How far in advance do you make starter?

I have read about people who do this a day ahead, to 1-3 days to a week.
I am curious on what you do and why you do it in your time frame.

I tend to make mine 1 day to a week ahead depending on the type of brew and if I have the time ahead to make it a few days before hand. Lagers tend to need stepping up so I will always make those a week or so ahead.

Depending on the size either the night before or 3 days before brewing, but I have made them as many as 5 days before brewday.

I make 1L starters the night before since I pitch them at high krausen. This uses the peak of activity to your advantage and creates a fast start. Since the starter is so small, pitching the entire volume only dilutes a 5gal. batch by 5%.

For larger starters, I start them 3 days in advance to allow the yeast population to fully grow and completely ferment the starter wort. This leaves enough time for fermentation and a day of chilling in the fridge to promote flocculation. On the morning of brewday, I take the starter from the fridge and carefully decant the wort from off the yeast bed. I then let the slurry sit out and warm up so it's ready for pitching when needed.

I make it to give enough time to cold crash a decant it, which is at least 5 days before hand.

I plan on 24 hours on the stirplate. I also plan on at least 8 hours in the fridge to cold crash it so that I can decant more liquid and pitch a more concentrated slurry. So, if I'm brewing on Saturday, I make my starter Thursday evening.

I want at least 3 days as my starters tend to go for a while. That gives me 2 days for the yeast to grow and 1 day to crash cool and decant on brewday.

Snowhere said:

I want at least 3 days as my starters tend to go for a while. That gives me 2 days for the yeast to grow and 1 day to crash cool and decant on brewday.

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No stirplate??

I've found that a stirplate is a huge asset for making starters. Well worth the cost of either buying one, or making one.

For today's batch, I made the starter yesterday afternoon.

Depends on the time of year and what I'm starting with.
In spring, summer and fall, and starting with a smack pack or vial that is reasonably current, I make the starter (using a stir plate) about 18 hours before pitching.
In winter (with colder temperatures), I do it 24 - 40 hours before pitching.
If I'm starting with a vial or smack pack of old yeast (again using a stir plate), I add an extra 24 hours.
20 - 30 years ago, when I didn't have a stir plate and used to culture yeast from a single bottle with several step ups, it would take me up to 3 weeks to build up the starter.

-a.

Golddiggie said:

I plan on 24 hours on the stirplate. I also plan on at least 8 hours in the fridge to cold crash it so that I can decant more liquid and pitch a more concentrated slurry. So, if I'm brewing on Saturday, I make my starter Thursday evening.

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