[bendbrew]

Okay guys-I have already received invaluable information from you.  I once again need your input.  I have made a starter-Brix was about 16 or 1.064.  I will be brewing a double IPA of about 1.083 OG.  Now I am reading that starters should only be about 1.030 to 1.040.  Should I toss this and simply buy two smack packs tomorrow?

Additional info:  put pure O2 in for about 5 to 10 seconds, hand shook and placed on a starter plate.  By they way, I took everyone's advice and simply place aluminum foil on top of the flask.  I am using Wyeast 1056.

This newbie truly appreciates the information provided by all of you.

[valorian]

That is high for a starter but you don't need to toss it. Just give your starter enouph time to do its thing.

[bendbrew]

Should I let is sit on the stir plate till Sunday then?  I made it at about 5:15 pacific time on Friday.  Thanks

[denny]

In general, you'll get better yeast growth from a starter in the 1.020-1.035 range.  The easiest way to achive that is to use .75 oz. DME (by weight) for each cup of water in the starter.  You're not in serious trouble this time, but try to get that gravity down next time.

[hopfenundmalz]

I remember reading somewhere on the interwebs that you get the most yeast growth at 1.028. 

Has to do with the yeast wanting to make more yeast, rather than switching over to making beer.

I am not a microbiologist, so no fancy terms here like Pasteur and Crabtree, as I would get them wrong or switched around.

[richt]

In general, you'll get better yeast growth from a starter in the 1.020-1.035 range.  The easiest way to achive that is to use .75 oz. DME (by weight) for each cup of water in the starter.  You're not in serious trouble this time, but try to get that gravity down next time.

An even easier way is to go metric.  1 gram of DME for every 10 mL of water gets you right around 1.035.

[denny]

In general, you'll get better yeast growth from a starter in the 1.020-1.035 range.  The easiest way to achive that is to use .75 oz. DME (by weight) for each cup of water in the starter.  You're not in serious trouble this time, but try to get that gravity down next time.

An even easier way is to go metric.  1 gram of DME for every 10 mL of water gets you right around 1.035.

Maybe easier for you! 

[hamiltont]

In general, you'll get better yeast growth from a starter in the 1.020-1.035 range.  The easiest way to achive that is to use .75 oz. DME (by weight) for each cup of water in the starter.  You're not in serious trouble this time, but try to get that gravity down next time.

An even easier way is to go metric.  1 gram of DME for every 10 mL of water gets you right around 1.035.

Maybe on the other side of the pond, as that's what they grew up with.  I guess I'm just old school...   

[intrinsic]

I have always used the following chart with great success:

[a10t2]

Yeah... those instructions are going to make a very small, very high-gravity starter. Stick with 100 g per L (post-boil) and 1.5 L is about the minimum volume. Use the calculator at mrmalty.com to determine how large the starter needs to be, and decant off the spent starter "beer" before pitching. Also, NEVER use an airlock on a starter.

[tygo]

Also, NEVER use an airlock on a starter.

What's the reasoning for that?  It's been awhile but I've used an airlock on a starter done in a 2 quarter tomato juice bottle.  The mouth is wide enough to fit a smaller sized stopped and the airlock fit in just fine and the starter did what is was supposed to and the beer turned out just fine.

[hopfenundmalz]

The reason for no airlock is to let the CO2 out and O2 in.  AL foil on the neck keeps the nasties out.
The yeast want O2 when they are reproducing.

[Crispy275]

I agree with Jeff - I user a stir plate and just loosely cover with aluminum foil as well.

Also, a friend of mine who makes quarts of starters in advance with his pressure cooker weaned me away from making starters in the 1.040 range and closer to the 1.020 range. He provided me the info that basically boiled down to the fact that I am trying to get the yeast simply to reproduce, not make excessive alcohol.

However, after getting the smack pack/tube started with a low gravity starter, I will increase it with a second feeding of a higher OG starter. While I once heard I should try to match the gravity to be close to the end brew, I now am confortable just making the second round about 1.040, even if it is for a barley wine, tripple or other high gravity brew.

[rebobbitt]

Here is Jamil's article on yeast starters in Zymurgy :

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/attachments/0000/1235/MAzym07_YeastStarter.pdf

[tygo]

I never used a stir plate, just shook the hell out of it and popped in a stopper and airlock.  But that makes sense.  I do have a few of those foam stoppers lying around as well.  Thanks for posting the link to that article.