Starter without a stir plate

[ApresSkiBrewer]

It takes some playing, and I caught on to it from somebody else mentioning it in another thread (that I can't find right now)... It isn't to the cell exactly, but it can get you close enough (IMO).

I set it to lager, and put in a more realistic viability of 90% (which I understand may still be high), and intermittent shaking... I play with the OG setting until it hits right at 1L (which is what he has for his small flask) ... which was right about 1.024-1.025... and that output a needed cell count of 181ish billion cells (or about the equivilant of two vials at 90%)... which is what he'll get with one vial in about a liter then. Then I adjust the OG up to what it would actually be... (I'm guessing around 1.065), and I slide the growth factor bar on the bottom until it reads "# Vials or packs needed = 2" which is about the equivalent of what is in that 1L starter. It says # of L's required is 3.69 Liters to get to the 472 billion needed for that batch.

I paraphrased, and said, do 800-1000mls in your 1L flask... and then pitch that into about 3 more liters... and its going to get you close enough. If you play with the calculator, you can get pretty close to what you'll need w/ a step, by estimating how many vials (approx.) equivalent is in your first step, and then adjusting the calculator to read that many vials in a certain volume.

Again, I can't take credit... somebody else mentioned they played with MrMalty (heh) enough to get this method going. I think it gets you close enough... otherwise, I'd do the calculations by hand.

[brewjester]

If you don't mind me hijacking the thread, how do you use Jamil's calculator to do a step starter (i.e. 1L for a few days and then dump it into a 3L starter for another couple days)?

-Okt

Hey man, that's what these threads are for! I'm just glad that I can make the starter and shake the shit out of it and come out with a decent beer. Thanks. and Brew Strong!

[Quin]

If you don't mind me hijacking the thread, how do you use Jamil's calculator to do a step starter (i.e. 1L for a few days and then dump it into a 3L starter for another couple days)?

-Okt

You can do that, but I normally just make the bigger starter at the beginning at use two vials. Less hassle.

[944play]

Another thing you could do is just brew a small batch of a simple lager. Instead of a starter you just pour down the drain, you could have 3 gallons of a 1.040 lawnmower beer.

[brewjester]

I just wanted to let everyone know, so far so good. I beer is fermentating well at 52 degrees F. I just shook the crap out of it for a day before I brewed. So, not stir plate still makes good yeast starter and beer.
Cheers!