Wyeast 1056 - 6.5 gallon batch, 1.053 OG

Do I need to make a starter or double pitch?

I always like making starters for my beers, but I don't think you would have any problems just pitching the one packet. If you made a small starter 24-48 hrs before you brew, you will be in great shape. You don't need to pitch two packs.

If you make a starter, be sure to use a blow off tube! You'll need it!

you'll be fine pitching the 1. I pitched just the vials and smackpacks for about the first 7 years of brewing and never had a problem. I do make starters for everything but dry yeast now though.

I don't feel like making a starter. I'll give it an extra day or 2 in primary then.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought one didn't need to make starters with smackpacks. It's been about a year since I used one so my memory may be cloudy, but is that not the case?

I will also be washing this yeast out of primary. Has anyone really got creative with this yeast? I know it's killer for American Ales. Just wondering what others have used it for since I'll have a ton.

I have made an Imperial Stout and a Blond Ale from this yeast. The stout was from a frozen tube of it (I freeze yeast with glycerine, then make starters). I suppose it would be fine for any type of IPA, too.

I've done Am Browns, Am Ambers with it. The Am Ambers are ridiculously good. Just looking to get a little creative.

1056 is good for darn near everything.

Teacher said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought one didn't need to make starters with smackpacks. It's been about a year since I used one so my memory may be cloudy, but is that not the case?

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Absolutely, you should make a starter. Stressed yeast causes all kinds of off-flavors. I've been reading up on optimum pitching rates, and finding out about yeast health. Start here: Mr Malty and go down about 1/2 way the page to "yeast pitching calculator". I was shocked to see how much I was underpitching my yeast. Even Wyeast and White Labs suggest making a starter for a batch bigger than 5 gallons and 1.040-ish.

This time of year is harder, too, because most people have less than optimum temperatures for fermentation, so they can get a fast and "hot" ferment which can also cause some off-flavors and stressed yeast.

Also, remember that saving stressed yeast isn't the best idea. If you're going to wash and save your yeast, start with healthy yeast.

Ugh, I hate going back to the store for their overpriced DME. Can I use corn sugar? I have a couple batches I kegged and not bottled leaving me with leftover bottling sugar.

petep1980 said:

Ugh, I hate going back to the store for their overpriced DME. Can I use corn sugar? I have a couple batches I kegged and not bottled leaving me with leftover bottling sugar.

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DME is a little high these days. The money you save from buying one smack pack instead of two will get enough DME for a few starters.

What are you making anyway?

No, unfortunately you can't use corn sugar to make a yeast starter. The yeast will lose their ability to do what you want them to do in the beer (which is convert maltose to alcohol and CO2) in favor of taking the easy path and just metabolizing the corn sugar.

petep1980 said:

Ugh, I hate going back to the store for their overpriced DME. Can I use corn sugar? I have a couple batches I kegged and not bottled leaving me with leftover bottling sugar.

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Are you doing an AG batch? If you are, I guess you're kinda stuck, unless you want to do a quick little mash right now. I always keep a few pounds of DME in the cupboard, for liquid yeast.

If you're doing a PM brew, you can just "steal" 1/2 cup of extract from your recipe. Or, you can always use dry yeast (no starter needed). SO-5 is supposed to be the same strain as 1056.

Yeah, there's the least expensive route, probably... just rehydrate a couple packets of S-05. [Edit: I meant two 5 gm packets. Or one 11 gm packet.]

I may check the basement, may have some DME.

House APA v3

+1 on using the pitching rate calculator. If you are lazy (like me) and don't want to make an appropriate size starter then just use dry Nottingham yeast as a substitute for Wyeast 1056

Mr. Malty says I need 3.5 quart starter. At a gravity of 1.040 the starter alone will cost like $4.

After you siphon off the primary, save the primary by sticking your stopper back in the bottle. Get another batch of something going within a couple days and dump it right on the yeast cake in that primary. There, you just halved your yeast/starter cost.

I plan to save the yeast so this first headache isn't much of a bother.

If I do a mini mash I can do a 1lb and get a .75 gallon gravity of 1.035 which will work and cost me like a buck.

Can I do just a 15 minute boil?

petep1980 said:

I plan to save the yeast so this first headache isn't much of a bother.

If I do a mini mash I can do a 1lb and get a .75 gallon gravity of 1.035 which will work and cost me like a buck.

Can I do just a 15 minute boil?

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I'd do a little bit longer, just to make sure that any "nasties" in the grain are killed. It's probably long enough, but would only take another 10 minutes to really be safe.

I'll go with the mini mash. This should be done what 24 hours before pitching to the big batch? Does it really matter what temp I store it at? It'll be going into ~75° wort so I figure keeping it in a similar temp range should be fine.

You know what, screw it. I'm going to scale back to 5.5 gallons and forget the darn starter.

petep1980 said:

You know what, screw it. I'm going to scale back to 5.5 gallons and forget the darn starter.

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Do that ... and you will make beer. In fact, no matter what you do, I bet you end up with beer. That is the beauty of this hobby!

As with most things, it depends....

If you want a clean ferment and little yeast character, then definitely make a starter. If you want more yeast notes and spice etc., then do not make a starter. I just made an IPA with a 1.065 OG and did not use a starter for my smack packs of 1272 (Am. Ale II). I want some fruity notes so I wanted a larger and longer reproductive phase. The main key id to control fermentation temperatures, and use the technique that is best suited to your intended beer.

I sucked it up and bought the DME. $14.99 for 3 friggin lbs.