Robsbrew

Recipes 

How do you make a yeast starter. Is it as simple as warming up water to about 90 degrees and throwing in the yeast for 10 min? Also what is a liquid yeast? Is it a yeast you buy? Also I have heard of people re-using yeast they brew with. What ae the advantages and how do you do it?
Is there also a chart on what yeast to use for what type of beer you are brewing? What brands are better than others? I know its a lot of questions but as I am diving into this whole craft beer thing the deeper the hook sinks in!

DeathBrewer

Recipes 

Simple Starter: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/how-make-yeast-starter-pictorial-76101/

There are two stickied threads at the top of this section that talk about culturing yeast.

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Easy Partial Mash Brewing - Stovetop All-Grain Brewing

"Death is always with us." - Brewpastor

We will remember...

ReverseApacheMaster

Recipes 

OTOH, if you stare at DeathBrewer's avatar long enough the deer will implant the answers deep within your brain.

DeathBrewer

Recipes 

Hey! Don't give away the Evil Gerenuk's secrets! That knowledge is for the chosen!

__________________
Easy Partial Mash Brewing - Stovetop All-Grain Brewing

"Death is always with us." - Brewpastor

We will remember...

Clonefarmer

Recipes 

Brewer's yeast comes in two forms. Dry packets and Liquid in packs or vials. Basically the same thing except dry yeast has been dried and liquid yeast is in it's natural state.

Wyeast and White labs are the two companies to get liquid yeast from. Both are quality producers of yeast with some minimal differences between the strains they carry. If you go to either one of their websites you can see what the recommended styles of beer are for each of their yeasts.

Dry yeast is available in less variety than liquid yeast. There are several companies that produce dry yeast. I personally prefer Fermentis and Danstar. There are a few other producers but these two have been consistent with quality. As with the liquid companies you should be able to go to thier websites to see what styles their yeast is recommended for.

Dry yeast are easy to use and store well. They are great for beginners. Most of the basic styles of beer can be made using dry yeast.

Liquid yeast don't store as well. Using a starter with liquid is recommended, but not required. Certain styles can only be done using liquid yeast. These are beers that get their flavor and aroma profile from the yeast.

Deathbrewer's link and the stickies should cover culturing and starters.

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"Just remember Scooty Puff Jr. sucks!"....Philip J. Fry

Robsbrew

Recipes 

Now what about a stir plate? Does that make the yeast starter more efficient or easier to pitch?

Clonefarmer

Recipes 

The stir plate makes the starter more efficient. With it you should get more yeast reproduction at a faster rate.

Pitching is easy. It's basically just pouring the yeast slurry into the cooled wort. When making a starter let it ferment out. Then pop it in the fridge till the yeast settles. After the yeast settles pour off the clear liquid. What's left behind is the yeast slurry.

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"Just remember Scooty Puff Jr. sucks!"....Philip J. Fry

mikeysab

Recipes 

one thing to keep in mind when it comes to yeast is authenticity. I learned that with a hefe. There's wheat beers and there's hefe's. To me, this is the most dramatic example of yeast flavor. As I sit here drinking a wlp300 hefe, picking out bubble gum, bananas, cloves, I can't help to think what this ber would have tasted like with another yeast. Usually, you need liquid yeast to keep authenticity

one other thing to think about is travelability. I have no LHBS so choosing liquids takes timing and planning. You don't want to order liquid yeast on a thursday only to have it sit in a hot fedex warehouse all weekend.

can't help to mention pricing. I'm strictly all grain now so I'm a little more flexible, but for those first few extract batches, it's sometimes hard to throw another 6 or 7 dollars into a smack pack. Even brewing all grain, I find myself doing the math between a packet of notty and a smack pack. The extra 4 bucks could be saved toward equipment or ingredients.

yeast is the point in my process I'm focusing on now. There's a saying that brewers make wort, but yeast make beer. If you're a new brewer, get a couple batches under your belt to get the feel for things. Your new hobby will likely become an obsession, so you'll find yourself looking into every detail of every step. It takes time to get everything understood. Happy brewing