Yeast Starter?

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AJD

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Hello Everyone

This is a question about yeast starters. Im going to be making a Saison, and the OG is about 1.077, so I would consider that a pretty big brew.
Now, I understand the the reason for making a starter, to increase the yeast cell count to enable better fermentation, especislly with big beers or beers with lots of refined sugars.
I seem to be reading a lot of conflicting advice, some saying that dried yeast only needs rehydrating, since it has been dehydrayted at the optimum time, and that if you need to increase the cell count, just pitch 2 packets. Others saying to make a starter.
Any thoughts?....
 
For that OG, I would go with a starter. DME and about a litre of cooled boiled water. It will give you the best shot as far as I'm aware...
 
as I understand it your not supposed to make a starter with dried yeast - can't remember the reason off the top of my head.

But as you rightly say the point of a starter to to create the right amount of cells for the OG/brew length. So you just need to replicate this 'pitching the right amount of cell's with the appropriate amount of dry yeast.

Using Mr malty

http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

1.077 OG for a 23L brewlengh requires 18g of yeast dry yeast (and don't forget to rehydrate it)
 
Many thanks for your reply!
The belief is if you make a starter with dry yeast, it uses up some of its reserves in the starter, and not in the main wort, therefore making for a less efficient fermentation....but surely if you are pitching more cells that will cancel that out?!
My gut feeling is to make a yeast starter. Do you know if you can ( or should ) make a starter if using liquid yeast? I have used it once before, and vial said to pitch straight to the wort, although from my understanding the vials contain approx 100 billion cells. For a wort this size I need to pitch approx 240 - 300 billion, according to a pitching table supplied in ' How to Brew ' by JJ Palmer.
On a side note if you havent got that book its well worth getting, really useful information in it...
 
For that high a gravity you would need a starter if using liquid.

I've read (forum) that you certainly can make a starter with dry but that you'll need to rehydrate it first. That thread had many varying opinions though so I'm uncertain and just use another 1/2 pack of dry to compensate and be on the safe side. It created the opportunity to make a small test batch with the other 1/2 of the yeast.
 
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