How do I figure OG for a starter

[wyo220]

This will drive some of you nuts I am sure. I have brewed with dry yeast up to this point. I bought a mini-mash kit with a liquid yeast and have been reading up on starters, I think I have that part under control. My problem is that all of the calculators for the starter volume that I have found are based on the OG of the wort. How do I find it without taking a reading, I need to make the starter before I begin to brew. Am I all messed up here?
Thanks in advance
Kyle

 

[Thirsty_Monk]

Make a starter:

Mix 1/2 cup of light dry malt extract in quart of water
--It creates starter of original gravity of 1.040.

Put it into Erlenmeyer Flask.
Add foam control and yeast nutrients (if you have some).
Cover with aluminum foil.
Boil for 15 minutes.
Cool it.
Shake (Aerate) it well for minutes or so.
Pitch a yeast Into the starter.
Shake periodically.

 

[SumnerH]

This will drive some of you nuts I am sure. I have brewed with dry yeast up to this point. I bought a mini-mash kit with a liquid yeast and have been reading up on starters, I think I have that part under control. My problem is that all of the calculators for the starter volume that I have found are based on the OG of the wort. How do I find it without taking a reading, I need to make the starter before I begin to brew. Am I all messed up here?
Thanks in advance
Kyle

Your recipe should specify what the OG will be. Use that for the calculations to figure out what size starter to make. If it doesn't, or you're devising your own recipe, use a piece of brew software to figure it out (The Beer Recipator - Home is a free and easy to use online one).

Your starter should be made with an OG of 1.040

 

[wyo220]

Thanks Thirsty monk, I have a bad habit of making everything complicated.