If you frequent the various brewing messageboards out there you will almost assuredly encounter a common, and age old argument: “Should I make a starter?” While a lot of the hardcore brew doods out there will undoubtedly, unequivocally say “YES!!!!” in any circumstance and for any beer, I respectfully disagree with the notion that every beer needs a starter.
Yes, you should be aware that making a starter with the liquid yeast you purchase at your local homebrew shop will generally produce a more fully-attenuated, cleaner beer. The faster take off helps ensure that you aren’t as likely to encounter infection, and generally resutls in a healthier, less stressed yeast that is less likely to produce off flavors. If you read the back of your Wyeast or White Labs packaging, you’ll see that there is almost assuredly a bit of print that tells you approximately how many yeast cells should be in suspension in the tube or smackpack. They also usually say that this number is sufficient to ferment a five gallon batch of beer at a particular gravity — usually a relatively low one. (more…)