Help me make my first lager...need help with yeast starter

OK, I am going to brew my first lager next weekend. In preperation, I need to know what to do about the yeast. I have one vial of WLP800. I won't have an opportunity to make it to my LHBS or order anything online. I need to make due with what I have...so,

I know there are varying opinions of starter temp, pitching temp, etc, but what is my easiest option with what I have on hand (1 vial). Notice I said "easiest". I'd prefer to not have to make a 3 gallon starter, but will if I have to. How long will it take to make enough yeast for a lager from 1 vial? 3 days, 5 days?

According to Mrmalty, I could use 1 vial with a 2.8L starter on a stir plate. Unfortunately, I only have a container to make a 2 L starter. Also, when making a big starter do I need to start small and gradually step it up? I have never done that, but will be happy to if necessary.
HELP!

Obviously, the easiest option is to not make a starter at all. This will still make beer. If you have the equipment, it's really not much more effort to make 3 gallons of starter wort rather than 3 liters, but any size of starter is better than none.

Edit: Oh yeah, for a big ol' lager starter, you will probably want to wait for it to finish and flocc out so you can decant most of the starter beer. Figure 2 days to ferment out at room temp and another day to cold-crash and flocculate.

I just brewed a 4-gallon batch of a lowish-gravity lager so I could direct-pitch two packs of liquid yeast and have a nice amount to harvest.

i suppose i could make a 3 gallon starter, but it won't fit on my stir plate. I could shake it occasionally.
this sounds pretty easy. can i just make 3 gallons of low gravity wort, pitch the yeast at room temp, let it ferment out, chill it, decant the wort and pitch right on top of it?

that's not so bad if that is right.

jangelj said:

i suppose i could make a 3 gallon starter, but it won't fit on my stir plate. I could shake it occasionally.
this sounds pretty easy. can i just make 3 gallons of low gravity wort, pitch the yeast at room temp, let it ferment out, chill it, decant the wort and pitch right on top of it?

that's not so bad if that is right.

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Yes you can make lager yeast at room temperature. You won't care what that beer tastes like because you are going to decant it anyway. Then you will have a good yeast slurry to knock out on to. After you put your wort on top start cooling it immediately. The speed of the chill and the volume of yeast have a complex relationship that is beyond my ability to control but I do it any way.

Just put it into the wort. Keep it cold, and practice good sanitation procedures and it will be OK.

This isn't ideal, but you have to fall back on the RDWHAHB ideal here. You will make beer.

I'm going to do my 1st lager and here are my plans: Pitch calculator said two packs of wy for a 2L starter. Use stir plate 12-18 hours at 72 degrees. After that time is up, chill the starter in the fridge, once all has settled, decant most of the starter wort, swish the remaining wort/yeast and pitch to the carboy once the yeast has risen to the desired pitch temp. Correct me if I'm wrong on any of this but from my reading this appears to be one way to go about it. Cheers

That's what I do.

bootney said:

I'm going to do my 1st lager and here are my plans: Pitch calculator said two packs of wy for a 2L starter. Use stir plate 12-18 hours at 72 degrees. After that time is up, chill the starter in the fridge, once all has settled, decant most of the starter wort, swish the remaining wort/yeast and pitch to the carboy once the yeast has risen to the desired pitch temp. Correct me if I'm wrong on any of this but from my reading this appears to be one way to go about it. Cheers

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Same process I use. Works fine.

I usually don't repitch, but with my lagers I plan to brew a couple of beers in succession to re-use half of the yeast cake per fermenter. That way I only have to go through making one huge starter and decanting once per six months or so.