Dry yeast starter?

[Allsup]

I know people rehydrate dry yeast. Does anyone make a starter with dry yeast? Does it make better beer?

 

[BioBeing]

The purpose of the starter is primarily to ensure you have the correct number of yeast so you are not underpitching. People do this with liquid yeast (smack packs and vials) as (a) these tend to have fewer cells than a pack of dried yeast and (b) the liquid yeast costs a lot more than a dry yeast.

If you really need to increase the amount of dry you pitch, it may simply be easiest (and maybe cheapest) to just pitch two packs.

To find out how much yeast to pitch, use the calculator at www.mrmalty.com

 

[Calder]

Dry yeast is created with it's nutrient, and all ready to go in the wort. Making a starter is an inefficient way of getting dry yeast to start.

 

[JoeBuch]

I plan on making a starter as normal with US05.

I'm doing this to ensure I have enough yeast for immediate fermentation.

 

[Allsup]

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[Revvy]

I plan on making a starter as normal with US05.

I'm doing this to ensure I have enough yeast for immediate fermentation.

A dry yeast packet has waaaay more than enough cells for MOST gravity beers.

Did you use mr malty to calculate how much you needed? http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

 

[kryolla]

I plan on making a starter as normal with US05.

I'm doing this to ensure I have enough yeast for immediate fermentation.

when pitching it in wort without rehydrating you kill about 50% according to Jamil and Chris White. After you killed 50% you have the same amount of yeast as a smack pack or vial about 100 billion. By rehydrating the dry yeast is like making a 2L starter for liquid yeast

 

[Allsup]

Revvy,
I did use Mrmalty and know I need one pack of dry. I was just wondering if I made a small starter 6-10 hours before hand, so the yeast was starting to real "go", if it would be even better.
It sounds like rehydrating is the best plan.

 

[Revvy]

Revvy,
I did use Mrmalty and know I need one pack of dry. I was just wondering if I made a small starter 6-10 hours before hand, so the yeast was starting to real "go", if it would be even better.
It sounds like rehydrating is the best plan.

There's compelling reasons why NOT to make one with dry yeast. I'm trying to find the post where someone made some great points, but I can't find it. But he really proved that not only wasn't it necessary, it was actually bad for the beer. I just can't recall the specifics.

 

[Allsup]

I believe you. I'm just trying to learn how to make the best beer I can.

 

[BioBeing]

I believe you. I'm just trying to learn how to make the best beer I can.

Then pitch the correct amount!

Also, read Jamils' yeast starter FAQ

Another case where you generally don’t want to make a starter is with dry yeast. It is usually cheaper and easier to just buy more dry yeast than it would be to make a starter large enough for most dry yeast packs. Many experts suggest that placing dry yeasts in a starter would just deplete the reserves that the yeast manufacturer worked so hard to build into their product. For dry yeasts, just do a proper rehydration in tap water, do not make a starter.

He also has a new book out on this subject (not that I have read it yet...)

 

[triangulum33]

when pitching it in wort without rehydrating you kill about 50% according to Jamil and Chris White. After you killed 50% you have the same amount of yeast as a smack pack or vial about 100 billion. By rehydrating the dry yeast is like making a 2L starter for liquid yeast

I've also read this study.