Help with starter for a 10 gallon batch of coconut porter.

[DUNDASJ]

First off here is a link to the recipe https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f126/coconut-porter-245701/ I've never made a starter but I understand the gist. Shaking as much as possible if you don't own stir plate, tin foil on top not an airlock, sanitize, sanitize, sanitize.

I wouldn't even be making a starter if I didn't have to. LHBS only had 2 packs of London ale III (smack packs) when this recipe calls for four. I've only been making 5 gallon batches that require one, thus I haven't messed with starters. I was told by making a 3 quart starter I would make up for the 2 packs I don't have.

My question to you guys is how much malt and how long does this starter need to ferment? I'm just completely unsure because I guess my mission here is to create more yeast to make up for what I'm missing not just making a simple 24 Hr starter to enhance the viability of the yeast.

I appreciate any help as this is my first 10 gallon batch and don't want to ruin it because of lack of knowledge from playing around with yeast. Thanks in advance!

 

[SilverZero]

Your best bet is to make a step-up starter (in my opinion). Start with 1 liter of water (maybe a bit more to account for some boil-off) and add 3.5oz of DME, or 100g if your scale is cool. Boil it until it breaks, 15 mins or so, cool it and pitch yeast. Shake it every time you look at it for 48 hours, then cold-crash it in the fridge overnight. Decant the liquid off the top of the settled yeast, add another liter of wort (boiled and cooled, same measures as before) and repeat the fermentation cycle. You could do this 3 times if you wanted to really get the yeast count up, if you think you can get it there.

Don't pitch it all, decant the liquid after crashing it overnight and pitch just the slurry. I'd also only use one smack pack to start the starter, as you'd be wasting a lot otherwise. You're breeding yeast anyway, why not just grow from one package?

(Feel free to correct my math, all. I used this to run my numbers.)

 

[DUNDASJ]

Thanks a lot! You couldn't have made it any easier for me to understand. Your help is well appreciated!