2 different yeast strains

Hi,

I am somewhat new to brewing and was wondering if I can use 2 different yeast strains in 1 batch. I bought a Brewhouse Stout beer kit which comes with Coopers yeast, but heard I should use a liquid yeast instead.

Cheers!

Why would you want to use two instead of just using one or the other?

Either will make good beer, it is just personal preference between dry or liquid. And with liquid you get a lot more variety.

[quote=“nemesis2a”]Hi,

I am somewhat new to brewing and was wondering if I can use 2 different yeast strains in 1 batch. I bought a Brewhouse Stout beer kit which comes with Coopers yeast, but heard I should use a liquid yeast instead.

Cheers![/quote]

dry yeast has come a long way. In my opinion it can make just as good beer as liquid. but like 560sdl said, liquid provides more variety.

you CAN use both at once, but the problem with using 2, is one will inevitably out-compete the other. So you wont know which one did a majority of the work. making the beer difficult to replicate. 1 yeast strain in your batch will be fine, and make good beer.

if you can’t make a starter with the liquid. I would use the coopers yeast. The link below has a yeast pitching rate calculator that will tell you how much yeast you need for optimal fermentation

http://www.mrmalty.com

[quote=“S.Scoggin”][quote=“nemesis2a”]Hi,

I am somewhat new to brewing and was wondering if I can use 2 different yeast strains in 1 batch. I bought a Brewhouse Stout beer kit which comes with Coopers yeast, but heard I should use a liquid yeast instead.

Cheers![/quote]

dry yeast has come a long way. In my opinion it can make just as good beer as liquid. but like 560sdl said, liquid provides more variety.

you CAN use both at once, but the problem with using 2, is one will inevitably out-compete the other. So you wont know which one did a majority of the work. making the beer difficult to replicate. 1 yeast strain in your batch will be fine, and make good beer.

if you can’t make a starter with the liquid. I would use the coopers yeast. The link below has a yeast pitching rate calculator that will tell you how much yeast you need for optimal fermentation

http://www.mrmalty.com[/quote]

Good advice. Starters are unequivocally necessary with liquid yeasts, unless you are using multiple vials/smack packs…even with multiple, they are a good idea to get the yeast active.

Use the Coopers yeast, it will make a fine beer. For future reference, Nottingham dry yeast makes a great dry stout. For sweet stouts, I would recommend Notty or S-04 (both dry); American Stouts, US-05 (dry); Russian Imperial Stouts - US-05 (dry…multiple packs!)

Good luck with the stout!

Thanks for the reply guys!
560sdl… I knew someone would ask why. LOL I was just curiuos.
s.scoggins…I have brewed this stout with the dry yeast before and it turned out great. Maybe best to leave well enough alone.

Thanks again for your help.
Cheers!

[quote=“Pietro”]

Good advice. Starters are unequivocally necessary with liquid yeasts, unless you are using multiple vials/smack packs…even with multiple, they are a good idea to get the yeast active.

Use the Coopers yeast, it will make a fine beer. For future reference, Nottingham dry yeast makes a great dry stout. For sweet stouts, I would recommend Notty or S-04 (both dry); American Stouts, US-05 (dry); Russian Imperial Stouts - US-05 (dry…multiple packs!)

Good luck with the stout![/quote]

I’ll disagree with this statement. I think that a fine beer can be made with 1 smack pack/vial of yeast verses a starter/multiple packs/vials.

“Professional” brewing literature may indicate otherwise.

YOUR taste buds are the final critic.

[quote=“Nighthawk”][quote=“Pietro”]

Good advice. Starters are unequivocally necessary with liquid yeasts, unless you are using multiple vials/smack packs…even with multiple, they are a good idea to get the yeast active.

Use the Coopers yeast, it will make a fine beer. For future reference, Nottingham dry yeast makes a great dry stout. For sweet stouts, I would recommend Notty or S-04 (both dry); American Stouts, US-05 (dry); Russian Imperial Stouts - US-05 (dry…multiple packs!)

Good luck with the stout![/quote]

I’ll disagree with this statement. I think that a fine beer can be made with 1 smack pack/vial of yeast verses a starter/multiple packs/vials.

“Professional” brewing literature may indicate otherwise.

YOUR taste buds are the final critic.[/quote]

+1 with Nighthawk here. As long as the liquid yeast in question is fresh and the gravity not too high, a starter is not always a must.

I never do high gravity beers, always look for yeast that is 3 months old or less, and I never do starters (though I do tend towards smack packs). When I used to go for white labs I’d try to get even fresher samples.

[/quote]
+1 with Nighthawk here. As long as the liquid yeast in question is fresh and the gravity not too high, a starter is not always a must.

I never do high gravity beers, always look for yeast that is 3 months old or less, and I never do starters (though I do tend towards smack packs). When I used to go for white labs I’d try to get even fresher samples.[/quote]

I mostly do three gallon batches and don’t bother with a starter unless the O G is over 1.050. When I go to the LHBS I give myself several options of yeast to have a better chance of finding a strain that is less than a month old (I usually try for less than a couple of weeks).
I did an export stout at 1.062 last year that turned out fine without a starter using Wyeast Irish ale yeast.
I use dry yeast for most of my beers so I don’t have to worry about a starter even with stronger beer.