Baron von BeeGee said:
Yep, I'd at a minimum double the size of your starter to 1g. If your OG is much above 1065-1070 you might want even more, although 1g will probably work. 2qts is a good ale starter.
I could use your input as well as I am about to start my first lager this Saturday.
I purchased the Maibock kit from Northern Brewer (1.064 SG), and they only provided one smack pack of Bohemian Lager. Their instructions didn't say anything about a starter, which is astonishing to even a relatively new brewer such as myself. Instructions like this really help confuse new brewers.
I have a 2L starter going (2 cups dme) using Yuri Rage's stirplate at room temp, which is now chilling at 55 in a temp controlled freezer. My plan is to step it once more using wort made with 1 cup DME and 1000ml water, chilling it to match the existing starter, decanting the original starter, then adding the new chilled wort to the original starter. I plan to aerate by shaking the heck out of it and occasionally swirling it, and will leave it in the freezer for two days, then pitching the decanted starter on Saturday to the Maibock once it has chilled to 55.
Does this make sense? Should I adjust the temp to 60 for the starters and final wort, then drop the temp to 55 (ferm temp) after it has been pitched?
I also have an oxygen tank and aeration stone (first time I will be using it). I just read the Lager section of John Palmers book and it said that over oxygenating will lead to thin, perhaps oxidized, beer. Since yeast only needs around 16ppm
02 max, I thought I read you should use the stone for only 5 minutes. I have also heard from others longer or shorter times. Argh...makes me want to go back to just splashing it around. Any ideas here?
Damn, I have to make time to brew and don't want to screw up my first lager.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Cheers.
BrewStef
(Needing to relax with another homebrew)