Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Dry yeast split, a starter would work?  (Read 4007 times)

Offline Descardeci

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 118
Dry yeast split, a starter would work?
« on: September 11, 2019, 06:32:59 am »
Hey folks, how you guys are?
What you been brewing?
So folks, I’m doing my first big beer, only 2,5 gallon each, next week, a Belgian dark strong ale and a clone from Midas touch with some changes, with 1,091 and 1,088, but I’m think doing a starter with a abbey 256 fermentis, a starter of 1,5 L (0.4 gallon), then pour 1l (0.26 gallon) in one and give the another 0,5 L (0.16 gallon)  then propagation to 1 L (0.26 gallon) then pour in the other batch. I’m study about and I Know some people prefer buy 2 pack of the same yeast, but I’m curious about doing the propagation. Anyone try this already?
« Last Edit: September 11, 2019, 07:08:47 am by Descardeci »

Offline Bob357

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 895
  • Consensus means nothing to me. I am who I am.
Re: Dry yeast split, a starter would work?
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2019, 08:26:04 am »
Overbuilding starters has been a well used technique for several years now. Making starters with dry yeast isn't all that popular, but I've been doing it for some time with great results.

I don't assume 200B cells per packet, but instead figure 10B per gram. This is the number I enter into the starter tool.  Although it may not be necessary, I always rehydrate first. After rehydrating I treat the yeast just as I would liquid yeast. 
Beer is my bucket list,

Bob357
Fallon, NV

Offline Kevin

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 724
  • Great beer. Less work. More fun.
Re: Dry yeast split, a starter would work?
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2019, 09:17:36 am »
My best starters for big beers are a smaller beer. Make a smaller OG beer around 1.040 - 1.045 (maybe up to 1.050) and the day you are ready to rack or bottle this one, brew your big beer and put it right on top of the small beers yeast cake.
« Last Edit: September 12, 2019, 09:05:47 am by Kevin »
“He was a wise man who invented beer.”
- Plato

Offline Todd H.

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 72
Re: Dry yeast split, a starter would work?
« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2019, 09:52:10 am »
I don't assume 200B cells per packet, but instead figure 10B per gram. This is the number I enter into the starter tool.  Although it may not be necessary, I always rehydrate first. After rehydrating I treat the yeast just as I would liquid yeast.

Last year I counted S-23 and 34/70 out of curiosity.  S-23 came in at 24b/gram and 34/70 at 21b/gram.  Obviously that's those packets of those strains, but it's possible yours might have more than 10b/gram.  Still, if making a starter makes good beer and you don't mind doing it, who cares what your initial cell count is.

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27070
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Dry yeast split, a starter would work?
« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2019, 10:23:56 am »
I have come to the point where I don't care nearly as much about cell count as yeast health.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline ynotbrusum

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4874
Re: Dry yeast split, a starter would work?
« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2019, 01:30:07 pm »
I have come to the point where I don't care nearly as much about cell count as yeast health.

Yes.  The nuclear bomb analogy by Mark V. comes to mind... if it’s vital and active, the cell numbers shouldn’t mean much.  So no need to pitch huge starters, just use highly active ones.
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27070
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Dry yeast split, a starter would work?
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2019, 02:42:59 pm »
I have come to the point where I don't care nearly as much about cell count as yeast health.

Yes.  The nuclear bomb analogy by Mark V. comes to mind... if it’s vital and active, the cell numbers shouldn’t mean much.  So no need to pitch huge starters, just use highly active ones.

Which is exactly what I've been doing the last few years.  AAMOF, when I described the method to Chris White, he said "that's great!  Homebrewers are too hung up on numbers"
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline Descardeci

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 118
Re: Dry yeast split, a starter would work?
« Reply #7 on: September 12, 2019, 08:34:59 am »
I have come to the point where I don't care nearly as much about cell count as yeast health.

Yes.  The nuclear bomb analogy by Mark V. comes to mind... if it’s vital and active, the cell numbers shouldn’t mean much.  So no need to pitch huge starters, just use highly active ones.

First of all thanks all for the answers, and now which size of starter would recommend to those bier? I’m think 0,26 to 0,4 gallon, but this will reduce my OG of the beer?

Offline Kevin

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 724
  • Great beer. Less work. More fun.
Re: Dry yeast split, a starter would work?
« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2019, 09:10:17 am »
I have come to the point where I don't care nearly as much about cell count as yeast health.

Yes.  The nuclear bomb analogy by Mark V. comes to mind... if it’s vital and active, the cell numbers shouldn’t mean much.  So no need to pitch huge starters, just use highly active ones.

First of all thanks all for the answers, and now which size of starter would recommend to those bier? I’m think 0,26 to 0,4 gallon, but this will reduce my OG of the beer?

Well, what Denny is talking about is the Shaken Not Stirred method which is typically one quart of starter medium in a one gallon container. I would be curious to hear from Denny his thoughts on the size of a SNS starter when making a high gravity beer... 1.080 and up.
“He was a wise man who invented beer.”
- Plato

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27070
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Dry yeast split, a starter would work?
« Reply #9 on: September 12, 2019, 09:49:52 am »
I have come to the point where I don't care nearly as much about cell count as yeast health.

Yes.  The nuclear bomb analogy by Mark V. comes to mind... if it’s vital and active, the cell numbers shouldn’t mean much.  So no need to pitch huge starters, just use highly active ones.

First of all thanks all for the answers, and now which size of starter would recommend to those bier? I’m think 0,26 to 0,4 gallon, but this will reduce my OG of the beer?

Well, what Denny is talking about is the Shaken Not Stirred method which is typically one quart of starter medium in a one gallon container. I would be curious to hear from Denny his thoughts on the size of a SNS starter when making a high gravity beer... 1.080 and up.

In that case, I make a lower gravity beer first and then use the slurry.  But for a small 5 gal.batch, I think the usual SNS method would work.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline Steve Ruch

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1743
Re: Dry yeast split, a starter would work?
« Reply #10 on: September 12, 2019, 12:12:31 pm »
I have come to the point where I don't care nearly as much about cell count as yeast health.

Yes.  The nuclear bomb analogy by Mark V. comes to mind... if it’s vital and active, the cell numbers shouldn’t mean much.  So no need to pitch huge starters, just use highly active ones.

First of all thanks all for the answers, and now which size of starter would recommend to those bier? I’m think 0,26 to 0,4 gallon, but this will reduce my OG of the beer?

Well, what Denny is talking about is the Shaken Not Stirred method which is typically one quart of starter medium in a one gallon container. I would be curious to hear from Denny his thoughts on the size of a SNS starter when making a high gravity beer... 1.080 and up.

In that case, I make a lower gravity beer first and then use the slurry.  But for a small 5 gal.batch, I think the usual SNS method would work.
How about for a 2.5-3 gallon batch of 1.080-1.100? Or higher?
I love to go swimmin'
with hairy old women

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27070
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Dry yeast split, a starter would work?
« Reply #11 on: September 12, 2019, 12:42:15 pm »
I have come to the point where I don't care nearly as much about cell count as yeast health.

Yes.  The nuclear bomb analogy by Mark V. comes to mind... if it’s vital and active, the cell numbers shouldn’t mean much.  So no need to pitch huge starters, just use highly active ones.

First of all thanks all for the answers, and now which size of starter would recommend to those bier? I’m think 0,26 to 0,4 gallon, but this will reduce my OG of the beer?

Well, what Denny is talking about is the Shaken Not Stirred method which is typically one quart of starter medium in a one gallon container. I would be curious to hear from Denny his thoughts on the size of a SNS starter when making a high gravity beer... 1.080 and up.

In that case, I make a lower gravity beer first and then use the slurry.  But for a small 5 gal.batch, I think the usual SNS method would work.
How about for a 2.5-3 gallon batch of 1.080-1.100? Or higher?

I think I'd go for the standard SNS.  Higher than 1.100...who knows.  I don't think I'd do that without slurry.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline smkranz

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 333
  • Maryland
    • Midnight Homebrewers' League
Re: Dry yeast split, a starter would work?
« Reply #12 on: September 12, 2019, 06:29:18 pm »
No starter is necessary.  Just rehydrate, or direct pitch.  I attended a Fermentis presentation at our LHBS and came away with this presentation.  Check out page 24 for a comparison of pitching into various media, including rehydrating in water or wort.  My results by direct pitching into big beers have been great.  Hope the link works:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yYtrJABYxZ2XvKEnMj_OfShpl8OyPNHM/view?usp=sharing
« Last Edit: September 12, 2019, 06:34:01 pm by smkranz »
Steve K.
BJCP Beer & Mead Certified
Midnight Homebrewers' League
http://www.midnighthomebrewers.org

Offline brian_welch

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 47
  • Holden MA
Re: Dry yeast split, a starter would work?
« Reply #13 on: September 13, 2019, 06:47:37 am »
There is a three page "sponsored content"/scientific article from Fermentis about the new Easy to Use/E2U dry yeast in the September 2019 issue Brew Your Own magazine.

They don't really talk about starters, but rather pitching directly vs. rehydrating the yeast in water vs. rehydrating the yeast in wort (which could be a starter, I guess).  If you do make a starter, I wouldn't follow the shaken not stirred method, based on this warning (emphasis theirs):

"there is no need to oxygenate the wort when using E2U yeast by Fermentis (due to our production process) and DO NOT shake the flask extremely vigorously when you are rehydrating the yeasts."
Brian Welch
WIZARDS (Worcester Incorporated Zymurgists Advancing Real Draughts)

ON TAP:
Hefeweizen
West Coast Pils
German Pils
Altbier

ON DECK:
English Bitter
Dark Mild

Offline smkranz

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 333
  • Maryland
    • Midnight Homebrewers' League
Re: Dry yeast split, a starter would work?
« Reply #14 on: September 13, 2019, 08:06:42 am »
If you do make a starter, I wouldn't follow the shaken not stirred method, based on this warning (emphasis theirs):

"there is no need to oxygenate the wort when using E2U yeast by Fermentis (due to our production process) and DO NOT shake the flask extremely vigorously when you are rehydrating the yeasts."

Yup, this is consistent with what we were told by the Fermentis rep, the reason being that vigorous shaking or aeration during rehydration causes physical damage to the yeast cells, reducing overall viability of the pitch.
Steve K.
BJCP Beer & Mead Certified
Midnight Homebrewers' League
http://www.midnighthomebrewers.org