Can there be too much headspace when making a starter?

[Snoogles]

I'm making a 3.5+ Liter starter so I was just planning on placing it in my big 6+ gallon plastic fermentation bucket. Is this a nono?

 

[badbrew]

The only problem is trying to chill that bucket and decant the waste. If you are going to pitch the whole thing, then it should be o.k. I am going to buy a $8 glass gallon jar from walmart for my upcoming 3L. I just hope the stir bar will spin inside it.

 

[schoellhorn82]

You may want to look into "stepping up the yeast starter" that invloves making a starter, let if ferment out and settle down, decant the spent wort and boil and cool more malt extract (or whatever you make your starters from) and ferment again on top of the yeast you just made/cultured (or something like that). This method is great for using in lagers or when a large amount of yeast is needed in a higher gravity ale. That way you are not pitching all the liquid used to create that large amount of yeast. I've heard of people doing this 3 or 4 times to get the amount of yeast they need though i've never done more that 2. Bad brew, most of the gallon jars that you can buy are not flat around the edges so a spinner bar usually does not work, ive tried on all mine-fyi.

 

[GuldTuborg]

I am going to buy a $8 glass gallon jar from walmart for my upcoming 3L. I just hope the stir bar will spin inside it.

Why not buy a $5 gallon bottle of wine or apple juice and drink it first?

I agree the easy way to make this happen, if time permits, is by stepping up a starter. Alternately, make two starters in two gallon bottles.

 

[badbrew]

You may want to look into "stepping up the yeast starter" that invloves making a starter, let if ferment out and settle down, decant the spent wort and boil and cool more malt extract (or whatever you make your starters from) and ferment again on top of the yeast you just made/cultured (or something like that). This method is great for using in lagers or when a large amount of yeast is needed in a higher gravity ale. That way you are not pitching all the liquid used to create that large amount of yeast. I've heard of people doing this 3 or 4 times to get the amount of yeast they need though i've never done more that 2. Bad brew, most of the gallon jars that you can buy are not flat around the edges so a spinner bar usually does not work, ive tried on all mine-fyi.

It wasn't easy but it's going. You just have to be patient and keep dragging the spinner bar to the center until it starts up.

 

[passedpawn]

I'm making a 3.5+ Liter starter so I was just planning on placing it in my big 6+ gallon plastic fermentation bucket. Is this a nono?

It's fine. Sanitize as usual.

 

[RogueGoose85]

I'm making a 3.5+ Liter starter so I was just planning on placing it in my big 6+ gallon plastic fermentation bucket. Is this a nono?

More oxygen the better, and increased headspace will have zero negative effects. For convenince buy a 2L flask, or 1 gallon jugs

 

[william_shakes_beer]

It wasn't easy but it's going. You just have to be patient and keep dragging the spinner bar to the center until it starts up.

Did you try putting a second RE magnet on the stir plate?

 

[badbrew]

Did you try putting a second RE magnet on the stir plate?

Do you mean install another inside it?

I wrestled with the extra magnet that came with the stir plate, trying to pull the bar to the center of the jar and then slowly setting the jar on the stir plate while on low until it took. Took about 10 minutes or 15 tries. PITA but I have plenty of uses for the jar anyway. I'll look for a jug with rounded sides for next time I go this big.