Stir Plate

So the next beer i want to brew says i should use a yeast starter. I'ver that useing a stir plate and flask is the best way to make one. Anyone know where i can get a stir plate for a good price?

 

Search for "stirstarter" on eBay. It seems like the cheapest one out there and I've read good things about it on here. You can also find it on Bells' homebrew site for a few dollars less ($39), but I don't know what they charge for shipping.

FWIW, I've made starters without a stir plate and had good results. They are not required for a starter, but you will get better results (more growth) with one. What is the OG of the beer you are getting ready to brew?

 

Its 1.052

 

I buy all my stuff on bells now, good shipping prices and so far cheapest place for my supplies, I got the stirstarter plate and a 2L flask with shipping for 60 bucks, some places want 50 for a stir plate and 25 for a 2L flask, and that doesn't include shipping.

But as far as making th starter goes buy a $10 digital scale at the local Harbor Freight (cheap kick nack hardware store) and its 100g dme to 1000mL (1:10 rule 1g dme to 10mL water)

I chose the 2L flask because its twice the size and only like 2 bucks more on bells website

 

I've made bigger beers without a starter and they turned out fine. I'm not saying its the way to go, but it's definitely doable. Wyeast smack packs are supposed to be okay for direct pitching up to 1.060 and you'd probably be fine with a packet of dry yeast. If you are using a vial of White Labs, you'd prob want to do a starter for no other reason than to confirm viability of the yeast. Viability is confirmed with Wyeast if the smack pack inflates.

 

Agree with above post u should be ok with one smack pack. But for future batches I'm very happy with my stir starter and its lifetime guarenteed no matter where u buy it

 

Stirstarters.com they sell a stir plate that has a lifetime warranty and includes a stir bar and magnet to hold on the bottom of the flask to keep from pouring the stir bar out and all for only 42 bucks with free shipping.

 

I found an old lab stirplate/hot plate on eBay for like $50, like the ones found in a HS science class. Nice because u can actually keep the yeast at proper temp. A stir plate is not a necessity for doing a yeast starter, it just helps. A couple of things I've picked up doing them though:
Make sure to treat your water as you would for brewing. Clean, non softened water, at a proper pH that won't kill the yeast. A little yeast nutrient helps too, to round out any requirements not fully met by light DME. Keep the flask / vessel covered with a towel or something so that it does not get too much UV light, as most people will do this on a kitchen counter. Oxygenate, just like you would wort before pitching, and if you don't have a stir plate shake it up every so often. If you do use a plate, let the yeast rest for a while at some point, the stirring is great for oxygenation of the slurry and feeding, however flocculation (NOT reproduction, sorry it was early, thanks Pabloj13) occurs more when not being whirlpooled, also a good way to get a pretty solid cake so u can pour off some of the excess propagation wort and not affect the flavor of your beer too much. I've had ales start vigorously bubbling within 2 hours. That being said you may want to look up some posts on Blow-off tubes before you do this. Cleaning beer off your ceiling when the lid blows sucks, and often your batch is trashed from infection.

Good Luck! :mugs:

 

Where did you hear the part about reproduction while whirlpooling? Just curious.

 

If you are handy you can always build one pretty cheaply that is as good as the expensive ones.

I built my own 1. Because I like little DIY projects 2. I was able to build it for less than $20.00

 

I purchased mine from Dan at Stirstarters.com Great product, price and service. It came with bar magnet and keeper magnet when dumping out the starter. I also purchased a 2L flask from him.

Highly recommend
Toy4Rick

 

That was my mistake, I meant flocculation, I apologize to anyone who read that, thats what I get for responding to threads at 7 am after a night full of bourbon...

scott b

 

I also built mine for about 25 bucks but i had some old computer parts lying around. So if you can source the parts i suggest you put one together yourself. But if your going to go out and buy everything part by part it might be cheaper to buy one online. But hey either way stir plates really kick ass. i have a frozen yeast bank and the stir plate real comes in handy with that.

 

If you want to see the difference between starters with and without a stir plate, plug your calculated OG into Mr Malty pitching calculator, and calculate the starter needed both with intermittent shaking and a stir plate.

 

Thanks I think i might try making one, i do like working with my hands and it could be fun. Thanks