Any problem using a quart starter for a 2.5 gallon batch?

or is a smaller volume more appropriate?

I started to think that I was a thread killer, but now I'm confident. I can't even start one!

you have to give people more than 45 minutes to respond, this isn't the most active board in the world.

So a 2.5 gallon total batch?

Are you using a smackpack, a vial, or dry yeast?

lgtg said:

or is a smaller volume more appropriate?

Click to expand...

That sounds about perfect.
For 5 g's I use a 1.5-2 qt starter sometimes 3 qt. The bigger the starter the better.

Rook said:

you have to give people more than 45 minutes to respond, this isn't the most active board in the world.

So a 2.5 gallon total batch?

Are you using a smackpack, a vial, or dry yeast?

Click to expand...

This is the most active board I've seen for homebrewing, you know of any others? I'd like to check them out...I'm using a WL Irish Ale vial. Thanks for your response Rook...

lgtg said:

or is a smaller volume more appropriate?

Click to expand...

No, a quart is perfect. I typically use 2L starters for my 5-gallon batches. Now, if you were to use a 2L starter for a 2.5gal batch, the problem begins to arise: your starter volume (which is presumably extract) begins to substantially influence the overall volume of wort, thus possibly drastically changing the character of the beer. But one quart would be fine.

One quart it is. Now, I don't have an airlock or stopper for my starter (it's going to be in a half gallon Ernest & Gallo wine jug) but I read Palmer to say that with a piece of plastic wrap, loosly applied rubber band or the cap appiled loosely for CO2 escape, I should be okay. Anyone have any other ideas?

Go with the plastic wrap, it works well.

Palmer suggests 2 cups water to 1/2 cup DME. Anyone using 4 cups water instead? Seems like a light wort.

beerjournl said:

Palmer suggests 2 cups water to 1/2 cup DME. Anyone using 4 cups water instead? Seems like a light wort.

Click to expand...

Hey Beerjournl,

It's good to see someone else from Florida posting. I live in Fort Myers. I venture a guess that as the water amount goes up, that so should the extract. I'm not sure that it would double (although it stands to reason) but perhaps a third of a cup. You can use LME as well, just harder to measure out.

why would u want to make LESS beer??

illnastyimpreza said:

why would u want to make LESS beer??

Click to expand...

A yeast starter...the going rate is a quart to two quarts depending on the final batch volume. I have a Beer Machine fermenter my wife gave me for Christmas. It holds 10 quarts. I'll upgrade to five gallons later on this year. I don't mind smaller batches as I don't drink a whole lot of beer, heck, I already give away 6-8 bottles of what I brew already (24-26 12oz. bottles)

Lots of people brew what's called "pilot" batches for testing or just trying out new recipes. It's been a god experience for me in quantity control and volume and mass conversions. I'm learning.

I would love to step up to full batches but we just finished a pool out back and are planning on tiling our home and a litney (sp?) of other "domestic" adventures. I'm patient. She didn't know if I would like it anyway so, she bought it for me to try out.