Building a starter

[MFigz]

I am sure this has been answered somewhere before, but I've been looking for about an hour and can't find my answer.

I'm planning on brewing my first 10g batch this Friday, and Beersmith is telling me that I need an 8L starter (It's a double IPA). I typically do 5 gallon batches and I'll just pitch 2 pouches if the beer is big enough. I did not want to spend the money on 6 pouches for this beer so I did a little research and saw that you could build a starter out of 1 pouch which is what I bought...

I've seen a few YouTube video's of people building a normal 1L Starter, Then 24 hours later adding 2qts of starter wort to the 1L starter etc... until the target volume is reached. I do not have an 8 l container, so I was thinking of building my starter in a plastic 5 gal carboy that I don't use any more...

The questions are:

1. Should I go the route of doubling the starter day by day like I saw on the videos, or would it be ok to just toss 8 liters of starter wort into the 5 gal carboy and let'er rip from Monday evening until Friday?
2. Is Monday evening to Friday morning enough time to build the starter out of 1 pouch, or should I go back and buy a second pouch of yeast or push back my brew day?

Thanks for your help!
Mike

 

[cabron99]

For me, 1.5L starter per 5g has worked for 11 years. I might be under pitching, but its d*mned good beer.
Just my $.02.

Pat

 

[danielthemaniel]

Without knowing your OG and FG I would say that seems high but possible. I brew 10g batches as well and I would highly recommend getting a 5L flask and repitching your yeast. I can usually make 3L starter using yeast I harvested from a previous batch. I dont worry about decanting that amount although I probably should! Anyway, to answer your question, 1. You can just pitch it all into one big starter, no need to build it up unless you really want to. 2. That's plenty of time. I typically allow for 24-36 hours. Your goal is to prime your yeast to be at peak readiness to consume your wort. If your starter goes for too long the yeast will have consumed all of the sugar in the starter and begin to go back to a dormant stage again.

 

[Hermit]

I made a stir plate in my fermentation chamber. I do starters in my 7 gallon bucket. When ready I turn off the plate, tip the bucket back and cold crash. Brew day I rack of the spent liquid and then empty the brew kettle into the bucket. Put it back on the stir plate for aeration of the wort. I've done this with a few beers so far and it seems to work well. My only problem seems to be the process is very effective at driving the CO2 out of solution. Since I bottle condition a lot I'll need to get this worked out.

 

[kh54s10]

I think you need to recheck the size of the starter. I use this calculator: http://www.yeastcalculator.com/ For the biggest beers I have made I didn't need much over 2 liters for a 5 gallon batch. 8 liters doesn't sound right.

 

[MFigz]

Thanks for the replies! It's a 10 gallon 1.075 batch. I made a 2 liter starter last night, and ordered a stir plate which just showed up. I'm new to building starters and after looking at some yeast calculators, I am even more confused on what to do now. Apparently I should have made a 2.58 liter starter with 2 yeast packs with a stir plate, or a 5.42 liter starter and 3 yeast packs without one. I have a 24 hour old 2 liter starter that has not been put on a stir plate yet, and I do not have a larger container that will work unless I bump up to the 7 gallon bucket like Hermit suggested. On top of that, I may have to move my brew day up to Thursday due to a conflict at work on Friday. Should I go buy another yeast packet or 2 tomorrow and create new starters or add more wort in a bucket and toss it on the stir plate? Thanks for all the help!

Mike

 

[danielthemaniel]

Thanks for the replies! It's a 10 gallon 1.075 batch. I made a 2 liter starter last night, and ordered a stir plate which just showed up. I'm new to building starters and after looking at some yeast calculators, I am even more confused on what to do now. Apparently I should have made a 2.58 liter starter with 2 yeast packs with a stir plate, or a 5.42 liter starter and 3 yeast packs without one. I have a 24 hour old 2 liter starter that has not been put on a stir plate yet, and I do not have a larger container that will work unless I bump up to the 7 gallon bucket like Hermit suggested. On top of that, I may have to move my brew day up to Thursday due to a conflict at work on Friday. Should I go buy another yeast packet or 2 tomorrow and create new starters or add more wort in a bucket and toss it on the stir plate? Thanks for all the help!

Mike

I think you should error on the side of overpitching and purchase the extra yeast packets. Your new yeast calculator predictions sound accurate. If you can do a stir plate that is preferable but not necessary.

 

[MFigz]

Thanks, just for peace of mind, tell me if this sounds like a good plan.

I'll leave the current 2L starter on the counter until tomorrow afternoon when I get home with the new yeast pack at which point I'll throw it in the fridge until Thursday. (Should I put the current starter on the stir plate now or is it too late to make a difference?
Tomorrow I will make another 2L starter with another yeast pack and use the stir plate from the beginning, letting it ferment on the stir plate for about 36+ hours.

Any other suggestions would be welcome, Thanks again!

 

[kh54s10]

For that one I get about 3.1 liters on a stirplate using 1 original package, guessing the yeast about 1 month old.

If I were you I would just step up what you have with another 2L of wort. That should be plenty. Cold crash the current starter, decant the liquid and add the new wort.

If you have the stirplate, 18 - 24 hours is plenty. Buy that time cell growth has slowed and the cells are just fermenting the wort. They are also expending their energy reserves. 36 hours, IMO, is too long unless you have a problem batch of yeast.

 

[wepeeler]

Thanks for the replies! It's a 10 gallon 1.075 batch. I made a 2 liter starter last night, and ordered a stir plate which just showed up. I'm new to building starters and after looking at some yeast calculators, I am even more confused on what to do now. Apparently I should have made a 2.58 liter starter with 2 yeast packs with a stir plate, or a 5.42 liter starter and 3 yeast packs without one. I have a 24 hour old 2 liter starter that has not been put on a stir plate yet, and I do not have a larger container that will work unless I bump up to the 7 gallon bucket like Hermit suggested. On top of that, I may have to move my brew day up to Thursday due to a conflict at work on Friday. Should I go buy another yeast packet or 2 tomorrow and create new starters or add more wort in a bucket and toss it on the stir plate? Thanks for all the help!

Mike

Check out this tool: http://www.brewunited.com/yeast_calculator.php It's fantastic for calculating starters, stepping up, and harvesting. For 10 gallon batches, you should really invest in a 5L flask. Then you don't have to go through the extra step of building up your starters. I do it all in my 5L and actually harvest the day before I brew. Saves me $8-16 batch!