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In the past I have used a tablespoon of sugar a tablespoon of yeast and a cup of warm water to create a starter for my sugar heads. I want to make some bakers yeast starters for a all grain mash. Do I need to put the sugar in the starter? Or should I use some of the converted corn starch? Or just plain water?

Your simple sugar starter will suffice although some like to use a sample of the mash to acclimate the yeast to its new home.

tp

Making a starter for dry yeast is typically unnecessary as you have more than enough cells. Rehydration with warm water, however, is pretty important as without it about half of the cells die.

alpine wrote:Making a starter for dry yeast is typically unnecessary as you have more than enough cells. Rehydration with warm water, however, is pretty important as without it about half of the cells die.

I concur rehydrating with warm water is the best method.

For a starter.
I rehydrate yeast with hot water. Wait 20-30 minutes.
Then feed it a gallon or two of aerated 1.020 wash.
The next day I pitch this in the fermenter.
Don't know if this is the best way, but the yeast seems to like it.