Question about making a starter for a 1.073 OG

[Pixalated]

I bought a Belgian Tripel and used the Mr. Malty Pitching Calculator to calculate how to make the starter. I am not really sure what to do with the information. My yeast was manufactured on 11/11/11 and I plan to make 5 gallons. I also did buy a stir plate.

Based on that information, the calculator calls for 1 liter of starter, but 2 packs. Well, I only have 1 pack of yeast and I really don't want to pay $7 to ship 1 more packet. What do I do?

 

[dcp27]

if you change the settings to stir plate you only need 1 vial and 1.25L. you can also use the slider at the bottom to set it to use more or less vials depending on your preference

 

[Pixalated]

What does that slider mean?

 

[dcp27]

if you leave your cursor over it for a few seconds it'll explain it

 

[Pixalated]

Oh, thanks. So, I see that if I make a larger starter of 1.6 liters I can get the required amount of yeast cells. How do I figure out the ratio of water to DME?

 

[sjbeerman]

Use a 10 to 1 ratio. That is, for a 1600 ml starter, add 160 g DME then dilute to 1.6 L.

 

[Pixalated]

Thank you! I have one final question: how long do I let my starter sit on the stir plate before putting it into the refrigerator in order to get it ready for decanting and then pitching?
And how long will it have to sit in the refrigerator?

Oh, and is there a good article I can read about making starters that tell me how to figure this stuff out on my own?

 

[a10t2]

Oh, and is there a good article I can read about making starters that tell me how to figure this stuff out on my own?

http://www.mrmalty.com/starter_faq.htm

On a stir plate, it'll probably be finished after 48 hours. I like to refrigerate for at least 48 hours before decanting/pitching.

 

[Pixalated]

@a10t2, that was a very helpful link, thanks. I think I know enough to be confident about my next brew.

 

[sjbeerman]

Cold crashing after 48 h is a good rule of thumb. I think letting it sit in the fridge overnight should be sufficient. If your interested in further details about Yeast, I would highly recommend the book "Yeast" by Chris White and Jamil Z. IMHO, it is well worth the purchase.

 

[Pixalated]

Would that be a good 2nd book to read? So far I've made my way though most of "How to Brew", and considered reading "Joy of Brewing" next.

 

[sjbeerman]

I would definitely read "Yeast" before "Joy of Brewing." In my opinion, I would rank "Yeast" at the same level as "How to Brew." Considering that making beer is all about the yeast and fermentation, which is the main focus of that book. It is a good idea to get a more in depth view of how yeast work.

 

[dorklord]

My yeast was manufactured on 11/11/11

 

[Pixalated]

It's from the future!

It was a typo, I meant to say January 11th, 2011.

 

[poley]

While I love the "Yeast" book, it's a bit heavy on technical details, and I would consider it an advanced book. If you can, flip through it in a bookstore before buying it.

 

[Pixalated]

I am sure I won't regret having it either way. It might sit on the shelf for a while, but I am sure I'll get some useful information out of it.

 

[poley]

Definitely not -- it's one of the best reference books I own, it's just heavy reading straight through