Do I need more yeast?

Optimus Prime

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Hi. The recipe calculator says my original gravity will be 1.080, final gravity 1.021, ABV 7.8%

My yeast package (Wyeast 3944) says I may need more yeast for OG 1.060 or higher

Do I actually need more yeast for a 5 gallon batch? IF I add a second pack of yeast, should I be concerned of undesirable after effects?

Thank you for your feedback.
 
You can build a yeast starter and there’s a yeast starter calculator on this site to help you with that.
 
Yes and if the yeast is a couple of months old, you might need more than 2 packets or a big starter. Use the pitch calculator on the recipe calculator. The good thing about most ale yeasts is that even underpitched, they'll make beer.
 
Hi. The recipe calculator says my original gravity will be 1.080, final gravity 1.021, ABV 7.8%

My yeast package (Wyeast 3944) says I may need more yeast for OG 1.060 or higher

Do I actually need more yeast for a 5 gallon batch? IF I add a second pack of yeast, should I be concerned of undesirable after effects?

Thank you for your feedback.
Not absolutely, a single pitch of yeast will eventually ferment the wort. A second pack or a starter will improve your beer. There's a calculator on the site that will help you estimate how much yeast you need and how to get to that amount.
 
Last pour of Leah's beer for the year nice super lite crushable ale.
20191205_183550.jpg

Now but mear foam now I've only one beer on tap:eek:. Gotta get brewing....
20191205_183531.jpg
 
Ah woops posted this in wrong thread how many did it take again to kick that keg:rolleyes:...
Looked good enough for a long burp to me Trial, regardless of the thread. Looks delicious
 
Not absolutely, a single pitch of yeast will eventually ferment the wort. A second pack or a starter will improve your beer. There's a calculator on the site that will help you estimate how much yeast you need and how to get to that amount.

Why does a second pack or a starter improve the beer? I thought the yeast would just lag a bit and reproduce in your beer and take a little longer if you didn't pitch enough.
 
Why does a second pack or a starter improve the beer? I thought the yeast would just lag a bit and reproduce in your beer and take a little longer if you didn't pitch enough.
It doesn't necessarily improve the beer to use more yeast. My ales are much better since I stopped overpitching. As with everything brewing, the answers can vary and the American tendency to think if a little is good a lot is great isn't always true.
 
It doesn't necessarily improve the beer to use more yeast. My ales are much better since I stopped overpitching. As with everything brewing, the answers can vary and the American tendency to think if a little is good a lot is great isn't always true.

And mine improved greatly when I quit underpitching. There is certainly a happy medium range for pitching. More is not necessarily better, but neither is less.
 
Why does a second pack or a starter improve the beer? I thought the yeast would just lag a bit and reproduce in your beer and take a little longer if you didn't pitch enough.
It's not about using more or less yeast, it's about getting the right amount for the strain of yeast and the style. Each yeast performs slightly different from each other and depending on style you may need to increase or decrease the amount of yeast. Typically .75 million cells per mL per degree plato is the accepted level for ales (lagers are 1.5-2.0 or even higher), but I sometimes pitch under that or over that depending on the strain and the pitching/fermentation temperature. Safale S04 is an example of a yeast that tolerates and performs well with a slight underpitch. Most lager strains perform better with an overpitch.

If you haven't got pitch rates down yet, I would suggest sticking with dry yeast varieties such as S04 or US05 and pitching 1 pack per 5 gallons (@20 liters) and not worrying about it.
 

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