Are all starters created equally?

[PLAY_DEAD]

Nice and simple mikescooling. That seems like a good starting place that one can modify as they see fit. Thanks!

 

[Queequeg]

As mentioned, yeah, estimated / target OG. I usually change the pitch rate coefficient kind of on a whim on what I'm brewing - if it's a big beer, REALLY big beer, lager, big lager, etc.

I usually go 0.5 for British styles, 0.75 for us styles and saisons, and 1.5 for imperials/barley wines

 

[Beerthoven]

I know I'm coming a bit late to the thread, but this is what I now do for a starter. The day before brew day I activate my Wyeast smackpack first thing in the morning (I only use Wyeast). That evening, I boil 1/2 cup DME in 1/2 liter of water for 3 minutes, cool, and pitch my smackpack. I swirl a few minutes to aerate; don't use a stir plate. I brew ales, 5.5 gallon batches, usually between 1.052 and 1.056 OG, and oxygenate with pure O2 for 40 seconds before pitching the whole starter.

I used to make larger starters, usually 2L, and used a stir plate. Then one time I didn't have enough DME to make a big starter so I made a small one, and it worked just fine. I've noticed no difference in lag times, fermentation lengths, final gravity, or the quality of the finished beer when using small vs. large starters.

I know what the books and yeast calculators and forum commentators say. But in my experience, the larger starters often recommended by these sources are simply not necessary for most homebrewers. If you're brewing lagers, or making larger batches, or just want to, then by all means continue to make large starters. You will not make worse beer for it and might actually make better beer. But I strive for simplicity and maximal effect from minimal effort in all aspects of my life, including my brewing, so I will stick with small starters for now.

BTW, in 9 years of brewing, on only 1 occasion did I encounter a Wyeast smackpack that was almost dead. In that case, I nursed that yeast back to health with a starter that I stepped up three times, to truly epic proportions.

 

[Big Monk]

I know I'm coming a bit late to the thread, but this is what I now do for a starter. The day before brew day I activate my Wyeast smackpack first thing in the morning (I only use Wyeast). That evening, I boil 1/2 cup DME in 1/2 liter of water for 3 minutes, cool, and pitch my smackpack. I swirl a few minutes to aerate; don't use a stir plate. I brew ales, 5.5 gallon batches, usually between 1.052 and 1.056 OG, and oxygenate with pure O2 for 40 seconds before pitching the whole starter.



I used to make larger starters, usually 2L, and used a stir plate. Then one time I didn't have enough DME to make a big starter so I made a small one, and it worked just fine. I've noticed no difference in lag times, fermentation lengths, final gravity, or the quality of the finished beer when using small vs. large starters.



I know what the books and yeast calculators and forum commentators say. But in my experience, the larger starters often recommended by these sources are simply not necessary for most homebrewers. If you're brewing lagers, or making larger batches, or just want to, then by all means continue to make large starters. You will not make worse beer for it and might actually make better beer. But I strive for simplicity and maximal effect from minimal effort in all aspects of my life, including my brewing, so I will stick with small starters for now.



BTW, in 9 years of brewing, on only 1 occasion did I encounter a Wyeast smackpack that was almost dead. In that case, I nursed that yeast back to health with a starter that I stepped up three times, to truly epic proportions.

I agree with you and I'll add that yeast calculators have tricked people into thinking that "underpitching" is universally a bad thing.

Part of the reason pitching at high krausen is so effective is that the yeast are incredibly active and as healthy as they can possible be going right into your wort.

If I had a beer that called for 400B cells, I'd take a healthy, ready to rock 250B cell high krausen starter over a 400B cell starter in a quiescent state.

I of course understand the appeal and ubiquitous nature of stir plates though. Similar to just shaking and pitching at HK, they offer the user a simple, hands off method for generating a large number of cells.