Stir Plate Starter Specs

[theashman661]

I am building a stir plate and was going to order a flask, but now I'm stuck on which size to buy. I do AG - 5 gallon batches.

1. Which size should I use? 2000ml or 1000ml
2. How much DME should I boil with how much water before I pitch 1 package of liquid yeast for my starter?
3. How long prior to pitching into fermenter should I make the starter?

I have gotten a tons of different opinions, and I wanted to settle this here!

 

[MrSnacks]

2000ml, 1 gram of DME per 10ml of water, at least 18 hours.

 

[user 141939]

1) 2000 mL. This is what I have and I wish I had a bigger one.

2) what the previous poster said. To determine size of starter use a calculator.

3) i do 12-24 hours and pitch the whole thing, usually closer to 24 hours. Others let it ferment out (a few days) crash in the fridge for a day, decant liquid and pitch yeast


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[theashman661]

Thank you for the input guys! I ordered the 2000ml. I figured more surface area and I don't always have to use the whole thing.

Now since I'm using a yeast starter do you recommend a blow off tube?

 

[sejasba]

Thank you for the input guys! I ordered the 2000ml. I figured more surface area and I don't always have to use the whole thing.

Now since I'm using a yeast starter do you recommend a blow off tube?

Depends on your fermentation vessel and what you're brewing. I just brewed a DFH 60 Minute IPA clone that had an OG of 1.055 and I use a 6.5 gallon ale pail for my primary -- I should have had a blow-off tube, but didn't. I had to clean up the air lock a couple times as krausen came through and plugged things up. Other brews have been fine without it, so it really depends. Wouldn't hurt to use one though. The first time I used a blow-off tube was for an imperial stout (1.080), but prior to that I never needed one in the 7 or so brews I had done before.

 

[Eugenio]

I have a 2L one, and wish I had gone for a 5L one, if it helps.

 

[user 141939]

I always use a blowoff. But i use a 6 gallon better bottle mostly for 5.25 gallon batches.

Careful when making bigger starters in that thing. I've had krausens form in the flask even with the thing spinning. Its happened to me with wyeast belgian ardennes and high gravity trappist and wlp-001 too.

This is why I wish I had a bigger flask. I'm a little afraid to buy one though on the off chance my little homemade stir plate wouldn't handle it. That's probably not likely though.