Is 1 dry yeast packet enough?

[corycorycory09]

I'm making a big batch SMASH with 16lb of 2-row.

Is one US-05 yeast packet sufficient (with or without a starter)?

 

[Kharnynb]

us-05 is about 1 packet per 5 gallons of average gravity beer

 

[slym2none]

The average 11g packet of dry yeast is enough to make beer out of 6 gallons of 1.050 wort comfortably. You can get away with 1.060 I'd imagine with little repercussions, but going above that gravity, or making 10 gallons, you should use two packs.

 

[mrgrimm101]

Are you planning on rehydrating, or just pitching it dry?

 

[Subdivisions]

Sounds like 10 gallons (big batch). I'd use 2.

Don't make a starter with dry yeast. Re-hydrate it for best results

 

[slym2none]

Sounds like 10 gallons (big batch). I'd use 2.

Don't make a starter with dry yeast. Re-hydrate it for best results

Heh, I just noticed that the OP didn't say what exactly a "big batch" is, but I guess 16 pounds of grain is a giveaway.

:fro:

 

[corycorycory09]

Sounds like 10 gallons (big batch). I'd use 2.

Don't make a starter with dry yeast. Re-hydrate it for best results

Heh, I just noticed that the OP didn't say what exactly a "big batch" is, but I guess 16 pounds of grain is a giveaway.

:fro:

Sorry, should have specified. I'm making an 8 gallon batch.

Think I'm going to go with 2 packs. Thanks!

 

[Brew_Meister_General]

Sorry, should have specified. I'm making an 8 gallon batch.

Think I'm going to go with 2 packs. Thanks!

Ooo I wouldn't use two! I've only ever had to use one and a half packs for my 60+ beers (7 gallon), that's what I would recommend as theres a lot of yeast in a single gram (typically 18 billion cells if the pack is newly bought). You will have to discard the rest though as it will degrade within 6 days but it is for the best.

Rehydrate the yeast in a minimum of 10ml per gram of 35-40c water (which has been boiled for sanitation).

EDIT: keep the half pack!

I think like many people I would recommend using http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

 

[slym2none]

Two packs is fine, it is only a slight over-pitch.

Why would he have to discard the half-pack of yeast if he only used 1-1/2 packs? I had a half-pack of Notty in my fridge for 2+ months, & when I used it, it was fine. Acted just like the first half. All I did was fold over the flap a couple times, tape it shut, and put it into a zip-top bag with all the air pressed out. Worked like a charm.

*Note - I make 2.5 gallon batches, so I am almost always using only a half-pack of yeast. Never had a problem.

 

[Brew_Meister_General]

Why would he have to discard the half-pack of yeast if he only used 1-1/2 packs? I had a half-pack of Notty in my fridge for 2+ months, & when I used it, it was fine. Acted just like the first half. All I did was fold over the flap a couple times, tape it shut, and put it into a zip-top bag with all the air pressed out. Worked like a charm.

Yeah it never really made sense to me either, just something I read on the Fermentis or Montgomery Jack website I believe.

 

[max384]

Most commercial microbreweries significantly "overpitch" compared to homebrewing pitching rates... and they produce great beer. I think most accounts of deleterious effects of overpitching are greatly exaggerated. I'd MUCH rather overpitch than underpitch.

 

[Subdivisions]

Yeah it never really made sense to me either, just something I read on the Fermentis or Montgomery Jack website I believe.

Of course, they want you to buy more yeast.

It's better used by pitching the whole 2 packs and making a nice healthy fermentation. @max384 said it better than I could about over pitching.

 

[slym2none]

Yeah it never really made sense to me either, just something I read on the Fermentis or Montgomery Jack website I believe.

That's because they want you to buy more yeast.



*EDIT* Darn you, Subdivisions!

 

[Subdivisions]

That's because they want you to buy more yeast.



*EDIT* Darn you, Subdivisions!

Great minds think alike!

 

[Brew_Meister_General]

Most commercial microbreweries significantly "overpitch" compared to homebrewing pitching rates... and they produce great beer. I think most accounts of deleterious effects of overpitching are greatly exaggerated. I'd MUCH rather overpitch than underpitch.

What starter calculator do you use then? I switched from Brewer's Friend to Brew United as BF doesn't take into consideration the gravity of the starter, you could literally make it 1.000 and it will still be fine as long as the required volume has been met.

 

[Subdivisions]

What starter calculator do you use then? I switched from Brewer's Friend to Brew United as BF doesn't take into consideration the gravity of the starter, you could literally make it 1.000 and it will still be fine as long as the required volume has been met.

But the BF calculator has a default starter gravity of 1.036 built into it. Why would you change it lower?? The calculator has to assume you know what the hell you're doing.

Why are you asking what starter calculator he uses? He's making a comment about how over pitching isn't the end of the world.

This thread is about how many DRY yeast packs to pitch, not making a starter.

 

[aprichman]

Commercial brewers use massive pitches of incredibly active yeasts and can finish beers in 5-7 days before moving them to a bright tank. The only real disadvantage of overpitching is the cost associated with it. For pro brewers the cost is small enough that they are easily outweighed by being able to finish the beer more quickly and thus increase their brewing capacity. For a lot of breweries capacity is one of the biggest constraints to income.

For homebrewers it may or may not be practical to pitch at these levels. Most of us homebrewers buy our yeast by the packet so pitching at professional levels would be a huge cost compared to giving our beers an extra week or two to finish and clean up. For homebrewers pitching at pro levels shouldn't be a problem if you have a large stir plate and a properly sized vessel to make a big starter in.

 

[mrgrimm101]

I've read that overpitching can cause the yeast to not reach their full growth and go through their full life cycle, which can lead to cleaner or harsher flavors and you don't get the proper flavors because they don't finish all the way. Is this a real concern with homebrewers? I ask because I missed the OG on my last stout I made (it was my first all grain attempt). It was supposed to be 1.075ish and it ended up being 1.060. I rehydrated 2 packs of US-05 and pitched. It fermented very aggressively and it finished after a few days.

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

I've read that overpitching can cause the yeast to not reach their full growth and go through their full life cycle, which can lead to cleaner or harsher flavors and you don't get the proper flavors because they don't finish all the way. Is this a real concern with homebrewers? I ask because I missed the OG on my last stout I made (it was my first all grain attempt). It was supposed to be 1.075ish and it ended up being 1.060. I rehydrated 2 packs of US-05 and pitched. It fermented very aggressively and it finished after a few days.

At our volumes, no. Even a massive overpitch should not cause off-flavors per-se. Though lets say you pitch a huge barelywine or wee heavy on an entire cake, you could end up blowing past your target FG, which for styles like BW or Wee-Heavies the residual sweetness and body are a big part of the style... Though you shouldn't end up with yeast off flavors. You would end up with stylistic off-flavors.

Though pitching a massive amount of yeast can cause temperature control issues. I pitched two 1.75 liter starters of yeast (wanted to pitch two different yeasts) and the beer took off so quickly and violently the temp went from 67 to 90 in 6 hours (granted one of the yeasts was a saison so it wasnt a huge concern). Huge temperature swings *will* cause off flavors (swings, not necessarily high temps).

 

[mrgrimm101]

At our volumes, no. Even a massive overpitch should not cause off-flavors per-se. Though lets say you pitch a huge barelywine or wee heavy on an entire cake, you could end up blowing past your target FG, which for styles like BW or Wee-Heavies the residual sweetness and body are a big part of the style... Though you shouldn't end up with yeast off flavors. You would end up with stylistic off-flavors.

Though pitching a massive amount of yeast can cause temperature control issues. I pitched two 1.75 liter starters of yeast (wanted to pitch two different yeasts) and the beer took off so quickly and violently the temp went from 67 to 90 in 6 hours (granted one of the yeasts was a saison so it wasnt a huge concern). Huge temperature swings *will* cause off flavors (swings, not necessarily high temps).

Ok thanks. I was dumb and put the carboy in my basement, where it sat for about 12 hours at around 60F ambient. There was no activity. So I moved it upstairs where it was around 66F ambient and it took off within the hour. I think that it got a little jostled around too, which may have helped it take off.

 

[Brew_Meister_General]

But the BF calculator has a default starter gravity of 1.036 built into it. Why would you change it lower?? The calculator has to assume you know what the hell you're doing.

Why are you asking what starter calculator he uses? He's making a comment about how over pitching isn't the end of the world.

This thread is about how many DRY yeast packs to pitch, not making a starter.

Because lower gravity starters leads to healthier yeast, duh.

Because it tells you how many yeast cells you need, duh.

He might be using dry yeast but that doesn't mean he hasn't ever used a calculator. If he hasn't ever used a calculator doesn't mean he wouldn't or shouldn't use a calculator.