# Dry Yeast Starter - S-04



## tom86 (5/8/20)

Apologise if this have been covered before, I did a bit of a search first.

I am making a beer on the weekend going to use S-04. 42L with 1.068 OG (planned).

Beersmtih recommends 519 billion which is 3 packets of dry yeast.

I have made a few starters now using liquid yeast, why cant I do the same using only 1 packet of S-04?

I have never re-hydrated dry yeast but it seems like if I am gonig to re-hydrate, it is about the same amount of effort to do a starter, so why not do a starter instead?


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## clickeral (5/8/20)

You can do a starter with dry yeast no issues. Same process as liquid yeast, the option is that you don't need to.


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## Vini2ton (5/8/20)

S-04 is an English ale yeast. US-05 is an American ale yeast. If you are going to use a dry yeast, why "go off the reservation" and make a starter instead of using the product for what it was designed for? More work for no increased benefit. I re-use dry varieties, but initially I just sprinkle the prescribed dose and have done with it. I get sick of cleaning and sanitising stuff.


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## tom86 (5/8/20)

Vini2ton said:


> S-04 is an English ale yeast. US-05 is an American ale yeast. If you are going to use a dry yeast, why "go off the reservation" and make a starter instead of using the product for what it was designed for? More work for no increased benefit. I re-use dry varieties, but initially I just sprinkle the prescribed dose and have done with it. I get sick of cleaning and sanitising stuff.



Whoops, Thanks changed to S-04. 

I guess just to save $12.... 

Also, I dont understand why making a starter for liquid yeast is the normal process but making a starter for dry yeast is considered "going off the reservation"?


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## Vini2ton (5/8/20)

I've done it before, with the same idea you have. I wouldn't do it again because the sprinkle thing is so easy and simple. Some will say that dry varieties shouldn't be used multi-generational. What I mean is that it's just another complication that is unnecessary. I suppose I shouldn't say "going of the reservation" nowadays but I love the imagery. Goodluck and How.


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## extractbrewer (7/8/20)

tom86 said:


> Also, I dont understand why making a starter for liquid yeast is the normal process but making a starter for dry yeast is considered "going off the reservation"?



You can make a starter from dry yeast if you want, it will increase the cell count and makes sense in situations such as when you want to buy 1 pack rather than buying 3. Genetic drift in a yeast starter is not a concern assuming you use a typical OG starter.

I think making a starter from dry yeast is completely unnecessary for most 23L batches of average OG.


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