[denny]

Are you better off making a starter?  Yes.

On the other hand, if you just pitch the liquid yeast and it will ferment and make beer.

The beer will likely be better beer if you make a starter, but honestly for your second batch you're probably fine without.

There are a lot of other variables you need to figure out/learn to control as well. Fermentation temperature is as important.

If the starter seems like a high hurdle at this point, don't worry about it.

But if you keep brewing, building up a starter is best practice and I wouldn't skip it.

I made lots of beer before I started making starters.  I make better beer now.

Well spoken, Joe!

[Joe Sr.]

Thanks!

[csu007]

Are you better off making a starter?  Yes.

On the other hand, if you just pitch the liquid yeast and it will ferment and make beer.

The beer will likely be better beer if you make a starter, but honestly for your second batch you're probably fine without.

There are a lot of other variables you need to figure out/learn to control as well. Fermentation temperature is as important.

If the starter seems like a high hurdle at this point, don't worry about it.

But if you keep brewing, building up a starter is best practice and I wouldn't skip it.

I made lots of beer before I started making starters.  I make better beer now.

Well spoken, Joe!

agreed the advice is very much welcomed. I appreciate all the advice from everyone being newbie to this "hobby".

[csu007]

So i thought give an update on the yeast situation in my beer. I just pitched one vial (LHBS recommendation) w/o a starter at about 70F. the ambient room is temp is low 60's. it took a couple days but the yeast  was going crazy strong, it has since began to slow down. It looks like it will do the job and make some hopefully good tasting beer.
once again thanks for all the help, advice, and suggestions

[ccfoo242]

If you end up having to make one in the future, check out this guy's video: Billy Brew - How To Make a Yeast Starter

And there's always Palmer's How to Brew book.

[csu007]

thanks for the link. yeah i believe that Joy of brewing by Charlie Papazian has a method as well

[musseldoc]

I think it is even more important for new brewers to use starters.  I don't believe starters are just for advanced brewer trying to dial in the perfect yeast ester profile in their beer.  One of the biggest concerns with a new brewer is definitely going to be their sanitization practices.  If you pitch a new, inactive vial of yeast, the lag time will be longer than if you pitch an actively growing or fermenting starter.  This allows the yeast to get cranking in your beer MUCH faster, which will serve to protect you from minor errors in sanitization as the yeast will have a better chance of outcompeting other microbes. 

[majorvices]

I think it is even more important for new brewers to use starters.  I don't believe starters are just for advanced brewer trying to dial in the perfect yeast ester profile in their beer.  One of the biggest concerns with a new brewer is definitely going to be their sanitization practices.  If you pitch a new, inactive vial of yeast, the lag time will be longer than if you pitch an actively growing or fermenting starter.  This allows the yeast to get cranking in your beer MUCH faster, which will serve to protect you from minor errors in sanitization as the yeast will have a better chance of outcompeting other microbes.

I agree. I also like to suggest to new brewers to stick with dry yeast or pitch multiple vials/packs of liquid yeast until they are up to the 15 minute extra task of whipping up a starter. You don't need a starter with dry yeast and if you are using liquid yeast it is best to pitch a little extra since if you are not making a starter you are almost certainly underpitching and it is usually better to over pitch a little than under pitch.