Yeast Starter Newb Questions

I just fired up a yeast starter for my first all grain brew, which will be a DFH 90 minute IPA.

I am using the WLP007 Dry English Ale Yeast yeast for this.

I have some of the whitelabs yeast nutrient on hand which I have used many time in the past, the only difference being is that I did not add it to the hot wort for the starter. The nutrient clumped up like a virgin in a whore house when I added it to the hot wort. . . . should I worry?

I have my starter going on a stir plate, which brings me to my next question:

How vigorously do you all run your stir plates? I can't imagine trying to divide and concur whilst in a blender, so I am thinking slow.

Lastly, I have successfully used about a cup of DME to 4 cups (as I have done today) of water in the past while making a yeast starter. Is there a general rule of thumb for the ratio while getting the yeast up and ready to go?

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Scott

I wouldn't worry about the nutrient. Either the yeast will eat it or it won't. If it doesn't, you'll just have a lump in the trub.

My stirplate is pretty slow. I get a little dimple on the surface; not a vortex. It keeps the yeast in suspension just fine.

When I make a starter, I use 2 ounces of DME to 500ml of water. I know some people like to match the starter SG with the SG of the batch. I think I'd only try that for a big beer.

I hope this helps.

I use 1Oz of dme for every cup of water. I make a quart so I use 4 Oz. works out to about 3/4 of a cup of dme.

I wouldn't worry about the clumping.

Also, the last few starters I have made i've done 2 cups of water to 1 cup of DME. They have worked wonderfully.