Yeast Starters

I've been brewing pretty steady for a couple years now and am still learning. During all that time I've never used a yeast starter. I brew in 5 gallon batches both extract and all grain and have been using mostly liquid yeasts. I've often wondered about using a yeast starter but from what I've read I shouldn't need to for 5 gallon batches as long as it's not a real high gravity beer.

So what does everyone else do and why? Do most of you use starters just to be sure everything is ok? I don't believe I've had any issues with my fermentation that I'm aware of so am wondering if I should even worry about this. Thanks.

Anytime I'm using liquid yeast I use a starter. I find that I get a faster starting ferment and a cleaner beer in the end. The main reason I use them are to increase the cell count to the proper pitching level. Additionally, you will find that the viability of a vial of yeast drops relatively quickly. A starter counteracts this. The best source for determining pitching rates and if you need is a starter is below.

http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

+1 to everything Scut Monkey said. Another advantage of using a starter is to help control esters and/or beer flavors. With my hefe's I've been doing a proper starter with the calculations at mrmalty.com and not getting the flavors I want, so now I can fiddle around with the pitch rate to see if I can get the flavor I want by "beating up on the yeast count."

OK, I did my first starter the other day. After 24 hours I put it in the 'fridge and the yeast settled to the bottom of the jug. Today I'm brewing and took it out to warm up to room temp while I brewed. In the process of warming up it the wort that was on top became cloudy again, almost like the yeast started working again. Is this normal? I'm just going to pour the whole starter in the brew wort once it's cooled down enough. This shouldn't be a problem, should it? Thanks.

No problems at all there. You are correct in that the yeast started working again.

Tells us that you should have given it more time to grow. My starters will stay on the stir plate a minimum of 24 and max of 48.

-bn

I did let it grow for 24 hours before putting it in the 'fridge and sloshed it around a few times to make sure it had oxygen. Yesterday I poured the whole thing into the wort. This morning not alot is happening but I think it's because I over cooled the wort with my chiller yesterday and it's been cool in the house. (Maybe 66 degrees or so). I can see the yeast on the bottom of the fermentor so I'm going to give it a stir and put the fermentor closer to a warmer spot to warm it up some. I think it'll be ok.