je52rm

Recipes 

I just downloaded the trial of beersmith 2 and I have a question about making a starter. I am gonna be making an AG Brown Ale with a target starting gravity of 1.055-1.056. I entered the recipe (Very Easy! Nice software i will definitely buy when trial ends) and all the info. It recommends making a 1.87 Liter starter when using my WLP005 British Ale yeast with this recipe . It says the recommended yeast cells needed are 186.9 billion cells and with the adjustment for the bottling date of the WLP005 it says theres approx. 86.7 billion viable cells in the vial. I plan on decanting the extra liquid on top and bringing back to room temp before pitching.

Does this amount seem correct? Seems like a big starter. My other starters were only 1 liter for similar or higher SG brews. Thanks for the help

kevin476

Recipes 

I have never paid attention to that, but there are a TON of yeasties in that vial. Why dont you just make a starter 24-48 hrs ahead of time to be sure?
Now that I re-read... I dont pay attention to volume either, I use 1/4 tsp yeast nutrient 2 cups water and 1/2 cup dme. I then swirl it around every time I walk by and pitch 24-48 hrs later. works great.

je52rm

Recipes 

i do plan on making the starter ahead of time. My question pertains to using the beersmith software and what it's recommending me to do to make an appropriate starter. Just out of curiosity why would you "never pay attention" to what the software says to do?

kh54s10

Recipes 

What type of starter are you planning to do? If you have a stirplate you can make one that is smaller and have it ready faster.

Mrmalty.com suggests 2.12L for a simple starter, 1.22L for intermittent shaking, and 1L with a stir plate.

If you use a stirplate you can go with 12-18 hrs (I go about 24) then chill for a day or so until the yeast drop out and compact on the bottom, then decant and warm the yeast up to pitch.

Both Wyeast smackpacks and White Labs vials DO NOT contain the optimum number of yeast cells to pitch in 5 gallons if the OG is over about 1.030.

It will ferment, you will get beer, but, it may not be as good as it could be.

kevin476

Recipes 

Because with the starter I just described to you always works perfect for me, great brew every time and I had never had a bad fermentation using that method. I use beersmith and love it, just saying I have never paid attention to the "volume" of starter it recomends

je52rm

Recipes 

Ok cool thanks! I just wanted to make sure I wasn't way off with the amounts the software was saying to use. I will be making the starter in a 1-gallon glass cider jug with foil on top so it can breath. No stir plate yet unfortunately. I plan on being home all day tomorrow and just plan on swirling it by hand often.

kh54s10

Recipes 

If you have access to an old computer to scavenge. You can build a stirplate for less than $10.

You need a box. I used a wood cigar box that I already had.
Remove the fan from the computer.
Remove and open the hard drive. You want the magnet from the read/write arm.
Glue the magnet on top of the middle of the fan.
You then need a power supply. I had one from an old answering machine. It is the box thing that plugs into the wall outlet.
At Radio Shack you can get a rheostat and knob.

Mount all this in the box and you have a DIY stirplate.
You will also need a stirbar and a flat bottomed vessel/flask.

There are instructions on this site and videos on YouTube.

It is well worth doing.