Help with starter

[jrich007]

This is my first time using my stir plate and had a couple questions I am going to brew a 1.082 imperial ipa and will be using wlp001 I used 3 cups of water and 3/4 a cup of light dme , it will be sitting on the stir plate till tomorrow night . Will this be enough or do I need a bigger starter?
And my stir plate only leaves about a 1" dimple not a full whirlpool will that be enough? Thank all of you for all your help

 

[jrich007]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422304653.751679.jpg
Here is the recipe if it helps

 

[thekraken]

What is your batch size? And what was the production date of the yeast?

This calculator may help: http://www.homebrewdad.com/yeast_calculator.php

 

[Sippin37]

Use a yeast calculator like Mr Malty - http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html. Enter in the numbers needed and it will tell you how big of a starter to create.

Also, instead of measuring in cups for the DME and water, use grams for the DME and Liters for the water, it makes it easier IMO. Rule of thumb for about a 1.040 gravity starter is 100g DME per 1L water. Let us know if you have any other questions.

 

[jrich007]

Batch size is 6 gallons and yeast has a best before date of May 2015. I'm just not sure if this will be enough, I guess if it's not I do have a packet of mangrove jacks west coast yeast I could pitch also

 

[flars]

Can't answer your questions without knowing the volume you plan to have in the fermentor and the age of the yeast. The production date for White Labs yeast is 6 months prior to the expiration date.

The Brewers Friend calculator is a fairly decent one to use.
http://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/

A volume measurement for priming sugars is less accurate than using a scale to weigh out the sugar. If you can afford it, Walmart has $19 dollar digital scales that weigh in pounds and ounces, ounces, kilograms and grams, and grams.
Very handy also for quarter ounce hop additions.

 

[jrich007]

6 gallons will be my fermentor volume ( due to loss from almost a pound of hops) so I guess yeast date would be November 15

 

[flars]

Batch size is 6 gallons and yeast has a best before date of May 2015. I'm just not sure if this will be enough, I guess if it's not I do have a packet of mangrove jacks west coast yeast I could pitch also

If the starter is not large enough, and you started it in the last 12 hours, you can increase the volume and DME to bring it up to what is needed.

 

[thekraken]

It looks like your current starter would come in at around 180 billion cells, but your batch should need more like 330 billion. If you have the time I would do a second step.

 

[jrich007]

I started it about an hour ago but will not pitch for about another 30 hours. Not to sound like a total rookie ( I've actually been brewing all grain for almost 4 years) just mostly used dry yeast. Do I have enough time to build it up . If so what are the steps. Thank you I really appreciate all of your help

 

[thekraken]

Is the best by date for white labs 4 or 6 months after manufacture? If it's 4 months then you are in a little better shape, your cell count would be around 216 billion after the first step.

 

[jrich007]

Just looked it up it is 4 months

 

[flars]

I started it about an hour ago but will not pitch for about another 30 hours. Not to sound like a total rookie ( I've actually been brewing all grain for almost 4 years) just mostly used dry yeast. Do I have enough time to build it up . If so what are the steps. Thank you I really appreciate all of your help

You should have a completed starter in 30 hours. Optimal conditions can produce a starter in 18 to 24 hours.

Right now your starter is approximately 1.058. This is figuring three-quarters of 5.75 ounces for a cup of DME. This gravity is to high for a good starter. Add another 1.2 cups of water, chilled to current starter wort temperature. this will be about one liter of 1.043 wort. This one liter will end with 212 billion cells. Target pitch rate is 449 billion cells.

If you can increase this starter to 2.5 liters, the cells propagated will be 469 billion. A step starter will need to be done if your container is not large enough for a 2.5 liter starter.

This is my large starter container.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/photo/new-yeast-starter-container-61619.html

 

[thekraken]

Target pitch rate is 449 billion cells.

What calculator are you using? All the calculators I looked at say to pitch 333b.

This is my large starter container.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/photo/new-yeast-starter-container-61619.html

That's a good idea, I'm going to have to go get one of those. Any problems starting and/or keeping your stir bar spinning?

 

[jrich007]

I added another cup of water to bring it to one liter how do I go about increasing this and do I have enough time . Do I just wait till tomorrow morning and add another liter of wort?

 

[sfish]

I added another cup of water to bring it to one liter how do I go about increasing this and do I have enough time . Do I just wait till tomorrow morning and add another liter of wort?

Time crunch: I would wait another 6 hours ish. Take it off the stir plate and let it settle for an hour or more. decant saving the yeast. Make your second starter 1.5 quart size , Shake for a while, make certain the temp of the yeast and the new starter are the same you do not want to shock the little babies, then add yeast. place on stir plate. DO not add more wort to the starter you have, you will not be increasing the yeast population as much just making beer.

 

[jrich007]

Sounds like a plan . I'm gonna have to go old school my gallon jug just throws my stir bar. But I'll keep shaking it every time I pass it

 

[flars]

What calculator are you using? All the calculators I looked at say to pitch 333b.

I was using Brewers Friend, pitch rate 1.0 High gravity ale.

That's a good idea, I'm going to have to go get one of those. Any problems starting and/or keeping your stir bar spinning?

The reason I bought it was the flat bottom. Holds any of the stir bars I have, even at max vortex. Cost $6, next week on sale, $5. Use the second one for freezing the extra loaf of bread.

 

[thekraken]

The reason I bought it was the flat bottom. Holds any of the stir bars I have, even at max vortex. Cost $6, next week on sale, $5. Use the second one for freezing the extra loaf of bread.

What store do you find it in? That's certainly a lot easier on the wallet than a pyrex flask of that size.

 

[flars]

What store do you find it in? That's certainly a lot easier on the wallet than a pyrex flask of that size.

Found them at Kmart.

 

[jrich007]

Fermentation looks good so far 36 hours in @64 degrees and it's going strong

View attachment 1422561078556.jpg

View attachment 1422561097463.jpg

 

[sfish]

all is good... enjoy

 

[jrich007]

I still might move it upstairs as soon as it slows down a bit to warm it up and help it finish strong