Brewers Roundtable Forum

Hey guys,

I'm a kind of new brewer (I've probably done 8 or 9 batches over the last 3 years or so) and I'm getting cycled up for the brewing season...I've got a few different beers I'm getting ready to try and I had a question about the yeast. In John Palmer's How to Brew he says "For best results, rehydrate 2 packets of dry yeast (same kind) and then proof the yeast by adding some sugar to see if they are still alive after dehydration and storage."

My question is, how necessary is it to pitch two packets of yeast at a time? I've only ever used White Labs liquid yeast in the past, and I've found that one vial is plenty to get a thorough ferment. Is dry yeast different? If I'm pitching the dry yeast to a starter, is one packet sufficient? Thanks in advance.

Jerrod

Jerrod wrote:My question is, how necessary is it to pitch two packets of yeast at a time? I've only ever used White Labs liquid yeast in the past, and I've found that one vial is plenty to get a thorough ferment. Is dry yeast different? If I'm pitching the dry yeast to a starter, is one packet sufficient?

Yes it is. Especially now-a days. Dry yeast makers such as Safale are producing packets containing more cells than they're liquid competitors. I rarely make a starter except for OGs larger than 1.066. The rest I'll just sprinkle the packet over the top and seal the fermenter. The only time I ever use liquid is when there isn't a dry version of what I need.

Wild