Dry Yeast Starter?

[MrBIP]

I'm sure the answer is here in the forums somewhere, but I'm having a hard time finding it ....

Planning to do a pale ale, 1054 OG, the brew supply store (45 minutes away) didn't have the liquid yeast I was going after, so I grabbed ONE PACK of Safale US05. Looking at the pitch rate (0.75), one packet is not enough.

No issue with doing a starter the same way as with liquid using this one pack of dry, correct?

(Dry is an option in the pitch rate calculator, but in quick google search, I actually read a couple of posts saying doing starter with dry is not only unnecessary, but can be bad for the yeast ... doesn't make sense to me; feed the yeast, make them multiply, good, right?)

Thanks in advance ... second brewing season kicks off 9/21!

MrBIP

 

[LarryBrewer]

You can make a starter from dry yeast. It is just extra work vs buying more packs. In your case, since the home brew store is kind of far, making a starter is a good plan.

 

[MrBIP]

Thanks, that's what I figured, but always safe to check with an expert when one finds conflicting information.

 

[LarryBrewer]

There was some internet rumor that making a starter from dry yeast depletes it of nurtients. If you have yeast nutrient make sure to use some in the starter and the beer. I always do in both, and I think it helps. One pack of the Wyeast nutrient lasts a long time.

 

[MrBIP]

Thanks Larry, I do have some nutrient, so will use that.
I'm thinking the best way to do this is rehydrate like you normally would before pitching in the starter?

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

Ive done 05 starters numerous times, its is a bit slow compared to wet yeast but works just fine, be prepared to wait longer depending on how you brew

 

[LarryBrewer]

Thanks Larry, I do have some nutrient, so will use that.
I'm thinking the best way to do this is rehydrate like you normally would before pitching in the starter?

Yep.

 

[MrBIP]

Got it.
Thanks,

 

[BrewHop]

I think the rumor about nutrient depletion comes from the fact that that they are engineered to start very quickly. There is information out there on re-hydrating that says you shouldn't leave the yeast hydrate for more than about 30min because they will start to die since they are infused with sterols and other compounds to make them start rapidly. If they don't get nutrients quickly enough then they will starve and die. Thus, since they are engineered to quickly start fermentation people say don't do a starter because you are essentially eliminating one of the benefits of using dry yeast. However, if you don't care about the quick start benefit then making a starter with dry yeast isn't really a big deal. Just do it how you normally would using a bit of nutrient and it shouldn't be a big deal. I have made starters with dry yeast before and it had worked out fine.

 

[EvanAltman36]

For what it's worth (probably very little) I have never made a starter with dry yeast. In fact, I've never even rehydrated it ahead of time; I just direct-pitch into the wort and it works like a charm every time. Just brewed my Pine Tar Stout and pitched two packets of Nottingham and it was going like crazy within 12 hours. I'm glad I set up a blow-off tube to start because it was needed.

 

[MrBIP]

This is only the second time I've used dry yeast; first time I did exactly that and waited two days.

This time, I used the pitch rate calculator and determined that I needed 2x 2L starter for 1.0 pitch rate 1.047OG (I don't have a stir plate built yet; I probably could have backed this down some).

Brewed Saturday afternoon, pitched the yeast about 4:15-4:20, noticed first activity at 6:10, it was bubbling strong at 10 when I went to bed.

Really like that starters take off quickly and I don't have to wait and wonder.