Quick question about pitching my starter

Hi all, only been doing this about a year, and only had to make a starter twice so far, and not in a while, so here's what I was wondering this morning....

We're about to brew an IPA today, and I made the starter yesterday - this morning it looks great, bubbling through the airlock rapidly. I started reading about pitching it and I've encountered differing methods - some say pitch the whole thing, some say just the top third (?!?) - so I just thought I'd ask some opinions here.

Do you throw the whole mess into your wort? do you take just the top (and how do you accomplish that?) what about the crud that's settled at the bottom? throw that in too or leave it?

thanks....

If it's at "high krausen" and it sounds like it is- swirl it up and pitch the whole thing. Sometimes I'll make the starter a few days in advance (particularly for a lager) and let it ferment out. Once it's completely done, I stick it in the fridge and let it settle. Then, I decant the spent wort and just pitch the yeast. In this case, though- it would all go in.

It's a matter of prefrence really...Some drain off the top third (decant) then pitch everything else in...(the top third is not what you want, you want the stuff at the bottom.) Other's just swirl the whole thing and pitch....

If I'm using the same or lighter dme as what I'm brewing then I just pitch the whole thing in.

I agree completely with Yooper -- if it's a small starter that hasn't fermented out yet then I would pitch the whole thing--otherwise you could lose too much active yeast by decanting. The best thing to do is to make a large starter, ferment it out then cold crash it for about 8 hrs prior to brewing, warm it up while brewing then decant off everything except for the settled yeast, swirl and pitch. It takes a lot more advance preparation / planning though.

Thanks guys. I'm glad I asked - I was under several wrong impressions. But it sounds like in my current case I'll just swirl and pitch the whole thing in. I used Extra-Light LME and the total amount in the flask now is 700 mL so I think I'm okay.

Much appreciated!

I just throw the whole thing in. I'm making small starters by using the LME from my kit and it won't make any difference in a 5 gallon batch.

So I dont have to start a new thread.... I am brewing tomorrow afternoon, and will be using liquid yeast for a wheat beer.

A) Is it worth it for me to make a starter?

B) If it is, I have not done so. If I was to do it tonight is that too late?

Thanks!

Use a starter for liquid yeasts. If you make the starter tonight, it will probably be at high krausen tomorrow. Then just pitch the whole thing.

Thats what I figured, but also figured I'd get some thoughts first.

Thanks