallon brew?
Thanks again

It's still not the best way to do this, can't convert volume to weight but if that's all ya got right now it's better then nothing.

The only thing you left out is cooling the starter down to at least 70f before pitching the yeast.

solbes · Dec 19, 2013

Long ago I measured the gravity of a starter I made. It seemed like most of the cups extract to cups of water ratios that are quoted seemed strong compared to what I measured.

I always mix 0.6 cups of DME with 0.9 quarts of water to yield about a quart of starter wort. This gave me a gravity of 1.035. I scale from there to make larger starters. I never went back and confirmed, so its possible I've been doing it wrong all these years. But it seems to work fine.

Disclaimer: cups of extract is not real reliable. Packing loose or tight, moisture content, etc can have an effect. I pack mine pretty tight.

beergolf · Dec 19, 2013

libirm said:
Thanks Beer Golf
I don't have a scale yet but i found this conversion 7/8 cup=100 grams
So one liter of water + 7/8 ( or 1 cup) boil for 15 minutes and pitch yeast and place on stir plate?
Does that sound right?
For a 5 gallon brew?
Thanks again

Weight is still better, but this will be fine as a temporary solution.

You can pick up. digital scale for aout $12. They are really usedul in brewing. They can also be used for measuring out thing like hops.

IvanTheTerribrew · Dec 19, 2013

Yeah I use the same as posted above. The 10-1 ration. For every 10mL of water - 1 g DME

libirm · Dec 20, 2013

OK Gentleman- I purchased a scale and I am on my way!!!!

beergolf · Dec 20, 2013

libirm said:
OK Gentleman- I purchased a scale and I am on my way!!!!

You won't regret it at all. Very useful

libirm · Dec 20, 2013

Thanks- was not as bad as I thought- scale took all the guess work out-
Thanks for the help!!
Cheers!!:rockin:

beergolf · Dec 20, 2013

Looks good. Your beers are going to really improve.

libirm · Dec 20, 2013

Thanks BeerGolf-
I think I will all the rest again just to see-
My last one was a Belgian triple- MY LHS said one vial was enough, when I didn't see any activity - I posted my concern on this forum - all said it was under pitched.
That what started my researching and using charts like Mr. Malty- obviously way under pitched- so on to doing starters.

When I asked my LHS if I should have pitched two vials, they said it might have put in sugar shock, but I read a study where a guy purposely over pitched- all that happened was that the beer was a little less flavorful.

So- anyways glad I got into the starter thing- I guess i can you them even in low gravity beers?
Again thanks for the help!!
Cheers

JimRausch · Dec 20, 2013

libirm said:
Thanks BeerGolf-
I think I will all the rest again just to see-
My last one was a Belgian triple- MY LHS said one vial was enough, when I didn't see any activity - I posted my concern on this forum - all said it was under pitched.
That what started my researching and using charts like Mr. Malty- obviously way under pitched- so on to doing starters.

When I asked my LHS if I should have pitched two vials, they said it might have put in sugar shock, but I read a study where a guy purposely over pitched- all that happened was that the beer was a little less flavorful.

So- anyways glad I got into the starter thing- I guess i can you them even in low gravity beers?
Again thanks for the help!!
Cheers

They seriously said "Sugarshock"? I'm thinking there has to be a lot of jokes out there, but right now I can't think of any.... :tank:

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