Help me make my first starter!

I am brewing a Bavarian Hefe with with an SG of 1.050 using Wyeast 3068 Weihenstphen wheat liquid yeast. What size starter for a 5gal batch? Can I use light DME or should I use wheat? How much DME for the starter? I know these are noob questions but I have used dry yeast in all of my brews so far.

Mmm, I have 3068 spinning on a plate right now! So tasty!

Anyways, my answers are pulled from my dusty memories of the Yeast book by Zainasheff/White. First, use the calc at http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html to figure out exact pitching rate / starter size. I don't usually use the calc (Beersmith provides one, too), but it's a handy tool nonetheless.

I make 1.5L starters for most 5gal batches because it fits nicely in a 2L flask. I mix 1 gram of DME for every 10mL water, so 150grams in 1.5L. I use the lightest DME every time, because I like to chill my completed starter for a day or two, then decant off the starter beer, pitching only yeast slurry into my fresh wort. Therefore I don't much care what type of DME.

Ok I'm I am not 100% sure if the yeast will show up in a vile or in an Activator pack. Like I said I am totally clueless when it comes to liquid yeast. If it comes in a smack pack to I still need to make a starter. I am a little nervous about over pitching because I dont want to loose those wonderful ester's.

The size you need for a starter depend on how you are making the starter.

If you nave a stirplate you can make smaller starters. Shaking the starter every time you pass by = medium sized, and just letting it sit requires a large starter.

The amount of dme needed depends on the size of the starter. The best way to get the amount is to weigh the dme. Use a 10 to 1 ratio. For 1 liter starter needs 100 grams dme. 1.5 liters = 150 grams etc.

Mrmalty.com and yeastcalc.com have information and calculators.

Your concerns are wise, under-pitching will help give you the effect you're looking for, but it's tough to over-pitch as a homebrewer. You COULD just pitch the smack-pack, there's a fair bit of yeast in it, but one of your first steps to better homebrew is making starters.

Also, "3068" refers specifically to Wyeast's yeast products (4 numbers; white labs vials have only 3), so it's gonna be a smack pack, probably the Activator.

dynamobrewing said:

Your concerns are wise, under-pitching will help give you the effect you're looking for, but it's tough to over-pitch as a homebrewer. You COULD just pitch the smack-pack, there's a fair bit of yeast in it, but one of your first steps to better homebrew is making starters.

Also, "3068" refers specifically to Wyeast's yeast products (4 numbers; white labs vials have only 3), so it's gonna be a smack pack, probably the Activator.

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Wyeast has discontinued making the propagator packs, so it will be an activator pack.

You cannot possibly overpitch using a smackpack/vial. These are considered the minimum you can pitch.

Again check out the information on mrmalty.com. It will tell you how big a starter to make.

Added: Wyeast supplies smackpacks only and White Labs supplies vials only.

I wondered if the Propagator was still around... My first time using liquid yeast, that was all I pitched into 5gal. Memories of that beer intentionally hazy.

Thanks for the info guys..... Cheers!!!!!

Everyone seems to have the panties in a bunch on yeast and starters. Yeast have been on earth longer than man and will out live all of use. There are countless cases where yeast have been found 1000's of years old ... yet someone cultures them and make a beer. So, I have a streight formward approach to yeast. Start with 3/4 cup DME hop if you have it. Boil it with 300 to 400 ml use stir plate. Smaller the sample the longer the time on the plate. If you have no plate aggitate as often as you can.

jhayes3920 said:

So, I have a streight formward approach to yeast. Start with 3/4 cup DME hop if you have it. Boil it with 300 to 400 ml use stir plate.

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Sorry, but I have to disagree with this advice.

If you put 3/4 cup of DME into 400ml of water your going to end up with a specific gravity of about 1.110, waaay too high for a yeast starter.

Yeast starter's need a specific gravity of between 1.030 - 1.040

Here is a Link with accurate advice on yeast starters.

If you want to bother with a 400ml starter it's only going to need about 1/4 cup of DME to reach a specific gravity of around 1.037.

jhayes3920 said:

Smaller the sample the longer the time on the plate.

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I don't know where you're getting your information, but this is incorrect as well.

It's going to take around 24 hours for most of the fermentation to take place, depending on temps and type of aeration.

Re: OG ~1.050, does that require a starter? Thought starters were for big beers, higher gravity.

Although certain styles might want deviation from this, standard ale pitching rate (750,000 cells x ___ mL x ___ degrees Plato of your wort) suggests that 5gal (19,000-20,000 mL) at 1.050 (~12 degrees P) wants a bit less than 200 billion yeast cells.

Wyeast smack packs have 100 billion cells when fresh. One pack will ferment your 1.050 wort, but the beer will likely taste better if you pitch more yeast after making a starter.