Yeast Starters

Just wondering whether the majority of you all make yeast starter's? I'm four batches in to extract brewing and so far I've just been using dry yeast which I sprinkled on to my wort. It would seem most people rehydrate the dry yeast before they pitch it.

I'll be looking to do some higher ABV beers in the near future, in which case I'm sure I'll have to make starter's for.

I don't generally make starters with dry yeast. Just use an extra package.

I started re-hydrating my dry yeast about 4 months ago. And I think I detect a slight improvement in beer taste. It's an easy process and the manufacturers recommend it.

I was thinking about starting to do the same. what technique do you use? I've read allot of people just rehydrate with water, rather than adding the DME

This is the technique I use for re hydration. It has worked well so far.

How to Brew - By John Palmer - Preparing Yeast and Yeast Starters

Graeme said:

I was thinking about starting to do the same. what technique do you use? I've read allot of people just rehydrate with water, rather than adding the DME

Click to expand...

I do mine in a cup of 90 degree water and toss in a Carb Tab to proof it.

You don't need to make a starter from dry yeast - starters are generally only for liquid yeast. As long as you're using dry yeast, you don't have to worry about DME or anything like that. Rehydrating is generally a good thing, though a lot of people just toss their dry yeast into the aerated wort.

What I do is generally boil some water in small pot sometime before I start my boil (of wort), pour about a cup of boiled water into a pyrex measuring cup, cover with saran wrap, put to the side somewhere. About 60-70 minutes later or so (just about the time I'm cooling my wort), the water should be about 90 degrees. Toss the yeast in, let sit for 15-20 min or so, give a gentle stir. By now the wort should be in your fermenter, all nice and aerated. Toss the yeast in and you're good to go.

thanks for the tip Palefire, I was aware that it didn't need to be rehydrated but I figured I might give it a try anyway, it's no hassle.

Dry yeast packets should have more than enough yeast cells for a 5 gallon batch. The liquid yeast benefits from a starter to pump up the cell count so they aren't stressed when introduced to the wort. I was just reading about this the other day, here's a thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/yeast-starter-using-dry-yeast-79535/

Rehydrating is definitely recommended...I usually sprinkle the pack in water around 80-90 degrees for about 15 minutes until it starts bubbling/foaming. I get it as close as possible to the temp of my cooled wort then pitch it!

I have only been using liquid yeast. I have done several with a starter, and several without a starter. With the starter, it just finished quicker (3 days), where as just the yeast, takes about the normal amount of time. I worried about shipping temperatures and transport, since I live in Indiana, and am having it shipped from California, but I have had no issues to date, as long as I get ample cooling time of the yeast prior to the brew day. A little off of what you are talking about, but if you switch to Liquid Yeast, it should help.