How much yeast to pitch?

[Mookie]

Just getting back into the homebrew thing. Having trouble getting specific information on how much dry yeast to pitch for 5 gallons of brew. Most of my reading say's two packets of yeast, but I have found that dry yeast packets can be 6 gram's to 15 grams. My question is, how many grams of yeast should I rehydrate and pitch for a 5 gallon batch?

Another question......Can a person or should a person do a yeast starter with dry yeast or is that only for liquid yeast?

Another question......My current batch has been fermenting/bubbling for 3 weeks now. I used Muntons Premium Gold 7 grams, and for the first time just spinkled on top. After, no activity for 12 hrs, I rehydrated another 7 gram pack and pitched as normal. Fermentation started about 6 hours later. I assume that my fermentation is taking so long because I probably had a low yeast count at the start. OG was 1.050. Gravity at 1 week was 1.011. Current Gravity is 1.009 (at 3 wks). Still bubbling once every 26 seconds. Will this thing ever finish or is there something I can do to get it to finish?

 

[indeedproceed]

I wonder about this too.

I've made 3 batches now, and since the first batch (where I used the kit instructions, 1 week bucket, 1 week bottles, drink)..I've followed the same routine. 10 days bucket, 10 days 2ndary, 14 days bottles.

I have never missed my gravity marks yet. I haven't even come close to missing them. I have Northern Brewer's 'Three Hearted Ale' in my primary now, it just turned a week old, and like clockwork, started out at roughly 1.065, checked in today at 1.010.

1 packet, dry yeast every time. I bought wyeast with the three hearted ale but they sent me a dry one anyways. Wyeast sits in my fridge until I make the irish red ale.

 

[Yooper]

Most of the quality dry yeast come in 11 gram packages (I don't like Munton's at all, but the "gold" is better than the regular Munton's) and that is generally sufficient for 5 gallons of wort. Rehydrating according to package directions ensures the highest cell count, but many people sprinkle it on the wort with good results.

A great resource is the yeast pitching calculator at mrmalty.com. Try it! You can put in your OG, type of yeast, ale or lager, gallons of wort, etc, and it will give you the optimum amount of yeast to pitch. Most people are surprised when they use that calculator, especially with liquid yeast!

You don't want to make a starter with dry yeast. I'm not certain of the science but it has to do with rehydrating in plain water for best results.

 

[cockybitz]

some fermentations may take 18 hours to start. It depends on amount of yeast pitched, aeration, temperature. My last batch took 18 hrs to start and 24 before full kreusan. Not ideal, but not to worry too much about.

Yooper is correct that dry yeast is not suggest to have a starter, however I did so this weekend with my brew and have thus far had great results.

 

[likwidbliss]

I pitched 1 billion cells yesterday! That is one smack pack. I have never used more than one packet of dry or liquid and have made beer.

 

[Mookie]

Thanks guys. I think my long fermentation is due to only pitching 7 grams of rehydrated yeast. I think the first 7 grams that I sprinkled on top (as per packet directions) never took hold.

Next question. I will probably have at least 4 weeks of fermentation time before I bottle. Will I need to pitch some new yeast before I bottle?

 

[homebrewpey]

Next question. I will probably have at least 4 weeks of fermentation time before I bottle. Will I need to pitch some new yeast before I bottle?

No need. Assuming you're bottle conditioning, you should have plenty of yeast in your beer even after fermentation to proceed with bottle conditioning. Of course, you want to follow the instructions with your recipe, but, as a general rule, 4 oz priming sugar (0.25 lbs) per five gallon batch should do the trick.

 

[Mookie]

Thanks Homebrewpey.

What recipe? I get all of my recipe's from the same place my boss says my head is located. I just pull them out of there.

 

[homebrewpey]

Thanks Homebrewpey.

What recipe?

I'm just sayin', as a general rule, you can use 4 oz priming sugar per five gallon batch if you're bottle conditioning.

If you're pulling recipes out of nowhere, this information might come in handy...

 

[homer383]

Hi,
I am fermenting an ale which had OG 1.055, volume is ~6.6 US gallon (25L). I somehow overlooked recommendation in beersmith/brewtoad to use 14g of Safale S04 yeast and rehydrated and pitched only 11.5g. The fermentation started. Should I worry about the fermentation or is the amount of 2.5g which is missing not so important?

 

[TheHopfather]

Wow, necro thread. Bringing back an old thread from 2010, nice work.

Fermentation started, you're good. The whole idea with pitch rate calculators is to pitch enough yeast in order to avoid creating off flavors due to the yeast getting stressed out during the growth phase. When you pitch the yeast they will replicate until there are enough of them to consume the sugar in the wort, the more you pitch the less likely they are to create off flavors.

By the time you can visibly see fermentation you are past the growth phase and the yeast are busy working away on the sugar. 11.5g is a standard packet of yeast, they are designed to ferment 5 gal of wort. As long as you rehydrate the packet you should have pitched enough yeast. I'd listen to Safale over Beersmith/Brewtoad.

 

[homer383]

I did not want to open a new thread
So I will just wait now. Anyway I do not know if it would be good idea to add some yeast after a day of fermentation. Would it?

 

[TheHopfather]

I don't think there is any point to adding more yeast now. Sounds like the lag and growth phases are over for you, all that's left now is for the yeast to make beer.

 

[homer383]

OK, after 3 weeks in primary I bottled the beer. OG was 1.055, FG was 1.020. I do not know - maybe little high? What do you think?
I used:
300g (0.66 lbs) of Crystal malt 80L (steeped grain)
1000g (2.2 lbs) of Dark Dry Extract
3400g (7.5 lbs) od Pale Liquid Extract
the batch had 25L (6.6 gal)

Is the FG 1.020 for such batch with Safale S04 normal or was this just a result of pitching lower amount of the yeasts?

 

[PADave]

Not surprising with extract. How are you measuring, hydrometer?

 

[homer383]

Not surprising with extract. How are you measuring, hydrometer?

Yes, hydrometer.

 

[kh54s10]

Hi,
I am fermenting an ale which had OG 1.055, volume is ~6.6 US gallon (25L). I somehow overlooked recommendation in beersmith/brewtoad to use 14g of Safale S04 yeast and rehydrated and pitched only 11.5g. The fermentation started. Should I worry about the fermentation or is the amount of 2.5g which is missing not so important?

Close enough. I look at the calculators and round up. So if it is telling me to use 1.49 packs I use just one. If it says to use 1.51 packs I use 2.

If liquid yeast I always make a starter of the proper size.