Mastering Yeast Preparation: Tips For Beer Brewing Success

Yeast preparation is the second essential step in making beer, which is the generic term that encompasses whatever means you use to ensure that, come brew day, you have a healthy population of yeast cells that are ready to turn wort into beer. Several ways one can do this, roughly in order from easiest to hardest, include the following: Purchase one or more packages of liquid or dry yeast and add it to the wort. Purchase a package of liquid yeast, grow it into a larger culture, and add that to the wort. Take a portion of yeast left over from another batch of beer and add it to the wort.

Purchase liquid or dry yeast and add to wort

The second essential step in making beer is yeast preparation. This is the term used for the methods you use to ensure you have a healthy population of yeast cells ready to turn wort into beer.

One of the simplest ways to do this is to purchase liquid or dry yeast and add it to the wort. You can also purchase a package of liquid yeast, grow it into a larger culture, and add that to the wort.

Take the dregs from the bottom of a can or bottle of unfiltered, unpasteurized beer (commercial or homebrew), grow it into a larger culture, and add that to the wort.

Pitching a large population of healthy yeast cells at the right temperature can make the difference between beer that is just okay and beer that is truly remarkable. Take the time to experiment with both liquid and dry yeast strains, and don’t be afraid to make substitutions if the exact strain you want is unavailable.

Homebrewing is about having fun, so choose the yeast-preparation method that is most fun for you.

Purchase liquid yeast, grow into a larger culture and add to wort

Yeast preparation is the second essential step in making beer and involves ensuring you have a healthy population of yeast cells that are ready to turn wort into beer. You can purchase liquid or dry yeast and add it to the wort, or you can purchase a package of liquid yeast, grow it into a larger culture, and add that to the wort.

To grow yeast into a larger culture, you can take the dregs from the bottom of a can or bottle of unfiltered, unpasteurized beer (commercial or homebrew) and grow it into a larger culture. You can also take a portion of yeast left over from another batch of beer and add it to the wort.

When you are ready to pitch the yeast into the wort, starters are typically pitched during high krausen or after active fermentation has subsided. Pitching at high krausen, or at the height of the fermentation’s activity, which typically is 12-18 hours after pitching the yeast into the starter is the most convenient method. Simply pitch the entire contents of the starter into the wort of your homebrew once it’s ready. Be sure the temperature is within 5-15°F of the wort’s temperature when using this method. If it’s too hot or too cold, it can shock the yeast and ultimately create problem fermentations.

Most importantly, yeast needs oxygen to effectively prepare for the fermentation to come, which is why we will stress over and over the importance of introducing oxygen into wort before pitching yeast.

Use leftover yeast from another beer batch and add to wort

Yeast is the only beer ingredient that makes more of itself, and you can use this convenient fact to your advantage and reuse yeast time and time again if you want. You can take a portion of yeast left over from another batch of beer and add it to the wort.

When you are using leftover yeast, it is important to introduce oxygen into the wort before pitching the yeast. This is because much of a beer’s character is determined during the lag phase as yeast cells absorb nutrients from the wort and prepare for growth.

You can also purchase one or more packages of liquid or dry yeast and add it to the wort. Purchase a package of liquid yeast, grow it into a larger culture, and add that to the wort.

Pitching a large population of healthy yeast cells at the right temperature can make the difference between beer that is just okay and beer that is truly remarkable. Starters are typically either pitched during high krausen or after active fermentation has subsided. Pitching at high krausen, or at the height of the fermentation’s activity, which typically is 12-18 hours after pitching the yeast into the starter is the most convenient method. Simply pitch the entire contents of the starter into the wort of your homebrew once it’s ready. Be sure the temperature is within 5-15°F of the wort’s temperature when using this method. If it’s too hot or too cold, it can shock the yeast and ultimately create problem fermentations.

Introduce oxygen to wort before pitching yeast

Yeast needs oxygen to effectively prepare for the fermentation to come, which is why it is important to introduce oxygen into wort before pitching yeast. Most of a beer's character is determined during the lag phase as yeast cells absorb nutrients from the wort and prepare for growth.

There are several ways to prepare yeast, roughly in order from easiest to hardest. You can purchase one or more packages of liquid or dry yeast and add it to the wort. You can also purchase a package of liquid yeast, grow it into a larger culture, and add that to the wort. Lastly, you can take a portion of yeast left over from another batch of beer and add it to the wort.

Pitching a large population of healthy yeast cells at the right temperature can make the difference between beer that is just okay and beer that is truly remarkable. Starters are typically either pitched during high krausen or after active fermentation has subsided. Pitching at high krausen, or at the height of the fermentation’s activity, which typically is 12-18 hours after pitching the yeast into the starter is the most convenient method. Be sure the temperature is within 5-15°F of the wort’s temperature when using this method. If it’s too hot or too cold, it can shock the yeast and ultimately create problem fermentations.

Pitch yeast starter into wort during high krausen

Pitching a large population of healthy yeast cells at the right temperature can make the difference between beer that is just okay and beer that is truly remarkable. Pitching at high krausen, or at the height of the fermentation’s activity, which typically is 12-18 hours after pitching the yeast into the starter is the most convenient method. Simply pitch the entire contents of the starter into the wort of your homebrew once it’s ready. Be sure the temperature is within 5-15°F of the wort’s temperature when using this method. If it’s too hot or too cold, it can shock the yeast and ultimately create problem fermentations. Warm starters or starters with volumes more than 5% of the main batch volume need additional preparation.

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