Use a Betterbottle for a starter...I do.

I have had many valuable encounters on this forum when i unexpectedly stumble on a suggestion that seems obvious and simple (in retrospect), but which, nevertheless, I had never thought of before.

Here is, I hope, my contribution (in that vein) for someone else.

I have made my last couple of starters now in better bottles. They are perfect because I make big starters (often a gallon) and i like to shake the hell out of them. I now no longer even think about going the stir plate/flask route (ok, maybe I think about it). You can't really shake the hell out of anything unless it is quite large, and--assuming you don't have a stir plate--it is hard to achieve optimal cell-growth without really being able to shake your starter. So, problem solved!

I know this is nothing mind-blowing, but that didn't stop me from taking so long to think of it.

Do you still decant the spent wort?

definitely. I usually pour the starter into two large mason jars, then into the fridge, at least over night.

I would just decant, then rack onto the cake. Super simple.

I had never thought of that...so thank you. It will definitely make my next brew day go smoother by taking yours and WAdamC's advice.

WAdamC said:

I would just decant, then rack onto the cake. Super simple.

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If you have a fermantation chamber to fit that sucker in(to crash cool), that's a great idea.

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