I personally swear by the yeast calculator at Mr. Malty if no other reason is that it taught me that the amount of yeast varies each time by batch. That said, this 10% ABV barleywine we're planning calls for a starter of 3.81 liters!! On a stir plate! Granted, it is 11 gallons of 1.102 wort, but Crikey that is huge.
The other thing I've never noticed (since I do small batches) is that it still calls for four packages of yeast despite building a starter on a stir plate. Apparently we "just can't get there" with one package. So, I'm thinking I should make a 2nd starter on my plate to augment his 3-liter starter. Divide and conquer, if you will.
Anyone else with "big beer" experience care to confirm the need for multiple packages to build the starter? (My MRMALTY assumptions were 1.102, 11 gallons, 12/19/2008 yeast born-on date, liquid, stir plate.)