dry yeast starters

[burcher]

Hey, my first post. I've had good luck lately with two things I don't usually do. I started using dry yeast and making starters and every batch a) starts fermenting immediately (literally) and b) ferments out quickly and attenuates very well. I've been using fermentis products. Anyway, in researching the subject of starter size, pitching rate, etc. with dry yeast a lot of what I've found stops at 'don't make starters with dry yeast'. Anyone else in this school of thought?
The background is trying to keep supplies available, not be a slave to ordering or the lhbs, and being more self sufficient and dry yeast is just sooooooooooooooooo much cheaper (even when you figure in the dme for starters) and keeps soooooooooooooo much longer.


cb

[Brandon]

Dont make a starter with a dry yeast that much I can say for sure.
Now if you want to re-hydrate or just sprinkle the yeast on top I am not really sure how much of a difference that makes. I have always just dumped it on top. To me that is the beauty of dry yeast, no starter or extra steps required.

[RLinNH]

I ALWAYS do a starter. Even with my smaller beers, I do a 1 pint starter for a 5 1/2 gallon Batch, even when I use Dry Yeast. Matter of fact, I just did it last night.

[burcher]

thanks for the replies.

Again, WHY don't you make a starter with dry yeast?

[burcher]

BTW, my real issue is how to translate my starter size up to my ten gallon batches (first one!). Normally, I make about a 1/4 gallon (1 qt) starter and pitch the whole thing or make a 1/2 gallon starter and keep half. I guess the answer to my own question would simply be use twice as much and split between 2 carboys. I'm just interested in what others do - especially those who DO make dry yeast starters and potentially to find out why I shouldn't.


cb

[Brandon]

thanks for the replies.

Again, WHY don't you make a starter with dry yeast?

For starters (no pun intended) you should use Jamil's yeast pitching calculator
http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

As far as why: The main reason to make a starter is to build up more yeast cells, well dry yeast already comes with more viable cells. The yeasts are dried in the packs with the glycol reserves already there and you could actually weaken the strains by making a starter.

All this being said, I only use dry yeast on my big hoppy beers and my sour beers.

[Bugeater]

Brandon covered it quite well. I don't use dry yeasts too often any more, but when I do I just sprinkle it on top of the wort and it takes off in just a couple hours.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

[burcher]

ok, I think I see - no starter cuz it's overkill. But are you not using dry yeast b/c the strains you want aren't available (e.g., sours, belgians, hefes, etc.) or b/c it sucks, or you think it sucks? So far I'm doing mostly pale ales and stouts to familiarize myself with the other aspects of brewing other than style. Thanks so far! BTW, next brew I'm going no starter w/dry yeast just to see if I get the same fermentation to decide for myself!


'prece


cb