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Best Practices for Stepping Up a Starter

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NorthernIke:
I'm doing an experiment with pitching rates in mid-gravity lagers.  I recently made a 2L starter with 1 vial and pitched this into 5.5 gallons of 1.047 wort.

Based on some discussions I've had on forums, it seems that the consensus is that I am underpitching with the above.  I want to try making a bigger starter so that I have a larger pitch of yeast next time.

I'm a bit limited though, in that I only have a 2L flask for my stir plate.  I just finished building up a nice 2L starter on the stir plate, and I'm planning on doubling this starter again.  Here are my questions:

1.  Do I crash, decant and pitch the yeast from the first starter into another 2L starter on the stir plate?
2.  Do I pitch the WHOLE contents of the 2L starter into a gallon jug with 2 more liters of wort?  This will not be on a stir plate, so I will just have to shake intermittently.


Can someone give me some advice on how to build up my starters?  Buying a 4L flask is not an option right now.

Thanks.

denny:
#1. 

BrewArk:

--- Quote from: NorthernIke on December 20, 2009, 12:20:47 PM ---  ...This will not be on a stir plate, so I will just have to shake intermittently.

--- End quote ---

Why not?  Can't you put the stirbar into the gallon jug?  If you start the stirplate slowly, even if the bottom isn't flat, I would think you could get it stirring.

denny:
Using a stir bar in a gal. jug has never worked for me.  YMMV.

NorthernIke:

--- Quote from: denny on December 20, 2009, 12:43:40 PM ---Using a stir bar in a gal. jug has never worked for me.  YMMV.

--- End quote ---

+1

It's an old Martini Rossi wine jug.  It has a convex center that throws the stir bar every time.

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