Homebrewing Board - Stir Plates

I make starters for liquid yeast only. I don't have a stir plate and have never had a problem building a starter up. Honestly, I've often wondered what the need for a stir plate was?

quote:

---

Made it myself out of spare computer parts, some pieces out of the electronics bin, a project box from Radio Shack, and some assorted hardware from home depot. Only specialty piece needed was the stir bar.

---

Crafty bastard.

quote:

---

Honestly, I've often wondered what the need for a stir plate was?

---

So have I. I suppose I will try without one this next time.

quote:

---

Pretty self explanatory:

---

Sure it is buddy.

I literally have absolutely no clue what that says.

quote:

---

I do. Made it myself out of spare computer parts

---

I did the same. I took an old cpu fan and attached a magnet from an old hard drive. I put it under a piece of acrylic and wired it up to an old cell phone charger. My only cost was for the stir bar and flask.

IMO, Starters are imperative for proper pitching rates and quality beer. My beers have drastically improved with calculated pitching rates. Combine proper yeast counts with controlled fermentation temperatures and you're good to go.

quote:

---

My beers have drastically improved with calculated pitching rates. Combine proper yeast counts with controlled fermentation temperatures and you're good to go.

---

For a long time I was making great beers that had no problems at all starting and finishing real well. Just these last couple I cannot for the life of me figure out why they are slow to start. So I am going to go with starters from now on. Takes a bit more planning but what can you do.

A question for you Brew Heads.

Is there anywhere in BR I can find a cake type brewers yeast ?

quote:

---

If you're using fresh yeast from wyeast/white labs, the starter may not help all that much.

---

Even fresh vials and smack packs don't have the proper count. Enough for fermentation, yes, but optimal, no. For an ale you want around 4 billion cells per gravity point. Double that for a lager.

quote:

---

A White Labs tube has between 70 and 120 billion cells of 100% viable yeast, depending on the yeast strain. Some cells are much larger than others and there are more or less per ml based on size. (The information on the White Labs web site stating 30 to 50 billion cells is out of date.) We can just assume there are around 100 billion very healthy yeast. You would need 2 tubes if you were pitching directly into 5.5 gallons of 1.048 wort to get the proper cell counts.

A Wyeast Activator pack (the really big ones) and the pitchable tubes have an average of 100 billion cells of 100% viable yeast. The smaller packs are around 15-18 billion cells. You would need 2 of the large packs if you were pitching directly into 5.5 gallons of 1.048 wort to get the proper cell counts. For the small packs, you'd need eleven of them!

---

Source: Mr. Malty

Mr. Malty has some good resources for yeast pitching rates.

quote:

---

whip up a 1 gallon starter.

---

quote:

---

because I strive to eliminate as many variables as possible that affect the final flavor.

---

Yeah, I used to do that pre-daughter. I've only recently gotten to the point where I've brewed more than a few times in a year so I'm still having fun with it. I'll get back to that place eventually.

First though I need to empty the kegerator. No more room in there. Thankfully my 4th faucet should show up today - will make it just a wee bit easier.