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I’m really new to making yeast starters. I’ve only done two and both times I’ve used a first step of 500mL and haven’t really seen any action at all except the gravity dropping from 1.04 to 1.01, so the yeast is doing something. Once I’ve stepped up the starters though, I’ve seen way more krausen. The “How To” guides I’ve read seem to suggest starting with the 500mL but based on my experience this is a total waste of time and I’d be better off starting with say 1L or 1.5L. Any suggestions?

Using a smackpack, what’s the biggest initial sizes you guys use?

Depends on what you're trying to get to... but yeah, if you're trying to say, double your yeast count to about 200 billion cells, there wouldn't be a need to start with a small starter... UNLESS you have a really old smackpack or something.

I rarely go over 2-2.5 L for a starter, because once you go past 1.75-2 L, you're ending up with a lower growth factor of the yeast.

I always make 4 litre starters.

I always brew 5 gal batches. I've found for them that a 600 ml starter is just right. 500ml water + 1/4 cup DME or LME + 1/2 cup of rehydrated dry yeast or a smack pack. I make the starter the night before brew day in a growler with an air lock. It is usually ready late the next afternoon when I am ready to pitch with a nice full krausen. My start times for the batch has gone from 24 - 36 hours to always kicking in less than 12 hours and the FG is much more consistent.

I appreciate the advice on this. I have another question about starters though. The first couple starters I made were with weizen yeast strains and I got a lot of krausen without even really shaking the starter. The last starter I made was for a lager yeast and that one didn’t build up any krausen. The only time I saw any foaming was right after I was done shaking the bottle. Is this just because it’s a lager yeast and ferments from the bottom? Do you guys experience this too? When the beer ferments in my primary I get a lot of krausen.
Thanks again for the help.

Very common to have different reactions for different yeasts.

I've made lots of starters where it didn't foam up until I gave it a shake (that looks bad when you type it out).

It probably just has to do with different yeast strains, fermentation temps, etc.

I use fermcap in my starters when I am boiling the DME. I think that is why I don't get a lot of foam in my flask.