2L starter in a 2L flask...OOPS..Can I step up

[rtracer]

So I made my first starter. WLP001 in a 2L solution in 2L flask on stirplate. All the research I read on starters never talked about Krausen bombs.
I learned the hard way about overflowing yeast. Kinda worried I lost quite a bit of pure yeast. I ended up with 2 separate overflows.

I've read fermcap helps, but I am wondering if a 2 step 1L starter would yield similar yeast counts vs 1 2L starter. If I did a 1L starter, stir for a day or so, chill, decant then add another fresh L of wort and repeat, would this net a similar cell count as a single 2L starter?

Yes, getting a larger flask would do the trick too

 

[CA_Mouse]

Stepping a 1 liter to another 1 liter will only give you a marginally larger cell count. Stepping 1 liter of 100B cells will create approximately 238B cells. Decanting and adding another 1 liter will only increase the cell count to approximately 254B. The same 100B cells in a 2 liter starter should yield approximately 378B cells.

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

Check out the yeast calculators online and they will give you a good idea of starter size and yeast count. I use YeastCalc but there are others like Mr. Malty that work well, too. Sometimes a single 1 or 2 liter step is fine. Sometimes you will need to step up. Fermcap is a wonderful thing for starters if you think there is any chance of a krausen bomb.

 

[mtnagel]

Yes, fermcap will help avoid this in the future.

 

[rtracer]

Check out the yeast calculators online and they will give you a good idea of starter size and yeast count. I use YeastCalc but there are others like Mr. Malty that work well, too. Sometimes a single 1 or 2 liter step is fine. Sometimes you will need to step up. Fermcap is a wonderful thing for starters if you think there is any chance of a krausen bomb.

Yeah I used that, said 2L on stirplate was suffice, but I had three krausen bombs. This is a big beer(1.080), so most my standard beers will work with a 1L. I'm gong to get some fermcap for my next 2L 🏳