CalculatePitch-rate target
Yeast Starter Calculator
Free yeast starter calculator. Enter original gravity, batch volume, and pitch rate to find the target yeast cells and stir-plate starter size.
Work out the target cell count and starter size to hit a healthy pitch rate.
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How the Yeast Starter Calculator works
Pitching enough healthy yeast is critical for clean fermentation. This calculator estimates the target cell count for your batch using the standard pitch-rate model, then models how many cells a stir-plate starter will grow.
Target cells scale with batch size, wort gravity, and your chosen pitch rate (lower for ales, higher for lagers). The starter growth estimate is a simplified stir-plate model and should be treated as a guide.
Frequently asked questions
- What pitch rate should I use?
- A common guideline is about 0.75 million cells/mL/°P for ales and 1.5 for lagers.
- How accurate is the starter growth estimate?
- It is a simplified stir-plate model. Real growth varies with yeast health, aeration, and starter gravity, so treat it as an approximation.
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