dmaxweb
Well-Known Member
Can rehydrated dry yeast be used to make a large starter?
Using Rehydrated Dry Yeast to Make a Large Starter
- Thread starter dmaxweb
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2021
- Messages
- 2,714
- Reaction score
- 2,338
We are talking about a packet of dry yeast right?
They tell you in their instructions how to make a starter. The size of it or cell count, depends on how you want to go about making it larger.
They tell you in their instructions how to make a starter. The size of it or cell count, depends on how you want to go about making it larger.
https://fermentis.com/en/product/safale-us-05/
BrewnWKopperKat
ʘ‿ʘ
Yes.
Experimental Brewing Podcast #166 has some discussion on the idea of making starters with dry yeast.
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2021
- Messages
- 2,714
- Reaction score
- 2,338
I guess I might need to ask if there is more to a starter than just re-hydration.
But I don't see what the difference will be.
But I don't see what the difference will be.
BrewnWKopperKat
ʘ‿ʘ
It's like making a starter with liquid yeast [1], but using dry yeast instead.
As I understand it, lager pitch rates are often 4 sachets of dry yeast. Apparently, a single sachet can be used to make a starter that would be the same pitch rate. Lallemand [1] [2] has more information.
One thing to be aware of: once the starter is made (from dry yeast), one needs to handle the yeast as a liquid yeast.
[1] How to Make a Yeast Starter
[2] LalBrew Diamond™ | Lallemand Brewing
[3] https://www.lallemandbrewing.com/wp.../03/LAL-bestpractices-Propagation-digital.pdf
As I understand it, lager pitch rates are often 4 sachets of dry yeast. Apparently, a single sachet can be used to make a starter that would be the same pitch rate. Lallemand [1] [2] has more information.
One thing to be aware of: once the starter is made (from dry yeast), one needs to handle the yeast as a liquid yeast.
[1] How to Make a Yeast Starter
[2] LalBrew Diamond™ | Lallemand Brewing
[3] https://www.lallemandbrewing.com/wp.../03/LAL-bestpractices-Propagation-digital.pdf
OP
OP
dmaxweb
Well-Known Member
This what I was referring to. Rehydrating in about 4oz sterile water an after the recommend 30 min wait, pitch it into a 3.5l starter and let it ferment out to produce enough slurry to harvest before pitching in 11 gallon wort.
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2021
- Messages
- 2,714
- Reaction score
- 2,338
Yeah, just increase the cell count till you have what you want. Although dry yeast has all the nutrients and stuff they need to do their business right away if direct pitched.
For increasing the cell count significantly you probably need to observe the things done for liquid yeast which sometimes includes nutrients. After all, once it's rehydrated it's no longer dry yeast.
BrewnWKopperKat
ʘ‿ʘ
In this situation, some brewers will make a starter using dry yeast and others will use twice as much dry yeast.
In the early 2020s, both approaches will make good beer.
At this point, I think you can just do whatever you feel is best. I know guys who make a starter regardless of whether the yeast pack is dry or liquid. They've been brewing for 20+ years and win medals.
I recently made a starter using a sachet of W-34/70 that I pitched into an even larger starter to make a lager. Worked like a champ and started like a rocket.
I recently made a starter using a sachet of W-34/70 that I pitched into an even larger starter to make a lager. Worked like a champ and started like a rocket.
I think you can divide the benefits into a lot of cells and a quick start. If you use more packets of dry yeast you will get a lot of cells. If you make a larger starter out of one packet you will get a lot of cells plus a quicker start. So that tips the scale to a large starter.
But then that leads me to - why start with dry yeast unless you happen to have some on hand? At this point, might as well go with liquid yeast.
But then that leads me to - why start with dry yeast unless you happen to have some on hand? At this point, might as well go with liquid yeast.
Data from Fermentis showed they got slightly better results when adding the yeast directly to wort than they did when rehydrating with water. Yeah, I know that goes against common brewing wisdom. They generally recommend to do whatever fits your brewing system. For many commercial breweries it is easier to inject a slurry of rehydrated yeast into the fermenter, where homebrewers can just sprinkle in the yeast.
A starter seems fine. A common recommendation for dry yeast has been that it is not worth the time and money to build up yeast starters when another pack of dry yeast is so cheap. This might make sense if you have easy access to a supply of a cheap yeast like US-05. Many dry yeast packs are creeping up to $7+ per pack, and a starter is easier than a round trip to the store (or paying for shipping).
BrewnWKopperKat
ʘ‿ʘ
- easy-peasy storage in an itty-bitty space.
- stress-free shipping
- ...
- ...
On the broader topic of yeast, these two recent podcasts may be of interest
- BeerSmith #269
- Experimental Brewing #166
Last edited:
