Anyone do a mini mash for a starter?

Ok long story short my LHBS, that I'm willing to shop at, is a 2 hr round trip drive. I forgot to pick up another bag of DME for yeast starters, and last weekend's batch, dispite my efforts to compensate will do better next time, was a tad short of my final batch size so I didn't save any wort for this weeks starter.

I have plenty of 2-row avail and was thinking of doing an 18Oz mini mash single batch sparge to net just over 1/2 gallon of fresh wort for a 2L starter. By calculations the starter should be 1.030 with I think is about right.

Has anyone else done a mini mash for a starter?

I haven't, but I've done a few using extra wort from previous batches. Should work fine.

I wouldnt see why that wouldnt work. You're just trying to achieve a certain gravity right? Just plug it in and see what numbers you get.

I know it will work I'm just not sure it's worth the effort to do for only a 1/2Gal. I'm sure as heck not going to break out my MLT for this and will most likely just mash in a small pot on the stove.

My other option is break down and just go buy some DME from my local, Which I'm boycotting due to their 300% increase in prices and I can still get better quality, service, and pricing 2 hours away.

Last time I canned up wort I made a small batch on the stove using just a pot and a strainer. 3.5lbs or 2-row, .5oz hop pellets, and 2.5 gallon water

You could make an even smaller batch but its going to take about the same amount of time. I've heard of some people freezing the wort and then boiling it again later, so if your going to do this you might want to make some extra and freeze it so you don't have to go through it all again next time

I haven't done it, but I don't see why you wouldn't. I'd mash in on the stovetop, try to hit the high 140s, then cover the pot and put it in the oven on the lowest setting.

I've thought about doing some stovetop mashes for fun, just to see how it would work. I know the lowest setting on my oven is 170F, so I figure if I put the pot in there at about 145-148, it shoudn't get too high by the time it's converted.

JKoravos said:

I've thought about doing some stovetop mashes for fun, just to see how it would work.

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I just heat up the water close to a strike temp; and, basically do a brew-in-a-bag with about 1/2 pound of grain (or so). Then check gravity with a refracto and add as much water as necessary to get close to 1.040.

BIAB doh!?! didn't think of that one tks nealf

Ok I BIAB 3 lbs 2-row no sparge with 1.5 Gals of water boiled down to 1Gal for a starter wort of ~1.070. I poured the cooled wort ~800ML into my 2L flask and topped to 1750ML with boiled/cooled water, this netted me ~1.038 OG, I just pitched my ~6oz of washed yeast slurry and it's now on the stir plate. Hopefully it will grow enough yeast for my 10Gal batch this weekend, If I don't have around 800 ML of yeast by thurs afternoon, I'll crash chill decant and pitch the rest of my saved wort. At least I already toned down the rest to 1.038 so it should just be a direct pitch.

Next time I make a grain run I'll have to remember to pick up some Light DME this process takes way to long for the cost of DME Vs. Time and grain.