[gmac]

Keep in mind that to use liquid yeast for a beer that strong, you will have to make a starter.  See mrmalty.com for details.  If you don't make a starter, you'll likely be back here asking questions about a stuck fermentation!

Once COULD pitch multiple packs... though I doubt that was the intent.

Cost being no factor, a this would be an alternative approach.

It would be interesting to see if 2 packets gave the same results as the same amount of yeast in a starter.  I know intuitively they should (and they will both get there) but I'm wondering if 2 packets starting from a dead stop (cold etc) were the same as the equivalent amount of yeast that had been actively fermenting.  Essentially whether the momentum of the starter carried through in the beer.  Not arguing that a starter is better than multiple packets, just curious if there is any perceivable differences.  Both would work, but I'm curious if the activity of a starter at high krausen brought anything to the table compared to the same amount of yeast starting cold. (see how I'm dancing around here trying to make sure everyone knows I'm not arguing about it...just curious).

[euge]

Well for an average strength beer an 11g pack of yeast is enough. If it is properly hydrated it ought to be as good as any starter with equivalent cells.

I guess you could pitch it into a quart of wort several hours before pitching time to get it going and then into the fermenter.

[morticaixavier]

Well for an average strength beer an 11g pack of yeast is enough. If it is properly hydrated it ought to be as good as any starter with equivalent cells.

I guess you could pitch it into a quart of wort several hours before pitching time to get it going and then into the fermenter.

as i understand it with the dry yeast they are all ready to go. they have stored energy to last a few minutes so they can get rehydrated and wake up before they have to eat. If you make a starter with them they use up the reserves and can actually perform less well than if you had rehydrated with RO or DI water. But this is not from personal experience. I don't usually use dry yeasts.

I wouldn't be suprised if given equivelent cell counts in a comparison between liquid yeast multiple packages v. starter the starter would do better but that's way beyond my level of scientific curiosity.

[euge]

I didn't suggest making a starter; but did get this idea from John Palmer years back off the BN. He wasn't asserting that this was best practice though but he did say it "would wake the yeast up". As it is this is not my own practice.

If it (the quart of wort) was showing some beginning signs of fermentation and you pitched this wort I can't see how it would harm the yeast since they are in a nutrient rich environment going into a bigger volume of nutrient. A big difference from a spent starter.

Conversely, I practice hydration and you must use dechlorinated water that has minerals in it. Tap water for most folks. Pure water is bad juju for re-hydrating yeast. You would still need to do this before pitching into any amount of wort. The "sprinklers" will of course deny that this has any benefit at all.