Yeast starter for belgian dubbel

Hi all,

so before you jump down my throat for asking a seemingly redundant question, please bear with me. I am using liquid yeast for the first time, and will therefore need to make a starter, especially because I am planning on making a dubbel with an OG of around 1.080. According to mr malty, this means I need around a 1/2 gallon starter. Does this sound right? And if so, what is the best way to make this starter? Should I just pitch the yeast in to a 1/2 gallon wort using DME, which from the wiki comes about to be around 2 cups DME in 8 cups water, or should I make a 2 pint (1/4 gallon) starter and then 24-36 hours later pitch another 2 pint wort to step up the starter? I am picking up the yeast tomorrow and will most likely be brewing on Friday, but can wait until saturday if I need to. Thanks for all you continuing help!

Jason

You are on the right track! Make a quarter gallon starter (4oz DME and 1/4 gal water boiled for 15min), let the starter sit overnight then step it up to a half gallon. If you have a stir plate, use it; if you don't, make sure to swirl the starter every hour or so to resuspend the yeast and get them going. Also, make sure to aerate properly and if you have any yeast nutrients, use some. I would crash cool the starter when I start brewing, then halfway through the brew day I would take the starter out of the fridge and decant most of the beer, then let it sit to warm up to pitching temp and pitch the yeast.

Anybody have any sound advice?

You should get a greater increase of yeast cells by stepping up the starter. However I usually do a single starter of about 2qt using about 2cup of DME about 24 hours before brewing. I then pitch the active starter once the wort has cooler.
I like to keep my brewing fairly simple.
Craig