Rochefort 8 Recipe--Yeast Question

[gERgMan]

Going to be embarking down my first belgian recipe. Found a recipe for the Rochefort 8 clone, but I have a few questions for you all-knowers.
I am planning on making a 500mL yeast starter tomorrow evening from a Wyeast or White Labs Abbey strain. I have made a starter before, but it was from a slurry I saved from an IPA batch. For some reason, I didn't think it grew (I know it never was contaminated, so that is good) but in retrospect and talking with others, I guess it did and I was looking for something different to happen. Nonetheless, I want to get a starter going for this "big" beer (OG=1.075).

My game plan was to make a starter wort and put 500mL into a sterilized 1 quart Mason jar. Place the lid on lightly and allow to cool. Once to room temp, pitch the room temperature yeast and place foil over the Mason jar and stow in a dark, warm spot. Does this sound good to everybody? I know some people use air locks, but I know others that don't and I don't see why this won't work. One less think to clean and sterilize. Also, will a 500mL starter be enough for this OG? I am assuming yes, but have never done a beer this big.

 

[JayMckeever]

whats your recipe?

 

[Imbranato]

BYO had an article in the Jan Issue about this very thing. I don't have it in front of me, but they advised using a bigger starter. For a 1.07x OG they said you should use something on the order of 2.75 Liters of starter.
FWIW I ballparked it by pitching my Roche 8 (in my signature) onto the yeast cake left from the 'Abbey of Leffe'...since the recipe's call for the same yeast. I just guesstimated a little more than 0.5 Gal of Leffe slurry and pitched the Roche on top.

The reasoning, according to the article, was to stress the yeast and prevent excessive 'solvent odors'.

 

[markhip]

Mr Malty pitching rate calculator suggests with an O.G. of 1.075 you will need a starter with a volume of 3.5 litres per 19l (5 gallons)

http://www.mrmalty.com/

 

[gERgMan]

Almost 3 litres of a yeast starter! Now I have a quagmire on my hands. Any suggestions, if possible, on getting a starter this big by Saturday? I really don't want to buy a couple vials/smart-packs of this yeast (expensive). How does this sound?
Sterilize my primary fermenter, add almost a gallon of boiled wort starter and allow to cool. Aerate through shaking, and pitch a vial or smart pack tonight or tomorrow. Will this be able to handle this OG?

 

[Imbranato]

Sounds good, I'd go for Mark's number of 3.5L and don't forget to make your starter gravity about the same as your Roche's 1.075 since you probably wont have time to pour the starter 'beer' off.

 

[Evan!]

I make big starters (2L) as a rule. I use a standard 1gal plastic water jug, with a hole drilled into the screw-on cap that is sized to accept a small rubber stopper. I use the airlock just to judge whether anything is happening inside. Oddly enough, my last starter, made from harvest bohemian lager yeast, was fermenting furiously---it was really cloudy and had krausen and when I smelled it, it knocked me back---but the airlock wasn't doing anything. And I know I had a seal, because when I deformed the jug, it sent out bubbles.

Anyway, Mr. Malty is always a bit overkill for me. I know he's just being safe, but 2L starters have always been plenty for even my huge beers.

Also, may I suggest using a trappist strain, rather than a mere "abbey" strain? I have a vial of White Labs trappist in my lagerator awaiting my upcoming Roche 10. If you're gonna go trappist, go all out!

 

[gERgMan]

Alright, thanks for all of the suggestions!! This is the game plan--

Turns out I have a 1 gallon growler, which I have sterilizing now. I am going to boil 1 lb of Pilsner DME in 2-2.5 liters of water, this should get my OG for the starter up high enough. Cool it and add it to the sterilized growler. Pitch the Trappist 3787 (thanks for the suggestion) I bought yesterday and is warming up currently and attach an airlock. I will do all of this tonight and let it go till Saturday afternoon, when I will pitch it into the 5 gallon cooled wort. Does this sound good/correct?

One other thing, if the airlock stopper I have doesn't fit the growler (I forgot to check this morning), will sterilized foil suffice. I believe so as any gas formation will push air out and not in, and not too mention, critters won't fall in if foil is over the top.

JayMcKeever-As per the recipe, "Clone Brew" has one for the Rochefort 10, which I was going to follow and just trim down some of the pilsen base malts. I found a couple of other recipes by googling "Rochefort 8 clone". Fairly simple ingredients from what I can tell. The yeast does the good stuff to make this unique.