Smack pack yeast

I've been reading a lot of threads lately on making yeast starters. i haven't done one yet as i have been using dry yeast or wyeast smack packs. The three extract batches and two AG batches have turned out fine (at least in my opinion) and I am wondering if making a yeast starter would significantly improve the final product.

I've read threads that say making a yeast starter could over pitch the beer and others that say not making a starter will lead to under pitching and esters.

Any thoughts?

depends on the beer. for most standard american-type ales i go with s05 dry yeast every time, rehydrated and no starter, it's dead easy and it gives good consistent results, and if your sanitation is sub-par or you aren't comfortable making starters it's a safer bet. with liquid yeast for low gravity beers you can often get away without a starter if you have a fresh pack/vial, but for bigger beers and especially if you use an older pack it's just not enough viable yeast, and you have a very high chance of getting off flavors such as so-called fusel alcohols, or of underattenuation. but there's no need to guess about the amount of yeast needed since there are online calculators such as yeastcalc.com and mrmalty.com, they even take into account the production date of the pack/vial and estimate the viability percentage.

brett1341 said:

I've been reading a lot of threads lately on making yeast starters. i haven't done one yet as i have been using dry yeast or wyeast smack packs. The three extract batches and two AG batches have turned out fine (at least in my opinion) and I am wondering if making a yeast starter would significantly improve the final product.

I've read threads that say making a yeast starter could over pitch the beer and others that say not making a starter will lead to under pitching and esters.

Any thoughts?

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The dry yeast will usually be good with just one pack.

Using the smack packs, you should definitely make a starter. I seriously doubt that you can overpitch. Use a calculator to determine the size of the starter and you will be good to go.

Who in the world says that making a starter will be overpitching? That's crazy. Unless you're making gallons and gallons of starter you're not overpitching. What you NEED to do is start making starters any time you use liquid yeast, and rehydrating your dry yeast when you use it. Use the pitching rate calculator at mrmalty.com and be sure to enter the manufacture date for viability. A brand-new smack pack or vial is a massive underpitch for any beer with a gravity much over 1.025, and unless you live next door to Wyeast or White Labs, you're not getting brand new yeast- viability drops off very quickly even when refrigerated.

Remember- brewers make wort, yeast make beer. Start treating your soldiers right by pitching the correct number of healthy cells, fermenting at the correct temperature, and oxygenating with pure O2 and you will be rewarded with excellent beer. Yeast make nice things for you when you're nice to them first.