How long to mix a starter?

I am in the process of making my first starter and I'm using a magnetic stirplate with a 2L flask about 1.4L full. It is getting pretty milky after 24 hours at 75* - 80*. How long should I keep it on the stir plate?

I need to brew with it either tomorrow or the next day.

Patirck said:

I am in the process of making my first starter and I'm using a magnetic stirplate with a 2L flask about 1.4L full. It is getting pretty milky after 24 hours at 75* - 80*. How long should I keep it on the stir plate?

I need to brew with it either tomorrow or the next day.

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How much yeast and what variety? That size starter should be done and start dropping by now or soon. turn the plate off for a couple hours. If it starts dropping, then put it in the fridge to crash. I think you should surely be able to brew Sunday. Maybe sooner.

It is a Wyeast activator smack pack - 3056 - Bavarian Hef.

I'll turn off the stir plate and see what happens.

Is there anything bad that happens if I leave it on for another 12 hours or so (overnight)?

Patirck said:

Is there anything bad that happens if I leave it on for another 12 hours or so (overnight)?

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Not in my feeble opinion.

I put my starter on the stir plate on Wed. night....and it was spinning until this afternoon.....which the sound really annoyed the wife .... I am brewing tomorrow morning. It is in the fridge as of today. It looked to be done last night....but I just gave it some extra time.

If this was my situation and I were brewing tomorrow; and it still has fermentation activity tonight....I would keep it spinning and pitch the whole thing in the fermenter tomorrow. If the activity has stopped tonight, then I would throw it in the fridge overnight....then decant and pitch the slurry tomorrow.

If I were brewing on Sunday.....I would check for activity tomorrow and then use the same steps as above to get ready for Sunday.

Have a great brew day!!

Exactly what Jaybrinks said. If the yeast don't settle, be patient and allow them to. It is worth it.

What harm would there be if the whole slurry were pitched?

oceanselv said:

What harm would there be if the whole slurry were pitched?

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By "whole slurry" I assume that you mean the whole starter volume...as apposed to decanting the clear beer off the settled yeast sediment....then swirling and pitching the remaining slurry.

Depending on the size...maybe a point or two low on the IBU's and ABV%......but this is splitting hairs in my opinion. Now if you dump a 2 gallon starter into a 5 gallon batch......I think you can see where that would take you

I prefer to decant and pitch the remaining slurry.....that's if I have given the starter enough time to settle out....but if it did not, I would be comfortable pitching my 1.7qt starter into my 5.5 gallon batch....but I understand that it may affect the taste a slight bit.....and maybe drop the IBU's a tad. The results I have had with both methods have been simply......good beer.