Mr Malty wants a 3.5L starter

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enohcs

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What's your procedure for getting such a large volume of starter?
I did a calculation for a future lager I hope to do and it's calling for over 4L in starter.
 
I did a lager that required a 4L starter. I found it easier to just make two 2L starters with 1 vial in each. My main reason was that I didn't have a vessel large enough for the 4L starter. You could do that or start with a 2L starter and ferment. Then decant and add 2L of fresh wort to build up your cell count.
 
What's your procedure for getting such a large volume of starter?

Procedure? Simple - find a different solution.

The calculator uses variables, and each variable changes starter volume. More than one vial, a stir plate, and fresher yeast would all bring the starter volume down to a more reasonable size.

4L is not a normal starter; it is more like a batch of beer. It is simply the result of plugging in many unfavorable variables.

I say look into a stir plate, because it dramatically reduces the volume of wort as well as the number of vials required for an appropriate cell count.

If $75 for the stir plate is too big a nut to crack, opt for a second (or third) vial, but in that case, the stir plate would have paid for itself in about a year of brewing.

Joe
 
Procedure? Simple - find a different solution.

The calculator uses variables, and each variable changes starter volume. More than one vial, a stir plate, and fresher yeast would all bring the starter volume down to a more reasonable size.

4L is not a normal starter; it is more like a batch of beer. It is simply the result of plugging in many unfavorable variables.

I say look into a stir plate, because it dramatically reduces the volume of wort as well as the number of vials required for an appropriate cell count.

If $75 for the stir plate is too big a nut to crack, opt for a second (or third) vial, but in that case, the stir plate would have paid for itself in about a year of brewing.

Joe

One of these (http://stirstarters.com/) could be an option, as they're only $42. I'm looking to get one within the coming months when I start brewing bigger batches.
 
Stirstarter looks like a very good option. I think mine was about $65 from BMW, but they seem to be carrying a different model now, and it is quite a bit more money.
 
A few ideas for you:

Homebrewing.org had a stirplate for $40 last I checked. I got mine second hand from the property disposition at the nearby university for $25 and its better than any $100 plate i've seen.

Also, some cheap wine comes in a 1 gallon glass jug that would be able to fit 3.5L with room to spare. Cheap and easy large, much more than flask that size.
 
What's your procedure for getting such a large volume of starter?
I did a calculation for a future lager I hope to do and it's calling for over 4L in starter.

Make a 2 liter starter, refrigerate it, decant (pour off) most of the liquid, leaving the Yeast slurry at the bottom, add in another 2 liters, plus DME (another 2 liter starter mix) and in 18 hours you have your 4 liter starter, in 2 liters of liquid.

Its a 2 stage starter.
Its covered in some threads here and elsewhere.
 
jfowler1 said:
Procedure? Simple - find a different solution.

The calculator uses variables, and each variable changes starter volume. More than one vial, a stir plate, and fresher yeast would all bring the starter volume down to a more reasonable size.

4L is not a normal starter; it is more like a batch of beer. It is simply the result of plugging in many unfavorable variables.

I say look into a stir plate, because it dramatically reduces the volume of wort as well as the number of vials required for an appropriate cell count.

If $75 for the stir plate is too big a nut to crack, opt for a second (or third) vial, but in that case, the stir plate would have paid for itself in about a year of brewing.

Joe

I believe that even with a stir plate, a 4 L starter is pretty typical for a lager if only one vial/smack pack is used. If you use two vials then it can be reduced to 2 L with a stir plate. This is what I did for my recent lager.
 
I believe that even with a stir plate, a 4 L starter is pretty typical for a lager if only one vial/smack pack is used. If you use two vials then it can be reduced to 2 L with a stir plate. This is what I did for my recent lager.

I agree 100%.

Lagers, Hybrids, and any ale over 1.070 gets at least 2 vials of yeast at my house. If you asked me to make a strong lager (which isn't in my line-up), it would probably be three vials, still using a stir plate. I pitch the entire starter 24-30 hours after I put it on the stirplate, and because of that, the maximum starter volume I am comfortable with is 1.5L (but it is more like 1L for a typical ale.)

My point was to play with the variables as needed to avoid that gigantic starter situation. As the OP pointed out, a 4L starter presents a lot of head aches.

It is worth mentioning that you need to find a balance between growth and yeast health. If you ask me, 1 vial in a 4 liter starter sounds like you are leaning too heavily on growth, and throwing health into the wind. If anything, health should be the first perogative, and growth is simply an outcome.

Joe
 
Great info from everyone. Thanks. I do have a stir plate (as of a week ago) but hadn't investigated the different variables in the yeast calculator. Playing around with the different variables has gotten me to under 2L no problem.
 
I actually picked up a 1 gallon glass jug of apple juice from Whole Foods for like $8. It won't get you to 4L, but it will get you pretty close, particularly if you use an anti-foaming agent.
 
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