Starter smells right but.........

I just made my first starter with a smack pack, it smells right after 24hrs but it isnt foamy at all. I made it with 3 cups water, 1/4 cup DME and the smack pack. Its a buvarian ale yeast. Is it ok? I didnt have a bubbler and container to tell if its started. What should it look like?

This is what my yeast starters look like. I start out with one quart of water and 1 cup of DME. I don't know how you would tell that the yeast is active unless you can see tiny bubbles coming up around the edge of the glass container you have it in. I also think your wort solution may be a little on the weak side. I would think you would need 3/4 cup of DME to get 3 cups of water going.

Thanks for the info. Turned out alright though. its bubbling away right now. i do plan on getting a setuplike yours for starters though, just because it was impossible to guage in tHe Stainless bowl. I'll use more DME next time also.

When you start reading around here about making yeast starters, you will see a lot of different information. There seem to be about two hard truths that are common though...

1. When using liquid yeast, you should make a starter.
2. When using dry yeast, just rehydrate it and pitch without a starter.

There is also a general consensus that you need to prepare a yeast starter wort that is about 1.040 OG, which works out to about one cup of DME per quart of water. The actual volume of wort you prepare can vary from anywhere between one and two quarts to as much as 4 quarts for a big batch of big beer. I have had really good luck with one quart of water and one cup of DME as a starter that runs for no more than 48 hours before pitching. I like to give it at least 24 hours and up to 48, depending on my schedule.