When to start the starter?

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jessej122

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Asking my first starter actually first 2 starters going to brew on Saturday afternoon should I make the starters today and cold crash Friday night? Also I do not have a stir plate should I swirl it around and how ofter? Thanks in advance
 
Asking my first starter actually first 2 starters going to brew on Saturday afternoon should I make the starters today and cold crash Friday night? Also I do not have a stir plate should I swirl it around and how ofter? Thanks in advance

1) yes.

2) swirl it whenever you walk by.
 
I would skip the cold crash (assuming you intend on decanting Saturday).
Depending on the type of yeast, there are likely to still be suspended yeast cells Saturday that you would be pouring off.
But yes, with no stir plate, go ahead and get it started.
 
Speaking of when to get a starter started, I generally start one about 2 days before my brew day. For my last brew day, I used some yeast that I had washed and stored in our basement refrigerator since last January. So, I decided to make the starter about 5 days prior to my brew day to make sure the starter would take off and if not, give me time to go and get some fresh yeast. Everything worked out fine as the starters took off and my airlock in my fermenting bucket was bubbling away less than 12 hours after pitching it.

But my question is, how far out can you actually make a starter prior to pitching it? I didn't know if 5 days was too long or not or if that is about as far out as you want to go?
 
I like to get my starters going a full 5-7 days prior to brew day. Since I harvest I usually do a two step starter as most of my beers are bigger than 1.060 typically. Even if I require a smaller starter I still plan that far out for my own schedule purposes.

With the periodic shake when you can, the starter should ferment out in about 18-21 hours IME so once it's done it should be placed in the fridge to sit and crash until brew day. Then decant and pitch when the wort is ready.
 
Also going to pick up some erlinmeyer flasks today I'm going to be splitting the beer in 2 five gallon fermentors,think its best to just buy one 5L flask and do everything in one or buy 2 2L?
 
I've got the parts on order to make a stir plate and plan to make my first starter tomorrow to brew this weekend,

I understand what you guys mean by the term cold crash but when you say "decant" then pitch I'm not sure what you're referring to? What is decanting ?
 
When you cold crash, the yeast will form a layer (yeast cake) on the bottom of your flask and there will be liquid on the top. Decanting is just slowly pouring out most of the liquid without disturbing the yeast cake prior to pitching your starter into your fermenter.
 
Also going to pick up some erlinmeyer flasks today I'm going to be splitting the beer in 2 five gallon fermentors,think its best to just buy one 5L flask and do everything in one or buy 2 2L?

If you will be brewing lagers get the 5l flask and a 2l flask. Most average gravity lagers are going to need 400 billion cells or more for a 5 gal batch. One large starter, 3+ liters, gets you close. With a 2l flask you'll need to do multiple steps. I have a 1, 2 and 5 liter flask and those work out well for me, I brew 80% lagers.
 
No I don't brew lagers,think 2 2L starters for an oatmeal stout will be enough to split between to fermenters?
 
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