It appears the method of “shaking” the starter instead of using a stir plate is still quite significantly better than doing nothing at all.
So what exactly is expected to get these results on most calculators? How often should I shake? I’m out of the house 10+ hours a day and sleeping another 6 so I can’t give it a shake every hour or so.
My dilemma is I wanted to brew this weekend and need quite a starter (1.090 target OG). My stirrers for my stir plate have not arrived yet cause apparently they take 1.5 weeks to ship from TX (pretty sure i can ride my bike there in that time…ok maybe not). The date on my yeast i received yesterday is 08/28 which puts its viability at 66%. It appears on most calculators creating 1.5L starters I can get there with a 2 step starter using the “shake” method but without it, i cant even get there with a 3 step starter.
The other option is, i wait till I get my stirrers and brew the following week. Not nearly as fun 
IMO you don’t have time for the starter, even with a stir plate. Maybe if you brew on Sunday. You don’t have time to refrigerate the starter to drop the yeast.
How many times? I doubt there is a study on that. Stir/shake it when you walk by.
66%? I doubt it. But if you look at them through a microscope and confirm that number, I might believe it.
How big is your starter vessel? How many do you have? What I’m getting at, make as big of a starter as you can, and make more than 1.
I’m just going to wait for my stirrers. I will do a two step starter with 1.5 liter each. So 2 days to ferment and two days to cold crash/decant we’re looking at 8 days total? Sound about right? Anyone think I need a third step?
How big is your starter vessel? How many do you have?
I have 1 and it’s a 2000ml Erlenmeyer. I have a number of 1/2 gal jars I could probably use as well but they wont work on a stir plate cause the bottoms are very rounded and not flat.
I use a 1g apple juice jug with a dome bottom. It works fine for my stir plate.
Give it a try with some water.
[quote=“Nighthawk”]I use a 1g apple juice jug with a dome bottom. It works fine for my stir plate.
Give it a try with some water.[/quote]
What size stirrers do you use? I tried it with a 1" stirrer and no go. It’s a homemade stir plate and to be honest i haven’t been able to get the 1" to work with my erlenmeyer either. It keeps kicking out almost immediately with the speed turned all the way down. I’m hoping that larger stirrers (I bought 1.5" and 2") will create more drag and spin slower.
Worst case scenario I have to buy a spin plate. this is what i get for trying to save a buck 
