first time yeast starter

[bragona71]

Ok I`m brewing two batches this weekend..I have a bottle of WL 001.I have never made a starter and want to know how big of starter I need, and how to go about using one bottle for both batches.

 

[Setesh]

How much yeast you need, and therefor how large your starter should be, is determined by the OG of the beer in question. I recommend using the yeast calculator at http://www.mrmalty.com/ to figure this out. You are going to need a large starter to multiply one vile for two beers. As a rule of thumb, a 2 liter starter will roughly double the yeast from ONE VIAL. I emphasize one vial because you can't expect a 2 liter starter to double the yeast from two vials, or a previous 2 liter starter, because there are now many more yeast cells for the amount of sugar available in 2 liters of starter wort. After the yeast of one vial has been doubled you are going to need a 4 liter starter to double it again. The solution that I often use is to make a 2 liter starter and pitch that into the beer that has the lowest gravity of the group I plan to brew. Then I will use a measured amount of the yeast cake from this beer to ferment the 2nd beer, then yeast from the second for the 3rd, etc. If you are dead set on brewing two batches this weekend you should probably pick up some extra yeast. US-05 is supposed to be the same strain as 001, and it is what I use almost exclusively. You don't need (or want) a starter for dry yeast, all you need to do is rehydrate it and pitch! Dry yeast is also cheap and keeps for a long time. IMHO every brewer should have a few sachets of dry yeast in the fridge. If nothing else they make great backups, and if you get a wild hair to brew at 3:00 in the morning, nothing is holding you back!

 

[bragona71]

how much yeast you need, and therefor how large your starter should be, is determined by the og of the beer in question. I recommend using the yeast calculator at http://www.mrmalty.com/ to figure this out. You are going to need a large starter to multiply one vile for two beers. As a rule of thumb, a 2 liter starter will roughly double the yeast from one vial. I emphasize one vial because you can't expect a 2 liter starter to double the yeast from two vials, or a previous 2 liter starter, because there are now many more yeast cells for the amount of sugar available in 2 liters of starter wort. After the yeast of one vial has been doubled you are going to need a 4 liter starter to double it again. The solution that i often use is to make a 2 liter starter and pitch that into the beer that has the lowest gravity of the group i plan to brew. Then i will use a measured amount of the yeast cake from this beer to ferment the 2nd beer, then yeast from the second for the 3rd, etc. If you are dead set on brewing two batches this weekend you should probably pick up some extra yeast. Us-05 is supposed to be the same strain as 001, and it is what i use almost exclusively. You don't need (or want) a starter for dry yeast, all you need to do is rehydrate it and pitch! Dry yeast is also cheap and keeps for a long time. Imho every brewer should have a few sachets of dry yeast in the fridge. If nothing else they make great backups, and if you get a wild hair to brew at 3:00 in the morning, nothing is holding you back!

thank you!!

 

[bragona71]

ok took your advice and grabbed some dry us-05,also got a 1l flask and a stir splate. I brewed a batch yesterday and used 2 dry packs. I did make a starter its on the stir plate. how long will the starter last at room temp on the stir plate. Just curious cuz im thinking of brewing tomorrow instead of today

starter is 1 l water to 3/4 cup DME