[uintafly]

I plan on brewing a Belgian Tripel this weekend and according to mrmalty.com I need a 2.5 liter starter with one vial of my white labs yeast.  Up to this point I have never done a starter so I am a little unsure about how to go about it.  Should I boil 2.5 liters of water with 1 lb. of dry malt extract, bring to 70 degrees and add yeast? Is that all there is to it, or am I missing something?
Thanks for any info

[theDarkSide]

Did you see this on the Mr. Malty site as well?

http://www.mrmalty.com/pitching.php

[tschmidlin]

For 2.5 liters it should be more like 250 grams, or half a lb.  Is this going on a stir plate?

[uintafly]

Did you see this on the Mr. Malty site as well?

http://www.mrmalty.com/pitching.php

No, I didn't see that but I just read through it and it is very helpful. This will not be on a stir plate, and I actually don't even own a beaker right now. I could pick one up fairly easy, but could I use a normal 5 gal fermentor or is that too big?

[tschmidlin]

No, not too big.  That's fine, you can even rack your beer right on top of it if you don't mind the starter liquid mixing with the fresh wort.  or you can let it settle and then decant the starter before racking the fresh wort right on top.

[denny]

No, I didn't see that but I just read through it and it is very helpful. This will not be on a stir plate, and I actually don't even own a beaker right now. I could pick one up fairly easy, but could I use a normal 5 gal fermentor or is that too big?

You could pick up a gal. of apple juice in a glass jug and use the jug.  That's what I did.

[uintafly]

Perfect! As always, thanks for the info fellas.

[tubercle]

If you eat a lot of pickles buy a gallon jar of them (glass), They are only a few dollars.

Put the pickles in quart jars and now you have a dandy wide mouth starter fermenter.

 They are actually cheap enough to discard the pickles if you don't like them.

[tschmidlin]

I've always had trouble getting the smell out of a pickle jar, do you have a trick tubercle?  Maybe it's all in the lid.

[dbeechum]

Another option is to find your neighborhood hardware store and buy some lovely half gallon mason jars. Cheap as sin and eventually you can pressure cook your starters in them.

[tschmidlin]

Your hardware store stocks jars that big?  In what section?  The biggest I can find is 1-qt.

[tubercle]

I've always had trouble getting the smell out of a pickle jar, do you have a trick tubercle?  Maybe it's all in the lid.

 You sir, are correct. It is the lid. A quick oxyclean soak and the glass is ready (Thank you Billy Mayes).

 I have not found anything that will get rid of the lid smell; baking soda, oxyclean, etc...tried soaking in them all.

 I like the wide mouth style jar. I just use tin foil clamped over the top to keep bugs out.

[tubercle]

Another option is to find your neighborhood hardware store and buy some lovely half gallon mason jars. Cheap as sin and eventually you can pressure cook your starters in them.

 My grocery store carries them in the "canning" section.

[dbeechum]

Your hardware store stocks jars that big?  In what section?  The biggest I can find is 1-qt.

Umm, my OSH stocks them - over there.

Actually, it's in the weird misc section in the corner of the store. Coulda knocked me over with a feather when I saw them for the first time. Also found them at an ACE Hardware in the fancy pants part of LA too..