Dry Yeast Pitching Rate

[shepp]

I wondered what your personal rules are for pitching dry yeast.
I have been looking at this -

https://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/

and it pretty much recommends pitching two packets of dry yeast to every 5 gallon batch. Going by the 0.75 pro brewer rate?

Is that a bit overkill ?

 

[dan125]

I always use 2 packs for 24L if the OG is over 1.050

 

[chub1]

Guess it depends on the pack size. 10/11grm packs i tend to use 1/2 pack for my 5 /10 litre brews and the whole pack for 23 ltrs.Not had any problems so far with either Fermentis/Crossmyloof or Gervin. Guess also the OG should be taken into consideration as well if high.

 

[MickDundee]

I just use 1 usually. If you need to use 2, you're as well justvgetting a liquid yeast.

 

[Gunge]

I've never used more than a pack per brew in 30-odd years brewing regardless of the OG (somewhere in the 1070s my strongest) and never had a problem. If you wanna waste yeast don't let me talk you out of it; I don't care.

 

[dan125]

I just use 1 usually. If you need to use 2, you're as well justvgetting a liquid yeast.

I use both and reckon it still costs around double to use a liquid by the time you make a starter. Unless of course you reuse, but I think I've been stressing yeast out abit doing this.

 

[dan125]

I've never used more than a pack per brew in 30-odd years brewing regardless of the OG (somewhere in the 1070s my strongest) and never had a problem. If you wanna waste yeast don't let me talk you out of it; I don't care.

Each to their own Gunge - I was lead to beleive that more yeast is needed for a higher OG and the manufacturers seem to broadly recommend using more than 1 pack in stronger brews.
I'd rather 'waste' a £ or 2 worth of yeast (or 80p in the case of the crossmyloof yeast I'm using at the mo) rather than risk undrpitching into a wort I've just used £20-£30 worth of ingredients in, and most of a day to brew.

:

 

[Gunge]

Each to their own Gunge - I was lead to beleive that more yeast is needed for a higher OG and the manufacturers seem to broadly recommend using more than 1 pack in stronger brews.
I'd rather 'waste' a £ or 2 worth of yeast (or 80p in the case of the crossmyloof yeast I'm using at the mo) rather than risk undrpitching into a wort I've just used £20-£30 worth of ingredients in, and most of a day to brew.

:

Do as you wish - I'm not bothered. Wonder why the sellers would rather you use 2 though? 30-odd years of using one pack with a zero failure rate tells me they're fibbing, but hey you're paying them not me.

 

[goodolpete]

A few years ago I posted some comments on a documentary
About Marstons brewery:
Really dumbed down.
Just watched the third one where the guy actually brews beer.
He brewed 50000 litres and used 432kg yeast, so added
just under 200g yeast per 22.5 litres.
He also added a small amount of Yeast Vit, so they obviously
think it needs it. I'll do that in future.
Interesting overview of the Burton Union system

 

[Gunge]

I used some yeast nutrient about 5 brews ago for the very first time, just out of curiosity and after reading summat somewhere. Made no difference to using just the one pack without nutrient, so far as I could tell - still went off like a bomb and the yeast didn't get fat.

 

[dad_of_jon]

I have re-hydrated my dry yeast for sometime now and have done a 12.86% beer with a single 11g packet for 20-22litre brews.

If the yeast is near to its sell by date, stored badly or you are sprinkling it onto a high OG wort etc. then 2 packs MAY be required to avoid a stuck brew.

Of course it also depends on the yeast strain too. A low attenuating low alcohol tolerance strain is not going to manage a 10% plus brew.

 

[strange-steve]

Part of the problem with trying to figure out dry yeast pitching rate is that there is some disagreement about how many yeast cells there are in a pack, figures range from 5B/g up to 20B/g which is obviously a huge difference. In general though, for a moderate OG ale 1 pack is usually enough, however for a stronger beer or a lager I would use 2 packs.

I think some people are missing the point though. Proper pitch rate is not to avoid a "failed" brew, but to avoid off flavours and achieve the correct flavour profile. Some of the best brewers I know have told me that proper yeast management, which includes pitch rates, is the most important difference between a good brew and a great brew.

I can't understand why someone would put so much time and effort into a brew and then try to save a few quid on yeast. If people are happy with what they make then great, but don't tell others they are wasting money by using a second pack of yeast.

 

[IainM]

I do the same as Dan. I've found that for the 6 big beers that I've done, how I've done yeast management is what separates the good from the not so good.

 

[dan125]

Do as you wish - I'm not bothered. Wonder why the sellers would rather you use 2 though? 30-odd years of using one pack with a zero failure rate tells me they're fibbing, but hey you're paying them not me.

Of course they want to sell more yeast, but why do you think pitch rate calcultors exist?
I'm trying to make the best beer I can rather than settle for beer thats OK. Maybe some of your brews would have been better if you;d used 2 packs?
The OP asked for opinions and I gave mine.

 

[Gunge]

Of course they want to sell more yeast, but why do you think pitch rate calcultors exist?
I'm trying to make the best beer I can rather than settle for beer thats OK. Maybe some of your brews would have been better if you;d used 2 packs?
The OP asked for opinions and I gave mine.

I apologise for being beligerent earlier - sleep deprivation cos of doing nights and this damn heat.

 

[dad_of_jon]

I apologise for being beligerent earlier - sleep deprivation cos of doing nights and this damn heat.

if the heat is getting to you like it does to me i have a couple of tips.

go for a drive in your car if you have aircon and recirculate it. and or visit a 24 hour tesco (other supermarkets are available) and spend 20-30 in the chilled section. Finally when you get back home spray tap water on your face.

A bit OT i grant you, but the only way Mrs DOJ was able to get me to holiday as far south as Spain was.

A) to go in November.
B) to Madrid - 600m high and so a bit cooler.

even then it was 21-22. I can't be doing with 25 degrees+ that's meant for saisons and wheat beer yeasts :whistle:

 

[dad_of_jon]

Of course they want to sell more yeast, but why do you think pitch rate calcultors exist?
I'm trying to make the best beer I can rather than settle for beer thats OK. Maybe some of your brews would have been better if you;d used 2 packs?
The OP asked for opinions and I gave mine.

Fair point Dan :thumb: for me it's quality over cost too, surely there's a brewphilosopy experiment on pitching rates?

 

[Gunge]

Thanks for the tips. I got a couple of hours in the end, looking forward to repeating the whole sorry cycle again... not! Relief is on its way,apparently! Meanwhile back to the matter in hand (sort of) I need to wrap damp towels around the FV in the corner, being one of those luddites who still hasn't sorted a fridge. Gonna be a fruity one, methinks.

 

[Gunge]

Without going off and looking it up myself (too idle/tired/irritable at the mo) do pitching rates only apply to liquid yeasts which have a much smaller yeast count than dried? I mean, with dried you use one or two packs and that's that.

 

[dan125]

I apologise for being beligerent earlier - sleep deprivation cos of doing nights and this damn heat.

No worries - I don't think I could manage working nights, especially with the heat and the long days.: