Beer Forum

Going to make a yeast start tomorrow for my beer brewing event on Saturday. Brewers Best Belgian Dark Strong.
I have had and see allot on different ratios on how DME to water.
My local Brew Store- says 1 cup DME to 2 cups water
YouTube says-Beer nation- 1/2 cup DME to 2 cups water
White Labs says- To brew a high gravity beer: 2 pints (with 1/2 cup DME)

Which is best? does it matter that much?
What have you found successful?
Thanks- Cheers

100 grams to 1L. For my 2L batches this works out to 7 oz.

From everything I have read and heard do not go for a proportion (even though there is an accepted standard for gravity points for DME) get your software out and mix for a specific gravity of 1.040 for starters.
Don't forget to aerate the wort, as O2 is required for the yeast growth.
Using the specific gravity you can make your starters out of what every you want (DME, LME, Table Sugar, Honey) as long as you know the sources gravity points. Also can build to what ever size starter you need easily for product gravity and batch size.

The easiest way to remember is 'Cup to a Quart'. It's not precise, but it's close enough for general usage. It'll get you in the neighborhood of 1.040. Cup of DME to a Quart of water.

CRBrewHound wrote:From everything I have read and heard do not go for a proportion (even though there is an accepted standard for gravity points for DME) get your software out and mix for a specific gravity of 1.040 for starters.
Don't forget to aerate the wort, as O2 is required for the yeast growth.
Using the specific gravity you can make your starters out of what every you want (DME, LME, Table Sugar, Honey) as long as you know the sources gravity points. Also can build to what ever size starter you need easily for product gravity and batch size.

Wellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll...

Actually, the reason for propagating yeast in a malt-based medium is because they're lazy. If you give them simple sugars, they'll shut down the genes required for metabolism in a more complex media (aka wort). Then, when they're all propped up on simple sugars and you throw them into your fermenter, they will get PISSED.

Think about it like this: If for a year all you did was sit on a couch, watch tv, and eat cheeseburgers, how would you feel if all of a sudden there was only kale and beans to eat and you had to run 2 miles to get to it?

I didn't even notice that part. No, you absolutely can NOT do starters out of anything you want & expect good results fermenting wort. Use DME (or build a mini-MLT & do them AG).

Ozwald wrote:I didn't even notice that part. No, you absolutely can NOT do starters out of anything you want & expect good results fermenting wort. Use DME (or build a mini-MLT & do them AG).

It would probably work for doing mead as long as you added nutrient, but for beer it's got to be malt-based medium.

Well Gents- It has been accomplished!!!
Now if I could figure out how to post a picture a would show you the results.
Thanks
Cheers