The Liquid Yeast Tab
Created by Matthew Kunzman ©2007
Use t he Liquid yeast tab to calculate what size starter you need for a given beer.
The two most common producers of liquid yeast are White Labs and Wyeast. If your yeast comes in a liquid White
labs vial or a Wyeast "smack pack" package, this is the tab that you should use.
The Starter Type Drop Down Menu There are many ways to make a starter. Select the type of starter process you use in this drop down menu. Simple Starter Simple Starter is the default and this is the most common method use to make a starter. A simple starter is where the starter wort is placed into a container with the yeast and left to ferment. No oxygen is added to the starter wort. This starter will not produce as many cells as other types of starters, so a larger volume of starter wort or more packages of liquid yeast may be needed to produce the same number of cells. Simple Starter w/ O2 at Start This starter is produced the same way as the simple starter but with one minor variation: shortly before or after the yeast is pitched, oxygen is added to the starter wort. This dose of oxygen at the beginning of the starter will result in more cell growth. Intermittent Shaking This starter is created the same way as the simple starter, but every hour or two the starter is agitated by the homebrewer to thoroughly mix the yeast and help introduce oxygen. This will substantially increase the cell count if done with enough frequency. Continuous Aeration Continuous aeration provides more oxygen for your starter and results in more yeast growth and better yeast health. This is usually done by continually pumping sterile filtered air into the starter via an aquarium pump. The pump continually adds air into the starter and the top of the starter is covered with aluminum foil. Stir plate A stir plate is a device that spins a magnetic stir bar inside the starter container. The stir bar keeps the yeast in suspension, reduces the concentration of CO2, allows for better oxygen exchange with the starter and results in increased cell counts.  |
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The Calculations The Number of Yeast Cells Needed in Billions, Number of Vials or Packs Needed Without a Starter, Number of Vials or Packs Needed With a Starter, and (Measurement) of Starter Required are calculated by the program. These numbers will change depending on the numbers you enter for the batch of beer you're trying to make. See the instructions page of this help file for information on entering those parameters. # Yeast Cells Needed (in Billions) This is the number of yeast cells needed to properly ferment a given wort. For all practical purposes, most homebrewers won't need to know this number, because it is difficult to count the cells without a microscope. Instead, most brewers assume the predicted amount of yeast from a given sized starter is correct. # Vials or packs needed without a starter This is the number of White Labs or Wyeast liquid yeast packages that you will need to pitch into your wort if you decide not to make a starter. If this number is one (1) or less, there is no need to make a starter. If this number is greater than one (1), and you do not have time to make a starter then this is the amount of vials or packs that you should pitch into your wort in order to properly ferment the beer. # Vials or packs needed with a starter Using the numbers you entered, the program calculates the number of liquid yeast packages needed for the starter. In bigger beers or larger batches, a starter with just one vial may not produce enough cells to properly pitch into your brewing wort.  |
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Growth Factor  |