Yeast question...

[mikeljcarr]

Ping to brew a barleywine that has a target OG of 1.106. Should I pitch two packages of yeast or would I be ok if I did a good starter?

 

[chickypad]

For 5 gallons you need about 355 billion cells, so if using liquid yeast more like 4 packages depending on the production date. I would use yeastcalc and figure out what starter you need. Looks like at least 2 liters with a stir plate, again depending on the age of your yeast. Make sure to oxygenate your wort really well.

 

[mikeljcarr]

So would it take 4 packages to make the 2 liters, or are you saying I should do one or the other? Should it all be pitched initially?

 

[chickypad]

No it's one or the other, but I'd check the calculator with the date of your yeast. With big starters I prefer to let them ferment out completely then decant.

 

[BigFloyd]

Are you asking about 11g packets of dry yeast, Wyeast smack packs or vials from White Labs?

For dry - 4 11g packets in an ale of that gravity assuming that you rehydrate. Do not make a starter with dry yeast.

Liquid - big, big starter or brew a lighter gravity (around 1.045-1.050) beer with the same yeast and rack the high gravity wort onto the yeast cake from the first beer.

 

[chickypad]

For dry - 4 11g packets in an ale of that gravity assuming that you rehydrate. Do not make a starter with dry yeast.

wouldn't that be like 2 packets of dry?

 

[BigFloyd]

wouldn't that be like 2 packets of dry?

I think you're right on that Chickypad. I was responding on my iPad and didn't notice that Braukaiser uses the much more conservative 10B cells/gram for dry yeast as the default in his calculator (at Brewers Friend) when I ran the numbers. Mr. Malty uses 20B I believe.

It's funny, Danstar and Fermentis have published "guaranteed" numbers of 5B and 6B cells per gram of their dry yeasts, even though their own microscope counts have shown 20-30B cells/gram for Nottingham.

 

[chickypad]

It's funny, Danstar and Fermentis have published "guaranteed" numbers of 5B and 6B cells per gram of their dry yeasts, even though their own microscope counts have shown 20-30B cells/gram for Nottingham.

Curious. I guess I always use MrMalty for dry, although the only dry strains I really use are S05 and Notty. The way those 2 perform though I believe the 20-30B.

Sorry OP, kinda off topic.

 

[Trox]

Chances are they use those numbers for when the package is right at the end of its expiration date; the closer to the packaging date the more active cells you'll have.