Is one pkg of S-23 enough?

[newfiebrew]

Hey guys I'm attempting my first Lager next week and am brewing a vienna Lager from the recipe section but it only calls for one pkg of safale S-23 lager yeast with a O.G of 1.051. Will one pkg do the job? Should I re-hydrate or dear I say make a starter from dry yeast??? (would increase viable yeast right?)

I have to order my yeast online so I do not want to have to place a second order considering shipping costs are $$$.

Here is the recipie: Its mostly vienna malt,some caramunic and a little crystal 60.

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Saflager s-23 or favorite
Yeast Starter: n/a for dry
Batch Size (Gallons): 5
Original Gravity: 1.051
Final Gravity: 1.010
IBU: 23.5
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 12.7
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 30 @ 55F
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 30 @ 35F

Would I be seriously underpitching?


Thanks

Jamie.

 

[hunter_le five]

You really should use 2 packets of lager yeast for a 5 gallon batch of lager.

Mr. Malty calls for at least 1.7 packets for a 5 gallon lager of that OG (assuming maximum viability).

I've never done a starter with dry yeast, but I assume making a starter would be preferable to underpitching by over 40%

 

[Cyclman]

+1, do a starter. Don't underpitch a lager.

 

[SmokeyMcBong]

I've been researching this same thing for an upcoming brew. I checked both brewersfriend and yeastcalc.com and they both said that I'd either need an 8qt starter or a 2qt starter stepped up with another 2qt (no stirplate intermittent shaking). I contemplated doing a 2 gallon batch of beer as the starter but I think I'm just gonna go the 2+2 route.

 

[newfiebrew]

So has anyone been successful when doing dry yeast starters?

 

[BigFloyd]

So has anyone been successful when doing dry yeast starters?

Most folks don't do it because it's more cost/time effective to simply pitch an extra rehydrated packet. In your situation, you can rehydrate the S-23 over a period of 25-30 minutes and use that to make a starter as you would with liquid yeast.

Remember, the pitch rate for a lager should be twice that of a similar gravity ale, so you have to make a decently big starter, step it up and/or use a stirplate even for a moderate gravity batch like yours.

Hey, I just noticed that this is my 5000th post. I have a bottle of coffee porter in the fridge that's been waiting for such an occasion.

 

[WoodlandBrew]

Yeast propagation works fine with liquid or hydrated yeast. Still starters produce about as much yeast as stirred starters, but it takes more time.

Details:
http://www.woodlandbrew.com/2015/02/yeast-starters-stirred-vs-not.html

Try this calculator:
http://www.woodlandbrew.com/2015/02/starter-calculator.html

S-23 can be a little finicky. Make sure to aerate well and add 3 grams of yeast nutrient per 100g of extract.

 

[newfiebrew]

Thanks guys and its just my luck that I have a stir plate coming in the mail for my upcoming birthday. So for a lager starter what temp should i pitch the dry yeast into the starter wort? 50 deg or so??

 

[WoodlandBrew]

The yeast should be hydrated at 73°F. (see the data sheet: http://www.fermentis.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/SFG_S23.pdf )

Propogation will occur faster at warmer temperatures. If you are decanting the spent wort from the starter then i would recommend propagating at ambient temperature.

An alternative to a starter would be to propagate the yeast in the fermentor, and then aerate and add the remainder of the exact after a few days.

 

[osagedr]

The yeast should be hydrated at 73°F. (see the data sheet: http://www.fermentis.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/SFG_S23.pdf )

This. Always follow the product sheet instructions re: pitching rate and rehydration. Conventional wisdom is that there are about 20 billion cells per gram of rehyrated dry yeast so you get something like 230 billion cells out of an 11.5 gram packet. Two packets should thus be sufficient for your lager. This all presumes you are fermenting at "normal" lager temperatures (45-50 F).

I have used S-23 many times. Some folks hate it but most of my beers that have used it have done well in competitions, including a BOS for a Bohemian pilsner a couple of years ago in a competition with over 500 entries. It is not a strain that likes cool temperatures - maybe with a massive pitching rate you are okay but other than that I wouldn't go under 50 degrees - and it's clean well into the mid to high 50's.

Good luck!

 

[hunter_le five]

I have used S-23 many times. Some folks hate it but most of my beers that have used it have done well in competitions, including a BOS for a Bohemian pilsner a couple of years ago in a competition with over 500 entries. It is not a strain that likes cool temperatures - maybe with a massive pitching rate you are okay but other than that I wouldn't go under 50 degrees - and it's clean well into the mid to high 50's.

Good to know. I've always heard very mixed opinions about the strain, but perhaps people are just fermenting it too cold. I might give it a try on my next lager.

 

[osagedr]

Good to know. I've always heard very mixed opinions about the strain, but perhaps people are just fermenting it too cold. I might give it a try on my next lager.

Some people just hate it. Denny Conn hates it. Interestingly, Denny's liquid strain is now my go-to for ales...