10 gallon batch question

[Blowmax10]

Do you guys think a 800ml starter is enough to split between 2 carboys?

If not, how big of a starter do I need to get away with only buying one wyeast smack pack?

Thanks

[Oktober]

That depends on your starting gravity, type of starter you are using, and how old the yeast is. Jamil's Pitching Rate Calculator has been very useful to me for determining starter size, etc - I've been using it for the past 5 or 6 brews now.

For ten gallons of a 1.055 wort (ale), you would need a 4L starter on a stirplate with a single vial/pack to get up in the right pitching rate (assuming the yeast is only about 1 months old).

Hope that helps. Good luck with the brew!

-Okt

[Blowmax10]

Something I've noticed about Jamil is that what he suggests is always the "ideal" circumstances

Most of the time I go out of my way to make the perfect brew but sometimes its just nice to have a keg of beer in my kegerator

There is no way that i'm going to be able to do a 4 liter starter - the most I could do is like 3/4 gallon. And the stir plate thing is a problem too

[andy77]

Weeeeeeeelll,

I guess just make the biggest starter you're able to, get it nice and rippin' and active and then pitch it. I think it'll become good beer if the rest of your process is sound.

[11amas]

If you don't want to deal with a proper starter then you might want to do more with dry yeast. It is cheap enough that you can pitch the proper number of cells w/o a starter.

[PseudoChef]

You can always make a starter - have the yeast reproduce, ferment, then crash it. Decant the spent wort and pitch fresh wort. Repeat until you get your requisite amount of yeast.

[Blowmax10]

You can always make a starter - have the yeast reproduce, ferment, then crash it. Decant the spent wort and pitch fresh wort. Repeat until you get your requisite amount of yeast.

not a bad idea. How much slurry would I need to produce?