First Yeast Starter ???

I have had a huge headache with my last batch which was my first liquid yeast. I am brewing a hefe tomorow and using WL 300 yeast. I am hoping that making a starter improves my results (didn't do this with my last batch)

1. If I make the starter int he morning, can I pitch by 6 or 7pm? Is that enough time to do any good at all?

2. The half cup DME for the starter.....is that some of the DME I was going to include in this current recipe, or just some left over whateverIahppentohave DME that is not intneded to be a part of the recipe ingredients?

Use a seperate 1/2 cup of DME for the starter. Making it about twelve hours before you pitch it won't make a lot of difference, but it will at least get the yeast started a little earlier. What exactly was your headache? A really long lag time? I've had starters that were going strong in less than a day, and ones that took three days to get going, so it's hard to say.

The last time I used WLP300, it was a bad vial, and didn't work, even after two days in the starter and three days in the carboy. I had to get a replacement vial from the LHBS, but that fermented like a champ, and now I have a delicious beer. Don't let a long lag time concern you TOO much, as your beer will more than likely come out just fine anyway.

Check out my two headache threads, Torchiest...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=29421

then the next week (and still currently):

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=30059

I am thinking the second one is going to be a dumper. I am going to take a reading tomorrow morning and taste. The last taste was VERY hoppy, and could not taste if it had an infection. At this point (4 weeks in primary and still bubbling like mad) I am not sure what to think except infection. I guess I will know more with a reading later.