Yeast starters for dry yeast

[caesius]

Just had a look here, Yeast Starters - Home Brewing Wiki and noticed this part in particular

Dry yeasts do not require a starter. Making a starter with dry yeast can be detrimental to their performance because they can use their nutrient reserves before pitching.

And even more specifically,

a starter with dry yeast can be detrimental

Now I'm confused. I seem to remember hearing that a starter should be used no matter what. I even think I read it in the book by John Palmer.

So whats the deal with the issue? Cheers.

 

[Makeyermark]

I've never used a starter and never had a problem with my Ales. I have used both liquid and dry yeast. I think they become important when you are making beers that ferment at cooler temps, such as Lagers. But then again, I am rather noobish.

 

[weirdboy]

I make starters for my liquid yeasts, but not the dry ones. If you need more yeast cells for a dry yeast, you can just pitch an extra packet since they're cheap.

 

[Yooper]

Always use a starter with liquid yeast, but not with dry yeast.

Sometimes (like in the case of a low OG ale), there are enough yeast cells in a liquid yeast vial or "smack-pack" to do the job, but not usually. Check out mrmalty.com and look at the pitching calculator. It's eye opening when you think about optimum pitch rates vs. those "pitchable" vials or packs. Also, just because there is barely enough yeast to do the job, doesn't need it's an optimum amount. For better results, the proper amount of yeast should be pitched.

Dry yeast is specially formulated to just be rehydrated. Generally, there are enough cells to ferment all but the bigger OG beers. You can see the difference on mrmalty's calculator, too.

A starter is done to cultivate more yeast. I don't know the science behind it being detrimental in dry yeast, but it definitely isn't necessary in dry yeast. If you need more yeast, because it's a 10 gallon batch or an OG of over 1.075 or so, you can just rehydrate and pitch a second package.

 

[caesius]

Thanks for replies, now that I'm re-reading the book b John Palmer, I think I may have been confusing "yeast starter" with "rehydrating the yeast" ..

 

[jaja]

Dry yeast costs have gone up heaps lately. Its made splitting up liquid yeast and using the small bottles of yeast to make up starters even more economical. So a second pack of yeast isn't an option here. I've never had a problem pitching dry yeast though but I hydrate mine first every time too.