Two-step starters

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hotwatermusic

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I've decided to try doing a two step starter. The yeast calculators I've checked suggest making a 2.3 litre starter, or use multiple vials of liquid yeast. I have 1.3 liters going now, if I decant and add an addition 1 liter in a couple of days will my cell count be equivalent or is there another calculation to be made, figuring my cell count at that point will be higher and that 1L+ second generation starter may generate less propagation? I only have a 2L erlenmeyer.
 
You may not get the expected growth in yeast cells with the second step smaller than the first step. A smaller second step starter will be saturated with cells limiting the sugars available for healthy propagation of new cells.
Make the second step a 1.3 liter also, this will give you a growth rate of 1.0, propagating more cells than the 2.3 liter starter would have.
Braukaisers' and Whites' models differ a little, but both show increased growth when the second step was equal or larger in size.
I was using the Brewers Friend calculator, for intermittent shaking and stir plate.
http://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/
 
+1 ^ and ^^

If you don't have a vessel with a larger volume, you can pour half of the yeast into another container and ramp up the other half, or even both.

Always good to grow some extra and save it to make a starter for another brew. With good sanitation you can keep doing that many times.
 
Get a stir-plate if you don't have one. My favorite model is the Corning PC-310. I get them on ebay for ~$30. They are top quality, lab-grade, and built to last.
 
Go to CVS and buy one of those gallon glass bottles of cheap wine. Drink the wine (or if it's that cheap and nasty, just dump it out), clean the glass bottle and you got yourself a nice bottle large enough for a second step.

My first step is usually 2 oz of DME to 1 liter of water, second step is 4 oz of DME to 2 liters of water.
 
Thanks for all the good advice all. I'm glad I asked and think I can put the info to good use. Cheers.
 
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