Yeast Starters
Do you use yeast starters? Why or why not?
If you want to make a yeast starter but aren’t sure where to start, check out our article and infographic for step-by-step instructions!
- 4 Replies
I have always just pitched directly into the wort or simply rehydrated dry yeast and haven’t ever had a problem but a lot of people have recommended doing yeast starters to get fermentation started faster, especially in higher gravity beers.
I think as long as your aren’t brewing a super high ABV beer you can get away with no starter. If I know a few days before I’m going to brew, I make a starter. However, most of the time, I brew pretty much on a whim and making a starter doesn’t fit the time frame. So, I buy the appropriate number of yeast packets for the OG of the beer I’m brewing. Yes, it’s a bit more expensive, but I’m ok with that. And I brew when I want to. Do what works for you.
I used to make starters. Now I use Imperial yeast which has 200 billion cells or pack, so no need for a starter. I generally by enough to cover my OG based on BeerSmith calculations.
I quite often make a yeast starter. I usually use liquid yeast and find my fermentation can be slow to get going without doing a starter. I don’t know that it makes my beer taste any better, though…
