Yeast Starter?

Hello everyone, first time poster.

I've got my first batch of IPA in a primary fermenter now, and am re-reading the instructions from the kit this morning.

I just noticed that the instructions say that "A Yeast Starter needs to be made 1-3 days ahead of your brew day". Being the noob that I am, I ran through the recipe without noticing this little note hidden in the text.

I did notice that the brewing kit came with two yeast packs, one was a slap kind packet which is what I used. Another was a smaller packet which I thought was included by accident. It is still in my fridge.

Should I have used that smaller yeast packet to make the Yeast Starter?

The fermenter began bubbling after a couple of hours, and has continued now for about four days, so I assume the yeast packet I used is working okay without the starter.

I suppose there is no point in worrying about this now, just curious what I can expect from skipping the yeast starter step.

Also, the instructions say that primary fermentation will take 3-4 days, and secondary 4-5 days. That seems really quick based on everything I've read around here. Do they really mean it can be racked and bottled in 9-10 days total? Or am I reading that wrong? I plan to use a glass carboy for secondary only because there is a dry-hop step. That makes sense, right?

Thanks!

You're good to go using the slap pack. The dry yeast was most likely included in the event that you want to make a yeast starter.

Some people will follow the directions to a T and bottle at exactly 9 or 10 days (whatever the directions say). Some people won't. A lot of people on here won't recommend doing a secondary, a lot will. In your case because it has a dry hopping step, the secondary is a good idea. You can/could dry hop in the primary also.

What I personally would do is let the primary complete. That means wait say at least 2-4 weeks, preferably 4. Check the SG 3 days in a row and make sure it doesn't change. When it doesn't change, then do the dry hopping step (transfer to secondary, etc, etc). The dry hopping step is going to do nothing with regards to fermenting, it is merely there to add flavor/aroma. So you don't need/want to do it before your fermenting is done. Note though that this last paragraph is my own opinions and others may/will differ.

Couple of things

Maybe re-read the instructions and see what the dry pack of yeast is for. Maybe bottling?

When making a starter, you are essentially making a mini beer batch that will take the yeast in the smack pack and grow/propagate it so that you have more available yeast for your beer. This is especially helpful/needed when brewing higher gravity beers which require more healthy yeast to ferment out completely.

I have not bought a kit in years, but I have never heard of using a dry yeast for a starter and then also including a smack pack for pitching in as well. You typically use one strain of yeast whether you make a starter or not.