I don’t have a gallon jug. Could I put my starter into my primary fermenter, shake the foam out of it, add the yeast and put the wort on top of it at high krausen?
Seems like it.
I guess that I need to be more clear when describing things. Shaking is important before pitching the culture into the starter wort, not after pitching it. Gallon jugs are not all that difficult to acquire. If you cannot acquire a gallon glass jug, any one-gallon or larger container that can be sanitized that has a screw-on cap will work. British brewers use 5L plastic water bottles.
That’s what I meant. Shake the heck out of the starter wort, pitch the culture, and add the main wort at high krausen.
Yes, that should work if you have access to a container that is at least a 1-gallon container. If you do not have one, I would scour grocery stores, Costco, or Sams Club for a glass one-gallon apple juice bottle. Costco and Sams Club are good for one-gallon apple cider vinegar jugs. My LHBS sells new one-gallon glass jugs. I use a 5L media bottle, but you are looking at $100+ for a 5L media bottle.
Buy a gallon jug of wine. Drink the wine. Use the jug for SNS starters.
If you have a Sprouts anywhere near you, you can purchase a gallon of organic apple juice in a one-gallon glass jug for around $9. I fairly certain that being organic includes not having preservatives, which means that the juice should be good for cider.