Gallon starter

I am getting ready to make up a gallon starter for a 20 gallon batch. Stepping up a Wyeast 1214 Abbey ale activator. It looks like for around 1.040, less than the OG but not enough to stress the yeast I will need about 14oz of DME. OK easy enough but I normally use Erlenmeyer flasks and have one 1000 and one 2000ml that equal about 3/4 of a gallon. So would you just do a smaller 2 container starters or go to using a pot and transferring to a jug or carboy? I like the flasks for a single boil and cool container making a little less chance for contamination but trying to divide up the smack pack won’t be easy either.

I make larger starters in a fermenter - no issues with headspace since you’re not making beer and aren’t worried about oxidation and plenty of room to swirl the yeast back into suspension every now and then. have a 3-gal WLP007 starter going right now, in fact.

I always use a pot to boil the wort and then xfer to a gal. jug.

I’ve been getting glass gallon wine jugs for my girlfriend. When she finishes the wine, I reuse the jugs for starters and harvested yeast! They even have a handle for convenience :smiley:

I would step it up a couple times from the flasks to end up in a couple one gallon jugs.

Thanks Guys,
Boiling up some DME now in a pot. Have a gallon jug ready but after looking at Mr Malty’s calc it looks like I should step it up again. For once I actually planned ahead a little so NP.

A side note and I guess I can start another thread since it is off topic. This will be in secondary for 6 months or so while we are away and the house at a nice for aging 50 deg. What do you use for an air lock? I figure the standard bubblers will go dry.

+1 To what Denny said. I always boil my starters in a pot then pour into a flask or gallon jug. Just made a 1/2 gallon starter last night for a Winter Warmer I’m brewing this weekend. It was tough to get the stir bar going since my jug is indented on the bottom, but it’s spinning away nicely right now.

You could use a blow-off in a large container of StarSan covered in plastic wrap.

Foam stopper. Easy!

If it’s in a carboy I wrap foil over the neck and secure it with a rubber band.

If it’s in a carboy I wrap foil over the neck and secure it with a rubber band.[/quote]
I have done that with an airlock when i could not find the top after it launched somewhere in the basement the last batch. Bought lots of backups after that. Foil may be my answer too since I don’t have enough blow offs or any foam stoppers. I actually never heard of the foam stoppers but not a bad idea. This will have to go from primary to secondary ASAP and then say good by till spring. Will be nice to have when I get back though.