5 gallon starter!!! i know please read

ok im brewing 10 gallons of dopplebock for my first lager.... i am going to make 5 gallons of starter wort and pitch one smak pack into it and let sit for 36 hours.... then decant the wort and pitch on top of it with the actual beer.... whatcha think the smak pak is dated march 30??????

I'd say that isn't completely necessary, but that I would think the yeast is still good.

its for a lager though?

For that much effort i'd brew something then pitch the slurry(like a yummy maibock). Do you have a solid recipe? That's a lot of dopplebock!

I spend most nights and mornings reading this forum and the only time I've ever seen 5 gallon starts where for 1 barrel sized batches and above. I think it's a waste for a fine beer to make such a huge start. That's 5 gallons of wort (8-12lbs of grain) going down the drain.

ill use pils DME

5 gallons is a batch of BEER, not a starter.

You really don't need to waste anything. You should look into Real Wort Starters, or use a repitch.
I would strongly recommend a repitch from a 5 gallon pilsner or some lighter lager. A doppelbock is a very difficult first lager. Making a starter batch will make your experience soooo much easier. And instead of dumping a 5 gallon starter, you get to drink good beer And, almost as importantly, you will get to practice brewing a lager. Be really diligent about pitch temps and controlling ferm temps. Do not RDWHAHB, this is the time to be on it hardcore. The doppelbock will be a really big time investment so I know you want to do it right!

Good luck whichever way you decide to go!

hello fellow tennessean... i am brewing a pilsner and a doppelbock on the same day... i want to be on the same lagering schedule.... i am going to make a 2litre starter, and in 36 hours pitch into 3 to 5 gallon dme.... i am just curious as to the step up process for the yeast... unfortunately i dont have time to brew and then rebrew at the proper repitch time any thoughts on stepping up yeast?

From 2L to several gallons is fine if you're going to decant it. Add the 2L to the big starter wort when its finishing fermenting or in high activity. I assume its a lowish gravity starter wort.
For the pilsner are you starting something else? and is it also a 10g? Sounds like a huge brew day!

Cool to see lots of TN brewers here Cheers!

awesome, yes i am doing a pilsner and a dopplebock, both stepping up to a several gallon starter after a 2litre starter.... decanting yes both times (now that ive learned that this will be enough), before pitching the final beer.... i dont get that much time to brew unfortunately, so me and my buddy carl brew 4 to 5 times a year, and in that time we do 4 to 5... 10 gallon batches a very very long brew day..... so the question is, will the yeast double, acordding to the pitching rate calculator i need 1.1 trillion cells for the dopple at 1.08 and 786 billion for the pilsner

ok for those of you that are curious, there was just no way around it so im doing 2x5.5 litre starters each with 2 smak packs pitched, and i am also doing 3x2 litre starters each with one tube of white labs in it.... the first 2 5.5's will be decanted into 11 gallons of 1.08 dopplebock, and the 3x2 litres will be pitched into 11 gallons of pilsner..... its my first starter so its the best i can do, ill propagate for 24 hours on the pilsner and i may double up decant on the dopplebock undecided