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Starters
I have so many questions about starters I don't even know where to begin.
I was using the Mr Malty calculator and found out for the beer I'm making tomorrow which should have an OG around 1.070 that I need about 3.4 liters for a starter or .9 gallons. That seems like an awfully lot and also ruins my plan for doing a starter in a growler. The yeast I'm using is Wyeast American II #1272. I didn' thave a problem last time I made this kit just throwing the yeast in there but I thought I should try a starter so I'm pitching the appropriate ammount.
Also, I don't have DME on hand. I'll pick up some next time. But I do have a large thing of corn sugar. How much of that should I use in my starter?
I don't have any yeast nutrient either. is that a big deal? My plan was to boil the water I need, add the appropriate ammount of corn sugar. Cool it in an ice bath. Add the yeast and then transfer all of that to however many growlers I need to comfortably fit it all.
For 5 gallons should I only top off to 4 gallons if I'm adding almost a gallon of starter?
Thanks for all the help, as usual 
The calculator says 3.04, not 3.4. Still a big starter, but a third of a liter would make a difference.
I use a stir plate to bring down the volume of starter required.
I think Jamil says starters that are more than 5% of the volume of the finished beer should be decanted. You could short the beer volume to make up for the starter, but doing it by that much is going to change the taste of the finished product.
I don't think a corn sugar only starter is a good idea, especially if you don't have nutrient. It's going to get the yeast used to eating simple sugars, not the more complex sugars that are available in wort.
I would say get some DME and make your normal size starter. If you have the time make a larger 3 liter-ish starter and decant the wort so you're not throwing the recipe off so much.
Alright, based on your reply and the fact I can't get DME before brew day AND the fact that l did this same beer 2 months ago and didn't use a starter I'm just going to stick with what I did last time and pitch in the one slap pack. The beer was good to me last time so it should be good this time as well. I think I really need to read their book on yeast and figure out some of these questions and learn the best practices and techniques. Thanks for the quick response!
Sounds like a plan... if it works it works, there's no arguing that!
I have that book and need to read it as well.
Check out my yeast starter guide
http://www.cachebrewingsociety.com/node/114
I know a lot of people go by the calculator, but I don't think it's absolutely necessary to use the size starter the calculator says. Like you said, just using the smack pack made good beer, so using a 1 or 2 liter starter is going to give you some more yeast, so it should come out better than just tossing in the smack pack. I used to just add the whole starter in, on top of the 5 gallons of wort. now I make the starter a few days ahead, so I can chill it and pour off most of the liquid and just pitch the yeast and enough liquid to help the yeast pour out.
also, if you can't get dme, you can use a bottle or 2 of Malto Goya, which is a drink made pretty much like unfermented beer. Look in a Hispanic grocery, if you have one in your area, they will probably carry it.
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