11 gallons of beer, one yeast packet ???

Ok I want to brew an 11 gallon batch of a smaller gravity beer that all of my friends love. I have all of the ingredients except only one packet of the s-05 yeast I use. I could use a yeast cake BUT it is from a MUCH darker hoppier beer so that is out unless I wait and wash the yeast etc etc..Can I just make a starter a day or two ahead and get the yeast going and then cold crash, decant and split the starter between the two fermentors( can't do all 11 in one carboy)?

You can always do a starter. You just need to make sure it is big enough to pitch 11 gals. Try this calculator.

http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

I would do a longer starter then that. I don't think you will have the count up to what you need in a day or two.

UGH.. I think I will just make the hour drive to the brew shop and buy more yeast. I am like a crack addict there though. I will go after a 2 packet of yeast and spend a hundred or more before I leave.

I don't get this. After all, the yeast are just multiplying like mad, right? Although I've never brewed more than 5 gallons at a time, it seems to me that it might just take another 24 more hours more to really start cooking...

What is the starting gravity? You just said "small." Did you check mrmalty.com?

I dont think it would be a problem if your gravity is small enough.

But here is an idea:

If you follow proper sanitation procedures, and assuming you use two fermenters for a 11 gallon batch, you could leave one fermenter unpitched while the other one gets a healthy krausen by day 2. Then, scoop off Krausen from fermenter 1 into fermenter 2.

According to mrmalty.com, once you get to 11 gallons of 1.028 wort, you need more then 1 packet, and that is if the yeast has a production date of today.

alcibiades said:

Then, scoop off Krausen from fermenter 1 into fermenter 2.

Click to expand...

That is a really interesting idea.

I'd opt for that or rinsing the yeast from the previous batch. Harvested yeast always works really well for me. I think it makes better beer. The fact that it's free is just a bonus.