Yeast Starter Calculator
Calculate the optimal yeast starter size and DME needed to ensure healthy fermentation. Proper yeast pitching rates are critical for beer quality and fermentation success.
Yeast Starter Calculator
Calculate starter size and DME needed based on your beer specifications
Recommended Pitching Rates
| Beer Type | Cells per mL per °Plato |
|---|---|
| Standard Ale | 0.75 million |
| High Gravity Ale (>1.060) | 1.0 million |
| Lager | 1.5 million |
How to Make a Yeast Starter
1. Prepare DME solution: Mix the calculated DME with water to make your starter volume. Aim for 1.036-1.040 gravity (100g DME per litre).
2. Boil and cool: Boil the DME solution for 10-15 minutes to sterilize, then cool to room temperature (20-22°C / 68-72°F).
3. Sanitize equipment: Thoroughly sanitize your starter flask or jar, stopper, and any other equipment.
4. Pitch yeast: Pour cooled wort into sanitized flask, add your yeast package, and shake vigorously to aerate.
5. Ferment: Cover with sanitized foil or airlock. Let ferment 24-48 hours at room temperature. Use a stir plate if available for better results.
6. Cold crash (optional): Refrigerate for 24 hours before brew day, decant liquid, and pitch the yeast slurry into your wort.
Yeast Starter Tips
- Use a stir plate: Continuous agitation increases yeast growth by 2-3x compared to static starters.
- Make it 1-2 days before: Give yourself enough time for the starter to ferment and settle.
- Step up for big beers: For very high gravity beers, make a smaller starter first, then step up to a larger one.
- Decant or pitch all: You can decant the spent liquid and pitch just the yeast, or pitch the entire starter.
- Oxygenate well: Shake vigorously for 1-2 minutes or use pure oxygen to ensure proper yeast health.
The Hop Shop offers a complete selection of brewing yeast, dry malt extract, and yeast starter equipment.