Dried yeast packs - rehydrate or make a starter?

[BigYin]

So, I was in my local HBS and got some spray malt for helping to make a starter from a dried yeast pack, and I was searching the forum for info on the best way to make a starter, and came across Aleman's How to on rehydrating dried yeast : viewtopic.php?f=30&t=1642

So, I'm not not quite sure what my best course of action is :wha:

I'm planning to brew on sunday..

I have some of the low SG wort kept in sealed bottles in the fridge that I could add some spraymalt to and mix the dried yeast into that and give it 24 to 48 hours to get going before pitching on Sunday, OR I could go with the rehydrate method above on the day... :hmm:

Appreciate your thoughts and experience :drink:

 

[Ceejay]

With dried yeast you just need to rehydrate, making sure the water is at the manufacturers specified temperature :thumb:

Starters are for liquid/harvested yeast.

I haven't used distilled water, and I'll probably get a ticking off for that :grin: Still worked though.

 

[Mark1964]

We only make starters from liquid yeast its best to just sprinkle the dried stuff on top of the wort cooled of course to pitching temp :thumb:

 

[BigYin]

reading Aleman's how to on rehydrating the yeast suggests a 20% to 25% improvement in the number of active yeast cells if you rehydrate first :hmm:

 

[Aleman]

With dried yeast you just need to rehydrate, making sure the water is at the manufacturers specified temperature :thumb:

I haven't used distilled water, and I'll probably get a ticking off for that :grin: Still worked though.

Need to change that How To . . . Been speaking with Dr Cone since then and he now recommends using water with a reasonable level of dissolved solids . . . IOW tap water :evil:

 

[BigYin]

supermarket bottled water? None of the flouride treatments??? :hmm:

 

[Ceejay]

With dried yeast you just need to rehydrate, making sure the water is at the manufacturers specified temperature :thumb:

I haven't used distilled water, and I'll probably get a ticking off for that :grin: Still worked though.

Need to change that How To . . . Been speaking with Dr Cone since then and he now recommends using water with a reasonable level of dissolved solids . . . IOW tap water :evil:

I'm off the hook! :party:

 

[Inoff the Red]

I used to rehydrate dried yeast in water but now, on brew days, I add the yeast to a spraymalt starter solution in a conical flask.
I started doing this when i found i only had one packet of yeast when planning on doing a 50 litre batch.

It worked a treat and after a few hours, there is a healthy bubbling starter that, I think, gets the fermentation process off to a great start when it is added to the wort. It is now it is part of my brewing routine.