What do you make your starters in?

I have finally decided that I should start treating my yeast better. I know all of you have been telling us newbies this for a long time. I understand how to build the starter but in looking at the chart in Brewing Classic Styles some of my starters are going to be pretty large, especially for lagers. What kind of vessels do you use for your starters. I was thinking about a 3 gal better bottle. Any other ideas?
Thanks
Kyle

If you need to make that big of a starter, just make an actual beer, 5gal, with a lower gravity and harvest the slurry.

Also, build a stirplate. You'd be amazed how easy it is to get the parts for less than $20

I use a one gallon fermenter that came with a beer kit. This will be used tomorrow night!

I use a 1 gallon jug that used to have one of those cheap wines in it, and I got the benefit of drinking a whole gallon of cheap wine (yea-h!).

I've used everything from an Erlenmeyer flask to a 3 gallon carboy, depending on the size of the starter.

I most often use the stirplate, so the starters start small. If I want a bigger starter, I have to decant the spent wort and add fresh wort to the flask.

For a bigger starter, I use the 3 gallon carboy when I step it up.

Stirplate, 2L flask. I have two of each.

For lagers, I'll start with something where I can make a 2L stir plate starter with two packages (which is anything around 13 plato or less) and then repitch several generations. So I am doing the lager starter twice a year max. I could also do it in two steps with one package but that $14 a year for two extra tubes of 833 doesn't phase me.

I use a 1000ml flask. For bigger starters I use a 64 oz growler. I also continuously aerate them.

I use one of my flasks, I have a 500ml, 1000ml, 2000ml, 4000ml and a 5000ml.

6 liters on a stir plate

Sweet!

Frodo said:

I use a 1 gallon jug that used to have one of those cheap wines in it, and I got the benefit of drinking a whole gallon of cheap wine (yea-h!).

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I use the same thing, but I made my wife drink the wine...

I just picked up a 4000mL erlenmeyer flask. This thing is large! I really like the idea of being able to boil, cool, and cap right in the single vessel.

Frodo said:

I use a 1 gallon jug that used to have one of those cheap wines in it, and I got the benefit of drinking a whole gallon of cheap wine (yea-h!).

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me too!!

but, obviously it depends on how big of a starter you want.

HopheadNJ said:

I just picked up a 4000mL erlenmeyer flask. This thing is large! I really like the idea of being able to boil, cool, and cap right in the single vessel.

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agree, I'm on my second starter and I wish I went with 2000ml flask, 1000ml just too small for some brews. The convinience of a flask is hard to beat

I use a half gallon Bell jar - when I need to step up, I chill, decant and add fresh wort.

apple juice jar. perfect for a 1200 ml starter which is what i use on a 5 gallon batch

flask (500ml then 4000ml)

Pappers_ said:

I use a half gallon Bell jar - when I need to step up, I chill, decant and add fresh wort.

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You're not growing more yeast, unless you step up the starter volume.

KillerIguana said:

You're not growing more yeast, unless you step up the starter volume.

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That's not true - you're definitely growing more yeast, but certainly a bigger volume would give you a great level of growth.

Pappers_ said:

I use a half gallon Bell jar - when I need to step up, I chill, decant and add fresh wort.

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KillerIguana said:

You're not growing more yeast, unless you step up the starter volume.

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first off, this thread is necro. second, reread what you quoted and posted, you make little sense. BTW, you're quoting on of the more knowledgable members of these forums to tell him he's giving bad info, yet you failed to see the obvious (bolded) statement.

just sayin'.....

NordeastBrewer77 said:

reread what you quoted and posted, you make little sense.

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They way I read "Pappers" post it sounded like he makes a half gallon starter, decants, then adds the same volume of wort to the same half gallon container. I was always of the understanding that in order to increase the yeast count you have to increase the volume of wort. If I'm wrong, then I've learned something.

NordeastBrewer77 said:

you're quoting on of the more knowledgeable members

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You don't know how knowledgeable I am? I'm new to the forum, but not brewing.

I didn't see the date of the original posts. Sorry if I offended. I'll be more cautious of my posts.

Yeast don't look around their container and say, "hmmm, looks like about 2L in here, better not grow anymore"

I use a flask from 500ml to 5000ml depends on what I am doing.

I use gallon jugs. I get them for next to nothing at the apple orchard or fruit stand. Unless you're making a lager or a barleywine, you shouldn't need anything bigger.

KillerIguana said:

They way I read "Pappers" post it sounded like he makes a half gallon starter, decants, then adds the same volume of wort to the same half gallon container. I was always of the understanding that in order to increase the yeast count you have to increase the volume of wort. If I'm wrong, then I've learned something.



You don't know how knowledgeable I am? I'm new to the forum, but not brewing.

I didn't see the date of the original posts. Sorry if I offended. I'll be more cautious of my posts.

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Yep, you're wrong, the yeast just want more sugar to grow more. Nothing too complicated there. Don't worry about it, I wasn't sure what the hell "stepping up" meant at one time. Come to think about it, I still don't know ****, but I know just enough to have bubbly beer come out at the other end.

Don't worry about raising old threads. I don't see any harm at all in it, but it is funny sometimes. Just try not to raise any glass vs. plastic threads... those need to RIP.

kanzimonson said:

Yeast don't look around their container and say, "hmmm, looks like about 2L in here, better not grow anymore"

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exactly.

KillerIguana said:

You don't know how knowledgeable I am? I'm new to the forum, but not brewing.

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hey, i didn't even notice when you joined, nor would i have any reason to doubt your experience. i was merely pointing out that the material you questioned was solid and given by someone who i've always seen give solid advice. and no worries about raising the dead, i just found it odd that the reason the thread was reopened was to question a 17 month old post stating a good container to make a starter in.

but to keep the thread on topic, i make my starters in erlenmeyer flasks, glass jugs, large jars, growlers, etc. it really depends what sort of vessel i have available that'll hold the starter volume. i'd have to say i use the 1 gal jugs the most, i have quite a few, they're cheap and double as FV's or bright tanks for small batches and as a container for a blow off tube.

NordeastBrewer77 said:

i just found it odd that the reason the thread was reopened was to question a 17 month old post stating a good container to make a starter in.

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I was reading a post about yeast starters and at the bottom of the screen there's a box that says "Similar Threads", and I clicked on one of those thinking it was an active thread. I wanted to contribute.

on topic: I use 2000ML flask or a 1 gal jug on a stir plate.
(Doh, maybe that would've been a better way to contribute.)

I use a 5000ml erl flask....still wasnt enough for that samiclaus clone.

if you want to kick around some numbers on starters and stepping up check this site out

yeast calc